2026 Membership and Core Funding Application NOW OPEN for 2026 Applications

2026 IEN Annual Membership and Core Funding Application Form

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1Important Information

2General Information

3Eligibility Crieria

4Purpose, Mission and Values

5Finances

6Strategic Planning and Risk Managment

7Operations

8Submission

URL

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Section 1: Important Information

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!

Deadline: 6.00 pm on 9th March 2026.
To apply for IEN membership, you must return this form, fully completed and with the required documentation, by the above deadline. This is a hard deadline, if you miss it you will not be considered for membership.
Save your work as you go, both here by copying the link generated and separately in a word document in case of technical errors. We recommend that this form is double-checked, and agreed, by your board of directors prior to being submitted.
All the information you submit in this form will be treated in confidence. Please note that the Department of the Environment Climate and Communications (DECC) may receive a copy of this form.
We may use anonymized and aggregated data from the form in our publicity and in funding applications.
If you need assistance in filling in the form please consult The NEW Membership Handbook 2026.

Assessment Criteria	Total (%)	Breakdown (%)
Governance, Accountability, Transparency	15	—
Finance	5	—
Strategy and Risk Management	20	Strategic Plan – 15
Strategy and Risk Management	20	Risk Management – 5
Operations	60	Activity – 30
Operations	60	National Reach and Remit – 30

Section 2: General Information

Organisation Name*

Address of Organisation*

Eircode*

Please Enter your Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) Registration Number.*

Tax Documentation*

Please tick here to confirm you will provide tax documentation if contacted by the IEN

Tax Reference Number TRN (formally PPSN):*

Your organisation’s Personal Public Service Number

TCAN:*

Your organisation’s Tax Clearance Access Number

Your Email Address*

Phone Number of Organisation*

Name of Person Filling out this Application*

Position in Organisation*

Contact Telephone Number

If different from above

Contact Email

If different from above

questions*

Confirm that you have read and your organisation adheres to the requirements of Circular Letter 13/14 Link here.

The Environmental Pillar

The Environmental Pillar is a national social partner, comprising 36 IEN member organisations. It works to promote the protection and enhancement of the environment, together with the creation of a viable economy and a just society, without compromising the viability of the planet on which we live for current and future generations of all species and ecosystems.

Tick here if your organisation wishes to join the Environmental Pillar

Documentation*

The following documents must be submitted via email in a zipped file by 6 pm on the 9th of March.
Emails must have the subject tiles Annual Membership Application 2026 and sent to membership@ien.ie
Tick the boxes to confirm the documents have been sent

Copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association or Constitution

Most recent audited/certified accounts or CRA returns

List of current company Directors/Trustees and their personal contact details (personal email addresses will suffice)

Strategic Plan

The tracking page from your Governance Code records (The Charities Governance Code (CGC) is a mandatory framework set by the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA). When registering with the CGC, the application within the CGC website will have a tracking number, or on the email received after submission of the application)

Tax Certificate dated to 2026

Relevant communications documentation e.g. publications or press release copies of, or links to, publications you featured in in 2025

Human Resources and Capacity

How any volunteers per week does your central organisation have (approx.)?

How many hours per week do these volunteers work?

Estimate the total number of hours worked by volunteers per year (including once off volunteers)

How many full-time staff does your organisation have?*

How many unpaid part-time staff does your organisation have?*

How many paid part-time staff does your organisation have?*

How many unpaid full-time staff does your organisation have?*

What other staff resources do you have in your organisation?*

e.g. interns, Tús, EU projects, research students, Erasmus, etc.

Communications

Relevant publication or communications material can be sent to membership@ien.ie

Website Link

Social Media Accounts

Please copy paste links of your social media accounts to the fields

Facebook

Instagram

X or Bluesky

How many times has your organisations featured in media publications this year*

Does your organisation have a dedicated media/communications officer?*

Yes we do

No we do not

How does your organisation primarily communicate with members/supporters? Provide details on frequency and reach if available*

Newsletter, E-zines, blogs, mailshots, posters, Community/local/national newspaper columns/radio slots, text, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, X (Twitter) etc.

Section 3: Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for membership, groups must fulfil the Eligibility Criteria.
Tick the boxes below to confirm your organisation meets the requirments below.

Eligebility Criteria*

1. The primary objectives and activities of the organisation are environmental (i.e. ecological) protection and / or environmental sustainability (see full criteria for details)

2. The organisation is a registered company, or is a registered friendly society with a registered constitution. The organisation has been incorporated, or registered for a period of at least 12 months prior to an application for membership.

3. The organisation must be registered with, and compliant with the requirements of The Charities Regulatory Authority and the Charities Governance Code.

