RTÉ Toy show raises over £3.3M to benefit communities across Ireland 

1 Feb 2023

Following on from another hugely generous response from the public last November, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is now open for applications from children’s charities right across Ireland.

The first of two grant round applications will open from today (16th Jan 2023). In the first round, grant applications are invited from organisations who are undertaking larger scale projects (up to maximum grant level of €75,000).

A second grant round, inviting applications from smaller, community level groups will open for application in early February.

The 2022 RTÉ Toy Show Appeal awarded grants to over 160 different charities, with a project supported in every county.  This is estimated to have benefitted over 1.1 million children and family members.

This year the appeals charity partner, Community Foundation Ireland, is inviting applications under three strands:

Addressing Essential Needs – for groups which are supporting the most vulnerable children, including those whose homes have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
Improving Health and Wellbeing – supporting services for children with disabilities and those which promote good health and wellbeing.
Creativity and Play – recognising the importance of play in terms of children’s overall development, this aims to ensure that every child has access to arts, play and creative spaces.

Announcing the opening of applications, Dee Forbes, Director-General of RTÉ said: 

“The Late Late Toy Show not only celebrated some of Ireland’s most amazing children, it created enough money to help change the lives of children across the island of Ireland in the months ahead. The funds raised are a testament to our audience’s generosity, and their passion to help children. These grants will be a lifeline to many different charities and to everyone that donated to make this possible, a huge Thank You.”

Róisín Wood, Chief Executive of Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, added: 

“The RTÉ Toy Show viewers have once again been extremely generous. The previous year’s funding has money will made a real difference in our communities and this work will continue tin 2023. This year the Appeal raised over €3,800,000 which will be distributed through two open grant rounds.

“The cost-of-living crisis has impacted right across our society with organisations supporting children also feeling the pressure. Being able to support the transformative work that these organisations do and to help build a stronger future for our children is what this fund is all about. We are delighted to be partnering with RTÉ and the Community Foundation Ireland to make a difference right across the island.”