30 cross border community partnerships

27 Aug 2021

All-Island Fund issues £350,000 in grants to thirty cross border Community partnerships

Thirty cross border community partnerships including clean air initiatives, sanctuaries for refugees and migrants, women’s rights and a ban on LGBTI+ conversion therapy are being supported by grants from a new All-Island Community Fund.

Launched by The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland in partnership with The Community Foundation Ireland, the funding is being provided to strengthen the voice of communities across north and south.

Thirty partnerships that pair communities and civil society groups to work together to achieve goals on an all-island basis are receiving funds. The projects are being supported under a pilot operated by the All-Island Fund which has attracted support from private donors as well as other foundations in an effort to ensure all voices are heard in deciding the future of the island.

Under the pilot scheme funding of €410,197 (Approx £351,078) has been awarded.

Partnerships cover a broad range of issues and challenges including:

Climate Action collaborations on clean air to benefit people with underlying health conditions, bicycle recycling and use, the development of an all-island manual on climate justice as well as increased advocacy to influence and drive policy for the benefit of all communities.

Migrant and Refugee Rights projects will see improved access to services for migrant women, research on cross border human trafficking for sexual exploitation, support for schools and universities of sanctuary and the development of an all-island response to global emergencies.

Equality work will include a focus on barriers facing women in pursing careers in engineering, the development of legal policies for an all-island ban LGBTI+ conversion therapy as well decolonising education systems to ensure all identities and traditions are represented.

Other projects will see groups working together on penal reform, civil liberties and policing as well as young voices being heard on challenges post-Brexit and post Covid-19.

Roisin Wood, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland announcing the grants said:

“As the implications of Brexit, the associated loss of EU membership and the Covid crisis continue to unfold, there are challenges presented to people and communities north and south of the border. The All island fund is vital for increased dialogue and collaboration between communities north and south. We are proud to be partnering with Community Foundation Ireland and leading the way encouraging collaboration, open lines of communication and knowledge learning, all which will play an increasingly important role in building a more stable future for everyone.”

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Ireland, added:

“Every voice must be heard in deciding the future course of our island if we are truly to recover better from the challenges of the past 18-months. For too long groups like young people, women, migrants and many others have been pushed aside or ignored. The success of this pilot funding shows that communities and civil society are strong and vibrant on both sides of the border. There is a thirst and desire to work together. The challenge for us now is to ensure continued support not just from private donors but also from Governments.”

A list of funded projects can be viewed here.