National Social Enterprise Awards 2026
Supporting Change.
Celebrating Changemakers.
Deadline for submissions 11:59pm 31st July 2026
Across Ireland, more than 4,000 social enterprises are working to make our communities more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable. The National Social Enterprise Awards, now in its second year, is designed to celebrate the people and communities at the heart of Ireland’s social enterprise sector, and to showcase the positive impact of their work.
The National Social Enterprise Awards forms part of Trading for Impact, Ireland’s National Social Enterprise Policy. The Awards are being jointly delivered on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht by Local Development Companies Network, Irish Social Enterprise Network, The Wheel, and Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland.
Summary of Key Dates
National Social Enterprise Awards 2026- Applications Open 22nd June
- Informational Webinar 11am 29th June
- Deadline for Questions 11:59pm 24th July
- Application Deadline 11:59pm 31st July
- Awards Event October (Date & Venue TBC)
Application Process
Applications must be submitted via the online application portal (link at top of the page).
The deadline for receipt of applications is 11.59 PM on Friday 31st July 2026.
Please note: the online application form does not allow you to save your application in draft form and return to it later. To prevent data loss, you are advised to populate the information in the offline template first (see button below), before copying it into the online application form when you are ready to submit.
An Informational Webinar will be held on Monday 29th June at 11am. This webinar is targeted at all social enterprises that are interested in this initiative and that would like to learn more. To register for the webinar, please click here. Please note that the webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards.
All questions relating to the National Social Enterprise Awards 2026 should be sent by email to socialenterprise@ldcn.ie. Questions will be answered via a Frequently Asked Questions document.
The deadline for receipt of questions is 11.59 PM on Friday 24th July, 2026.
An awards ceremony will be held in October, date and venue to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Applicant organisations must be a social enterprise, as defined by Trading for Impact: National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027. Accordingly, they must comply with six main qualifying criteria, namely:
- The organisation’s principle objective must be to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact, rather than to maximise profits for its owners or shareholders;
- The organisation must pursue its objectives by trading on an ongoing basis through the provision of goods and/or services;
- The organisation must reinvest a majority of all surpluses into achieving social objectives;
- The organisation must be governed in a fully transparent and accountable manner;
- The organisation must be independent of the public sector; and
- If the organisation is dissolved, its assets should transfer to another organisation with a similar mission.
Applicants will be required to provide an Irish company number. It is not mandatory that applicant organisations are a registered charity, provided that all six of the above criteria are met.
National Social Enterprise Awards 2025 Applicants
- Winners of any of the five primary categories* in last year’s National Social Enterprise Awards are not eligible to re-apply for an award.
- Winners in any of the three secondary categories* are eligible to apply, but will not be considered for an award in the category in which they were selected as a winner in 2025.
- All other social enterprises that applied for last year’s Awards, including runners-up, are eligible to apply, assuming they continue to meet the eligibility criteria set out above.
*The five primary categories in last year’s Awards were: Training, Work Integration & Life-long Learning; Health & Wellbeing / Services for Children & Older People; Retail, Hospitality & Professional Services; Community Facilities / Infrastructure, Arts, Heritage & Local Development; Climate & the Environment. The three secondary categories were: Up-and-Coming Social Enterprise, Buy Social, and Social Finance.
Categories & Awards
Primary Categories
Applicants will be required to self-select into one of five primary categories, depending on the main focus of their work.
Each primary category carries a €1,000 prize for the winner.
The five primary categories are:
- Education, Training & Work Integration
- Care, Disability & Inclusion
- Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Local & Community Development
- Climate & Environment
The Social Enterprise of the Year will be chosen by the judging panel from the winners of the five primary categories.
Secondary Categories
There are three secondary categories, each of which carries a €1,000 prize for the winner.
Entry into these secondary categories is optional and is dependent on more specific eligibility criteria being met.
Applicants that enter one or more secondary categories will still be considered for an award within the primary category that they have selected.
The three secondary categories are:
- Up-and-Coming Social Enterprise
- Buy Social Award
- Social Finance Award
Individual Categories
There are two individual categories. These categories do not carry a monetary prize. Self-nominations are allowed, and anyone can submit a nomination for these categories – nominations do not have to be made by or linked to a social enterprise that is applying for another award.
The two individual categories are:
- Social Enterprise Volunteer Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Assessment Criteria
Clear account of the nature and scope of the work of the social enterprise – 10%.
Demonstrated impact – 60%.
Evidence of organisational sustainability – 30%.
Applicants wishing to be considered for the Buy Social or Social Finance Awards will be required to complete an additional section which will carry a score of 40%. The weightings of the three areas listed above will be revised accordingly.
Judging Process and Prizegiving
All applications will be independently evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers. In anticipation of a large number of applications being received, applicants should not expect to received individualised feedback on their applications.
A prizegiving ceremony will take place in October, with the exact date and venue to be confirmed. Winners in each of the five primary categories, and three secondary categories, will be announced at the event, with three shortlisted organisations from each of these categories invited to attend. Winners in the two individual awards will be notified in advance, with awards to be presented at the event.
