Here's what you need to know about the Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund

 

What is The Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund?

Coca‑Cola Ireland and its bottling partner Coca‑Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland have launched the Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund (“The Fund”), which will be operated by The Irish Youth Foundation, in partnership with Youth Action Northern Ireland, making €200,000* in grants available for projects that empower young people through inclusion and inspiration.

Now celebrating its 15th year, the Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund was set up in 2011 to mark the 125th anniversary of the company.

Over the years, the Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund has supported prorgammes including education and employability, community inclusion, and environmental leadership projects aimed at young people aged between 16–25-years-old. To date more that €1.7 million has been awarded to 182 non-profit organisations across the island of Ireland.

A fund of €200,000* will be available to support community-based projects and programmes across Ireland and Northern Ireland that support and empower youth interventions under the pillars of inclusion and inspiration, creating opportunities for education, employability, and leadership development.

The Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund will once again be managed by official partner to the Fund, the Irish Youth Foundation in the Republic of Ireland, and with supporting partner YouthAction NI in Northern Ireland. Both organisations will play a pivotal role in helping to oversee the due diligence and credibility of the Fund and ensure that awareness of the funding being made available reaches the target sectors in communities throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland.

 

What is this year’s theme?

In 2025, the Fund will focus on one overall theme: Supporting and empowering youth interventions across the island of Ireland under the pillars of Inclusion and Inspiration.

Under this theme, the Fund is seeking applications from community-based projects and programmes across the island of Ireland that are focused on supporting young people aged 16-25 who are not in education or training - empower them to take action and effect positive social change.  

Applications are not limited to the examples listed above. These are included to offer an idea of the types of projects we aim to support through this year’s Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund.

 

How will the Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund be allocated in 2025?

Awards of between €10,000 / £8,500 - €25,000 / £21,000 (sterling figure based on conversion rates at the time) will be available to registered not-for-profit and charitable youth-focused organisations working with young people across Ireland and Northern Ireland to drive positive change in their local communities through inclusion and inspiration.

Organisations applying for funding will be asked to submit a detailed budget breakdown of expenditure for the total funds being requested.

The final allocation of awards will be determined after all applications have been reviewed.

 

How can projects apply for the funding?

All applications should be made online via the Irish Youth Foundation grants platform, which will be linked from the Coca‑Cola Ireland website.

The application forms will be live online from Wednesday 26^th February to midnight on Wednesday 26^th March 2025.

 

How are recipient organisations selected?

All applications will be accepted online through our website which links to an application form hosted on the Irish Youth Foundations grants platform. Please read our Terms and Conditions to check if your organisation and project is eligible for the Fund. We also have top tips for completing the online application form.

Organisations applying for funding will have to show how their proposed project will show impact in one of two areas:

 

1.         Inclusion: Empowering young people through education and employability

 

The Fund will support accessible education programmes that promote mentorship, increase employability skills, enhance personal agency and strengthen essential life skills.

• Help us understand how your intervention will develop young people’s soft skills such as communication and resilience to promote economic and social prosperity. 

OR

• Help us understand how your intervention will support successful school completion / further education opportunities to enhance long-term prospects for young people at risk of early school leaving or disaffection.

2.         Inspiration: Supporting young people to to take positive action to create a better society

 

Successful applicants must demonstrate how their projects empower young people to take action and effect positive social change.

 

The Fund will support projects and programmes focused on community interventions and empowerment initiatives aimed at ensuring all young people feel valued, supported and included in society.

• Help us understand how your work is engaging at risk young people in processes of positive learning and development.

OR

• Help us understand how your work is fostering social connections and creating safe spaces for young people to explore challenges in their lives.

The Irish Youth Foundation will assess all applications received using a scoring sheet to determine their suitability against the fund criteria.

A longlist of applications that meet all the criteria listed in the Terms and Conditions, will be prepared by the Irish Youth Foundation and presented to the Coca‑Cola’s CSR committee for review, evaluation, and selection.

 

Who will make up the judging panel?

Following the judging process, successful 2025 Coca‑Cola Thank You Fund recipients will be awarded funding in amounts determined by the Coca‑Cola Social Impact committee which will include representatives from Coca‑Cola Ireland, Coca‑Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, Irish Youth Foundation and Youth Action Northern Ireland. Grants of €10,000 / £8,500 - €25,000 / £21,000 (sterling figure based on conversion rates at the time) will be announced no later than July 2025.

The successful recipients will be notified personally and published on our website:  www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou

*£165,600 as per exchange rate at the time