The IGHN Partnerships Programme (formerly the ESTHER Ireland programme) is a a well-established, cost-effective model for supporting Institutional Health Partnerships funded by Irish Aid and supported by the HSE Global Health Programme. The programme supports partnerships between Irish health institutions and counterparts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems.

Between 2014 and 2024 with funding from Irish Aid, health partnerships were supported with 86 grants amounting to over €586,000. The partnerships supported through these grants link health institutions in Ireland with counterpart institutions in 21 LMICs.  

The 2025 Impact through Innovative Partnerships Grant Round is a 12-month award from the IGHN, funded by Irish Aid.  IGHN is committed to supporting global health partnerships that strengthen health systems and promote equity. In the current context of severe global funding constraints, partnerships are more important than ever in addressing urgent challenges. At a time of significant funding cuts, innovative and scalable activities undertaken through long-term partnerships offer the potential to create lasting impact. 

This year’s funding call aims to support collaborations between Irish institutions and counterparts in LMICs that are impactful and support locally responsive approaches.

This grant round represents a strategic shift from previous years, focusing exclusively on new partnerships and new innovative initiatives that can contribute to health systems strengthening.

Priority will be given to initiatives that are innovative, show strong potential for scale, are rooted in the local context, and offer reciprocal benefits for all partners. Grants of up to €10,000 are available, with funding to be spent within 12 months of the award date.

Detailed Grant Round 2025 Application Guidelines Coming Soon! 

Background and information on 2024 Grant Round – now closed

The 2024 IGHN Partnerships Programme grant round aims to strengthen partnerships’ capacity to demonstrate their impact by funding MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) activities. By prioritising MEAL, the IGHN aims to equip partnerships with the necessary support to assess their progress, quantify outcomes, and build a solid evidence base.

Applications are invited from Irish health institutions and organisations engaged in established health partnerships with institutions in low- and middle-income countries.  NGOs are generally not eligible for IGHN Partnership Programme grants unless they are part of a collaboration with an Irish health service or institution.

The grant application process will open on Tuesday 26^th November 2024 through the Common Grant Application platform and will run for over 8 weeks, with applications accepted up to Friday 24^th of January 2025.  

Partnerships may apply for grants to:  

• Build capacity within the partnership in MEAL
• Develop results frameworks
• Implement pilot studies in MEAL: Conduct small-scale studies or assessments to establish baseline data or evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions
• Conduct data analysis of data gathered from the activities of the partnership
• Impact reporting and documentation: Produce reports or case studies that document the partnership’s impact, capturing qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate success and lessons learned to funders and stakeholders.
• Other MEAL related activities that support the partnership to demonstrate impact

The ceiling for grants is €3,000. Grants must be spent within 12 months of disbursement.

Download the Application Guidelines 

Application Process

Eligible institutions may submit an online application using the Common Grant Application platform from November 26^th, 2024.  Please note that the application form will not be accessible before November 26^th, 2024.

To apply, click on one of the links below.

First-time users register here

Returning users log-in here

For any queries please contact the IGHN at [email protected]. 

Note: Funding is limited, and is subject to availability. Any proposed dates for disbursement cannot be guaranteed and may be subject to delays or changes.  

Application Guidance Video