Submissions are now open until 5pm on 17 April for the 2026 Community Prize Fund – a fund that supports creativity, culture and connection in local communities
Following a successful inaugural year, the fund will provide grants of up to €5,000 to selected bookstores to develop innovative, community-focused initiatives, from literary events and youth workshops to inclusive cultural events bringing the local community together.
In 2025, 21 independently run stores received funding through the initiative, delivering projects that reimagined the role of bookshops as vibrant cultural and social hubs within their own communities.
Supported by The One Foundation, the fund aims to empower independent booksellers to deepen their connection with local communities and bring to life ideas that they may otherwise not have had the resources or funding to do.
How to Enter
Bookstores can submit their idea following the below instructions:
- Read our key criteria document
- Go to the application link here,
- Fill out the form including a brief description of your proposed initiative and the amount you’re requesting (up to €5,000),
- Create a short video with a synopsis of how you will use the funding and how your idea will actively engage your local community,
- Submit by 5pm on the 17th April 2026.
Who We Are
Books at One is a community-focused social enterprise that supports independent bookstores in Ireland to create welcoming in-store spaces where people can gather and engage in cultural and social activities, above their love of books and reading, supporting local social connections & engagement.
Supported by The One Foundation, the initiative started with a store in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, and then expanded to Letterfrack, Co. Galway; each tailored to the needs and energy of their local communities.
Beyond the retail, Books at One focuses on engaging the local community, often hosting reading groups, author events, and workshops, emphasising that these magical spaces can also be as much about conversation, creativity, and community inspiration, as they are about selling books.
Get in Touch
Colm Hanley \ colm@pressreset.ie \ +353860403256
