Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for Migration, and Dublin South West TD, Colm Brophy, joined Microsoft at a community celebration event at Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin, County Dublin, to unveil the Microsoft 2026 Community Fund.
The new fund, managed by non-profit ChangeX, will support individuals, community groups, schools and non-profits across south and west Dublin by providing funding to deliver impactful community projects focused on environmental sustainability and digital skilling.
As part of this year’s €100,000 fund, communities will be able to choose from a portfolio of exciting, proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in other communities around the world, including hands-on STEM workshops to enhance digital skills for students, an initiative to support the development of local biodiversity, a project to encourage sharing goods and resources across the community, and an educational programme to promote knowledge about renewable energy.
A special event in the Áras Chrónáin cultural centre in Clondalkin brought together 35 local groups, including schools, local sports clubs, NGOs, and other changemakers who received support from last year’s fund to celebrate their achievements and the positive community impact. Last year’s fund alone engaged more than 11,000 local people near Microsoft’s data centre operations in Clondalkin, supporting the delivery of impactful projects that helped build greener, more connected communities where people and ideas can thrive.
The Community Fund is one of many ways Microsoft is delivering on its Data Centre Community pledge, which aims to ensure that the company is a responsible and supportive neighbour to local communities near its data centre operations. In recent years, successive funds have supported 103 different community projects, focusing on the development of digital skills and empowering local sustainability, and have benefited nearly 30,000 local people. Since 2008, Microsoft has invested €4.5 million in projects supporting local communities near its data centre operations.
Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for Migration, Colm Brophy TD, said:
“It’s a privilege to stand alongside so many dedicated community leaders today, learning about the transformative projects supported by the Microsoft Community Fund and celebrating their remarkable achievements in creating more sustainable, vibrant communities across South and West Dublin. Building better places to live requires collaboration between Government, industry, and civil society, and today’s launch of the Microsoft 2026 Community Fund is another important step toward this shared goal.
The fund will help local changemakers to make a real difference in the community and deliver a lasting, positive impact for local residents across Dublin. I look forward to seeing how future funding is invested and the positive impact it will have in the months ahead.”
Lavinia Morris, General Manager of Microsoft’s EMEA Data Centre Operations, said:
“At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person to achieve more. As we invest in and operate data centres across Ireland and globally, we recognise that this comes with both responsibility and opportunity. Last year, we set this out clearly through our Data Centre Community Pledge, which provides three key commitments: to contribute to a sustainable future, advance community prosperity and wellbeing, and operate responsibly as a good neighbour.
“The Community Fund is one of the practical ways we deliver on our Data Centre Pledge locally. It is about backing real projects, led by local people, that make a difference on the ground in the communities closest to our data centre operations. It has been inspiring to hear from the many community leaders and changemakers gathered at our celebration event today about the positive impact that the fund is having.
Through the projects pioneered by our changemakers, local communities across South and West Dublin have become greener, more connected, and future-ready – directly benefiting nearly 30,000 local people. We look forward to building on this success with the rollout of the 2026 fund and hope to deliver meaningful, lasting impact for communities across Dublin.”
Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact at ChangeX, said:
“At ChangeX, we believe that driving lasting impact starts at the local level. By supporting changemakers across Ireland and beyond, ChangeX is helping to build a more resilient and connected world. Our long-term partnership with Microsoft is making a real difference in supporting local changemakers in Dublin to enhance sustainability and community prosperity. We look forward to seeing the transformative projects this fund will kickstart over the coming months.”
Applications for funding are open to individuals, groups, schools and non-profits across the South Dublin and Fingal County Council areas. Funding of up to €10,000 per project is available, with a simple step-by-step application process in place to support groups to secure funding. Applications will be reviewed against eligibility and scoring criteria. Applicants will be asked to complete a number of simple steps, such as sharing a project plan, to unlock their initial funding. The application deadline is March 3.
To find out more and apply, visit this link: https://www.changex.org/ie/funds/microsoft-dublin.
