Did you find what you were looking for?

Find what you were looking for?

Help us improve AI search results bygiving your feedback (3-5 mins).

From:Department of Education and Youth

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has today announced a €1 million funding initiative to support schools nationwide in delivering innovative Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects.

Primary and post-primary schools are now invited to apply for grants of up to €2,500 to develop sustainability-focused projects aligned with the Government’s second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development,ESD to 2030.

Over the past four years, schools participating in the initiative have used funding to create a wide range of impactful projects, including school gardens, outdoor classrooms, forest schools, recycling and composting systems, biodigesters, food waste reduction programmes, fast fashion awareness campaigns, rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems and energy education initiatives.

Projects funded under the scheme are expected to be student-led and must include a teacher professional learning (TPL) element to help embed sustainability across the whole school community.

Announcing the funding, Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said:

"ESD to 2030 aims to ensure that every learner develops the knowledge, skills and values needed to contribute to a more sustainable future. Investing in Education for Sustainable Development is an investment in our students, our schools and our communities.

“Through this funding, we are empowering schools to bring sustainability to life through practical, meaningful, projects that enhance learning and strengthen leadership across the entire school community.

“Education for Sustainable Development equips young people to engage with some of the most pressing challenges in society today, from climate action and biodiversity protection to waste reduction, citizenship and social inclusion. A key priority for school projects in the 2026/27 school year is local community action, encouraging students to make a positive and lasting difference in their own communities.

“Schools across Ireland have already demonstrated remarkable creativity and commitments through projects delivered under this initiative. Their work is helping to shape more sustainable behaviours and build stronger, more resilient communities. I encourage all schools to consider how they can advance sustainability in their own settings and to apply for this funding opportunity.

“Through ESD to 2030, we are continuing to build a more sustainable, equitable, and just future.”

The 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development –ESD to 2030– is co-sponsored by the Department of Education and Youth, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

ESD aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.

ESD to 2030supports implementation of the Climate Action Plan, the Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan, the EU Green Deal and the UNs 2030 Agenda.

TheESD to 2030funding can be used by schools to further support ESD projects and engage with their local communities building partnerships for sustainability. ESD to 2030 also aims to build teacher capacity to support implementation of their Sustainability Policy Statements and the School Sector Climate Action Mandate.

The funding call for schools is a competitive process and priority will be given to schools who have not received ESD funding previously.

The Sustainability Toolkit for Schools published in September 2023 is supporting schools in developing and publishing their Sustainability Policy Statements and in progressing more sustainable school and local environments.

Since 2022, over €2 million has been distributed across 750 ESD-related projects. In 2025/26, the Department of Education and Youth delivered €850,000 in funding to 390 primary and post-primary schools – the highest ever number.

In addition to funding for schools, Minister Naughton announced in August that €624,000 in funding had been awarded to organisations delivering Education for Sustainable Development projects.

Further information onESD to 2030, funding grantees and the sustainability toolkit are available on the webpage:gov.ie - National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland (www.gov.ie)

For details for schools which wish to apply for the funding, see:https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/national-strategy-on-education-for-sustainable-development-in-ireland/#esd-to-2030-funding