4. The organisation is a not for profit organisation. Social Enterprises can be admitted to membership but only if they are not for profit, and for environmental benefit.

5. The organisation has a demonstrable national remit. Qualifying characteristics include: national influence; specialist activity covering the country; convincing geographic spread of active membership; national outreach activity.

6. The organisation can demonstrate what added value it can bring to the Network.

7. The organisation is an independent and legally discrete body, not a subgroup or activity of another organisation, nor an organisation managing a project with a limited life span.

8. The board of the organisation are not share fifty percent, or more, of its directors with the board of another organisation.

9. No organisation whose board contains a member appointed by a Government Department, Local Authority, or industry body, shall be admitted to membership. However, this does not exclude individuals from sitting on the board in a personal capacity.

10. The organisation can provide financial statements in line with the Charities Regulatory Authority’s requirements for an organisations of a similar size and type. The organisation must also be able to produce a valid and current tax clearance certificate.

11. The organisation must be able to demonstrate a substantial level of activity in promoting its aims and objectives over a period of at least 18 months prior to application for membership.

12. The organisation has an up to date website and an active social media presence and will prominently display its membership of the IEN on its website.

13. The organisation agrees to follow the Code of Conduct for IEN Members.

Section 4: Purpose, Mission and Values.

In this section you have the opportunity to explain your organisations mission and values to the assessors.

Outline your organisation's purpose, mission and values.

Is this statement reflected in your governing document (memo and arts or constitution)?*

Yes

Identify your key stakeholders and explain how your organisation communicates with them. (They will be listed in your Governance Code tracker)*

Which SDGs you are working on?

For a full list of targets under each goal, visit: topics of sustainable development goals

No poverty

Zero hunger

Good health and well-being

Quality education

Gender equality

Clean water sanitation

Affordable clean energy

Decent work and economic growth

Industry innovation and infrastructure

Reduce inequality

Sustainable cities and communities

Response consumption and production

Climate action

Life below water

Life on land

Peace justice and string institutions

Partnerships for the goals

Outline how your work relates to the SDGs.*

If there are specific targets, or sub-targets, within the SDGs which directly relate to the work of your organisation, please list them. For a full list of targets under each goal, visit: topics of sustainable development goals

Section 5: Finances

What was the annual turnover for your last completed audit?*

What was the total amount of grant or philanthropy funding received by your organisation in 2025?*

i.e. any type of funding, from any source.
Note: If your last audit was in 2024, you must still report on 2025 only in this section.

What was the total amount of public funding received by your organisation in 2025?*

i.e. funding from Government departments, Agencies, Semi-State bodies, Local authorities etc. NOT including any IEN funding.

Have you used Irish Environmental Network funding to leverage matching funding from any other source? Please give details.*

Provide a breakdown of how you spent the Core Funding that you received in 2025.*

i.e. Office space, staff wages etc. If you did not recieve funding least year please answer N/A

Section 6: Strategic Planning and Risk Management

Does your organisation have an up to date strategic plan?*

If you click yes, please remember to include your plan with the documents you email to membership@ien.ie as part of this application.

Yes

Provide a brief update of your progress with your strategic plan.*

Do you have a risk register*

Yes

If you answered no, please explain why not?

Obstacles to work*

Outline the top three internal obstacles/ constraints in carrying out your Organisation’s aims and objectives?

Overcoming Obstacles*

How are you working to overcome those obstacles?
Have you considered ways of co-operating with other ENGOs to overcome these obstacles?
Describe recent or planned cooperative activities.

Section 7: Operations

Demonstration of Activity

Demonstrate that your organisation meets our membership criteria of having a substantial level of activity. Refer to your organisation’s stated aims and objectives.*

Give four examples of significant work or projects, throughout the year, in which your organisation was the main participant.

Demonstration of National Remit

Demonstrate how your organisation meets the membership criteria of having a national remit. Refer to your organisation’s stated aims and objectives.*

Provide at least 4 examples of your work in the past year that show that your organisation meets our membership criteria with regard to having a demonstrable national remit.

Achievements of 2025

Outline your main achievements of 2025 and their impact*

Please answer having regard to your organisation’s stated aims and objectives

Collaborations

Outline your collaborations with other IEN members and civil society organisations.*

Before Submission

In clicking apply for application below I confirm the eligibility has:

Met the IEN membership eligibility criteria
Have sent relevant documents to membership@ien.ie in a zipped folder
Heave read Circular Letter 13/14 Link here
Accept that the assessors decision on the application is final

We would appreciate any feedback you have on the form/application process

e.g Email correspondence, timeline, webinar, form layout and contente etc.