Connected Funders Event Highlights Opportunities for Collaborative Investment in Northern Ireland

24 Mar 2025

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI) hosted the ’Connected Funders – Building the Future, Together’ on March 20th, 2025, to foster greater collaboration, and partnerships between UK-based funders and Northern Ireland’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This event aimed to raise awareness about the pressing social and economic inequalities faced by communities in Northern Ireland, while showcasing impactful initiatives already underway.

Key speakers at the event included Róisín Wood, CEO of CFNI, Orla Black, Director of Grants at CFNI, Anand Shukla, CEO of The Henry Smith Charity, Pim Gregory, The Royal Foundation, Adrian Johnston, CFNI Chair and Valentine Mulholland from the Oak Foundation.

Róisín Wood, CEO of CFNI, said: 
“We are thrilled to bring together funders and partners from across the UK to highlight the vital work being done in Northern Ireland and the challenges that remain. While we’ve made great strides through collaboration, there’s still much more to be done. This event is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to addressing the systemic issues facing our communities and to encourage new partnerships and investments that will help secure a Fairer and Safer Future for Northern Ireland.”

“We recognise the impact of government funding cuts for community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland and the impact this has had on their ability to deliver services and support to the most vulnerable across our society. At the Foundation we are working with philanthropists, funders, and partners across the UK and Ireland to expand funding for VCSE organisations in Northern Ireland.”

Anand Shukla, CEO of The Henry Smith Charity said: 
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland. In April 2024 we had the pleasure of visiting the Foundation and a range of the projects and organisations that they support across Northern Ireland, and I was excited to see the level of innovation and drive across a diverse range of projects.”

“We heard first-hand about the unique challenges facing communities across Northern Ireland and the creative approaches being delivered by charities. The Henry Smith Charity empowers people who are economically or socially excluded and support those in adversity to thrive. We’re excited to increase our support for organisations in Northern Ireland to challenge economic and social disparities.”