Big increase in Philanthropic Giving powers Equality Mission
Community Foundation Ireland records 45% increase in grant-giving to communities
Foundation seeks policy measures to further leverage support
Statement by Community Foundation Ireland
Record levels of philanthropic giving have led to a 45% jump in grant funding by Community Foundation Ireland to support a mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities.
The latest Annual Report from the Foundation, which has a network of 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners, shows grants totalling €27.2 Million were made in 2022. The figure represents a new record.
In addition to assisting communities taking climate and biodiversity action, supporting minorities and promoting their rights and combatting sexual violence, the funding is also being strategically used to secure major policy changes.
The Foundation partnered with the Children’s Rights Alliance to deliver Ireland’s first Child Poverty Monitor showing over 200,000 children experience poverty. The monitor and subsequent campaigns led to the establishment of a new specialised unit within the Department of An Taoiseach.
Support for ground-breaking research with the ESRI on Energy Poverty led to measures within the Budget to ease the pressure on households.
While Zero Tolerance, the new national action plan to combat sexual violence, used evidence and testimonies from frontline agencies and researchers funded by the Foundation. The findings are informing policies on increasing refuge places, introducing consent education and recognising prostitution as gender-based violence.
Of the monies granted over €7.5 Million was used in direct response to the impact of the war in Ukraine. Working with media partners under the ‘Ireland for Ukraine Fund’ as well as Government and Philanthropic Donations money was raised for grants to respond to need in the war zone as well as supporting those fleeing to the safety of communities here.
The publication of the annual report comes as the Government is due to publish a new National Policy on Philanthropy in the autumn. As a philanthropic hub the Community Foundation is calling for the Government to include a number of measures including:
- A new National Sustainable Futures Fund which combines public and private money for climate and biodiversity action
- Greater cross-Government openness to match funding partnerships where public and private funding work together
- Greater promotion of Legacy Giving to bring us into line with other countries
- Recognition of Placed Based Giving as a driver of donations with the establishment of pilot local funds
Denise Charlton Chief Executive & Chair, Roddy Rowan
Publishing the annual report Denise Charlton Chief Executive said:
“We remain in a time of great need. The constant challenge of climate change offers a grim back-drop to a cost of living crisis, wars in Ukraine and elsewhere as well as increasing levels of hate crime.
With record levels of giving, Philanthropy has once again shown that it has a role in providing strategic support to address these and other challenges. Our donors are often there when others either cannot or won’t offer support.
The new National Policy on Philanthropy offers an opportunity to grow this form of giving and leveraging even more support to secure our mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities.”
Chair, Roddy Rowan added:
“By providing a philanthropic hub, Community Foundation Ireland has shown an ability not only to provide much needed funding to voluntary, community and charitable groups, but also has established itself as a source of knowledge which informs future policy.
The impact on policy over the past 12-months has been incredible and will have a positive impact on people of all ages for years to come.
We remain committed to working with Government and other partners in the coming months to ensure the upcoming National Policy will offer opportunity to further increase that impact into the future.”