Data Protection
Application materials will be available to the four organisations that are running this awards initiative (Local Development Companies Network, Irish Social Enterprise Network, Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, and The Wheel), and to any third party that may support the judging/evaluation process. All information provided will be used solely for purposes connected with this initiative and will be deleted thereafter.
Primary Award Categories
All Applicants to select one
Education, Training & Work Integration
Description:
Supporting those that who may be at risk of, or experiencing, low educational attainment, or those who for other reasons may face barriers to employment.
Examples:
Work integration social enterprises; educational supports for disadvantaged children and young people; education and training supports for those who may be distant from the labour market.
Care, Disability & Inclusion
Description:
Supporting older people and people with disabilities to participate in society, develop a sense of belonging, exercise their agency, and live with dignity. This includes both care services and broader supports that promote inclusion and health equality, as well as supports for families and carers.
Examples:
Daycare and residential facilities; health, social or recreational services for older people or people with disabilities; befriending or home-visiting services; respite services for carers.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Description:
Services and supports that promote positive mental health and physical and emotional wellbeing.
Examples:
Sports, leisure and recreation facilities; health and fitness initiatives; social and mental health supports; addiction services; self-harm or suicide prevention; counselling; supports associated with trauma or grief.
Local & Community Development
Description:
Facilities and services whose purpose is to strengthen the local economy, celebrate the culture of an area, and/or build social connections/social capital within a community.
Examples:
Community centres; community cafes and shops; local development associations; initiatives to foster links between migrants and host communities; heritage centres; theatre and radio groups; transport services; housing supports; initiatives to support urban regeneration or address dereliction.
Climate & Environment
Description:
Environmental sustainability and sustainable development.
Examples:
Emissions reductions, marine environment, circular economy, care and repair, biodiversity, anti-litter, animal welfare. heritage centres; theatre and radio groups; transport services; housing supports; initiatives to support urban regeneration or address dereliction.
Please note that the examples given in the table above are indicative only – applicants should select the category that they believe is most appropriate to them. We recognise that some social enterprises will span two or more categories; for example, a care and repair business might generate climate/environment impacts while also being a work integration social enterprise. In such cases, we encourage applicants to select the category in which they believe their impact is greatest.
Secondary Award Categories
Applicants do not have to select any secondary category, but can select one or more depending on suitability/eligibility. Applicants that enter a secondary category will still have their applications considered within the primary category that they have chosen.
Up-and-Coming Social Enterprise
Eligibility:
For social enterprises that were established (registered) on or after 1st July 2024 (i.e., less than two years old at the time of application).
Social Finance Award
Eligibility:
For social enterprises that have used social finance to help them to grow their impact. For the purposes of this award, social finance will be understood as repayable finance (loans) provided by a non-profit lender (including but not limited to Social Finance Foundation, Clann Credo, Rethink Ireland, Microfinance Ireland, Credit Unions, etc.).
Buy Social Award
Eligibility:
For social enterprises that provide goods or services that are conventionally delivered on a for-profit basis, thereby creating an opportunity for consumers (be they private, business or state) to use their buying power to generate positive social impact.
Individual Award Categories
Nominations are invited for two individual awards. Self-nominations are allowed, and anyone can submit a nomination for these categories – nominations do not have to be made by or linked to a social enterprise that is applying for another award.
Social Enterprise Volunteer Award
Eligibility:
For any individual that volunteers their time to support a social enterprise, but who does not receive a salary (full time, part time, or via an employment scheme) for doing so. Nominees should display a deep and enduring commitment to the work of the social enterprise and the people it supports.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Eligibility:
For any individual that has made an outstanding contribution to the social enterprise sector in Ireland. This might include founding, leading, or working in a social enterprise(s), or supporting the development of the sector through research, policy, advocacy, philanthropy, or in other ways.
Ready to Apply?
FAQ
All questions relating to the National Social Enterprise Awards 2026 should be submitted by email to socialenterprise@ldcn.ie. The deadline for submission of questions is 11.59 PM on Friday 24th th July 2026.
Can applications be saved in draft form within the online applications portal?
No, unfortunately the system does not have this functionality. To prevent data loss, you are instead advised to populate the information in the offline template first, before copying it into the online application form when you are ready to submit.
We submitted an application for the National Social Enterprise Awards last year – can we apply again this year?
Category winners from last year’s Awards are not eligible to apply. All other applicants, including runners up, are eligible.
What do we do if our social enterprise’s work spans more than one award category?
You should select the award category in which you believe that your impact is greatest.
You are permitted to select one category only.
We operate multiple social enterprises within one organization – should we submit multiple applications or only one?
Only one application can be linked to a company number, so if multiple social enterprises
are operated by the same legal entity you should submit one application only.
Where a social enterprise is operated by a Local Development Company, can an application be made using the company number of the Local Development Company?
Yes.
Will we receive feedback on our application if we are unsuccessful?
Due to the high volume of applications expected, it will not be possible to provide qualitative or individualised feedback.
Can I use AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to fill out the application?
Yes, you may use AI tools to support your application. However, you remain fully responsible for the content submitted. Please ensure that all information is accurate and up-to-date and that your responses clearly and fully address the questions asked.
