Community Foundation News
26 Sep 2022
All Island Fund Convening
Convening, Learning and Networking! We are delighted you can join change-makers from across the island of Ireland and further afield to celebrate 30 cross-border civil…
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21 Sep 2022
84 Community Groups to improve their local green spaces
84 Community Groups from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland share over €900,000 to improve their local areas From an urban life corridor seeking to…
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25 Aug 2022
Roisin Wood – ‘Cost of Living Crisis’
The author Eli Khamarov once wrote “Poverty is like a punishment for a crime you didn’t commit”. The ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ is a euphemism for poverty.…
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24 Aug 2022
£900,000 funding awarded to support carers
The Carers Support Fund, managed by the Community Foundation supported by the Department of Health, has announced the allocation of nearly £900,000 in the third round of…
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25 Jul 2022
Riding for the Disabled Association
Riding for the Disabled Association, Coleraine provides equestrian therapy, challenges and fun to over 150 riders each year, of all ages with varying disabilities.…
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7 Jul 2022
Older People’s Fund to assist with Cost of Living crisis
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland will today be launching a fund to help address the Cost of Living crisis for groups working with older people or projects run…
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4 Jul 2022
Work begins on £6.2 million Acorn farm project
Work is set to begin on the initial site clearance of the old MOD site at St Columb’s Park in advance of the wider Acorn Farm regeneration project funded by the UK…
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1 Jul 2022
An insightful visit to Carers Organisations in Larne
In March 2022, the Community Foundation was proud to have awarded £1m of funding to 22 organisations, through the Carers Support Fund established by Health Minister Robin…
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9 Jun 2022
Philanthropy Fortnight 2022 set to celebrate generosity
Every year the Community Foundation for NI continues to be amazed at the generosity of individuals, families and business in Northern Ireland. As one of the most charitable…
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1 Jun 2022
Executive must be formed to deal with Cost of Living crisis
The Chief Executive of the Community Foundation NI has stated that an Executive must be formed and an urgent cross departmental approach implemented to deal with the…
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4 May 2022
Driving Prosperity and Change – a vision for 2025
Adrian Johnston has enormous knowledge and experience of strategy, commercialisation and digital transformation gained over a 25-year career in technology. At the same…
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20 Apr 2022
Foundation set up in memory of Newry businessman
The Foundation is delighted to be working in partnership with the Conlon Family to launch The Brian Conlon Foundation, set up in memory of Brian Conlon, to continue his…
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31 Mar 2022
New partnership with Kingsbridge Healthcare Group
The Community Foundation is delighted to announce a new partnership with Kingsbridge Healthcare Group. This week saw the launch of a new charitable arm of the Group called…
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25 Mar 2022
Community Foundation announces allocation of £1M to carers support groups
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has awarded just over £1m to 22 groups here, through the Carers Support Fund established by Health Minister Robin Swann last…
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1 Mar 2022
Leadership Programme open for applications!
Building Leaders, Building Peace: A Grassroots Leadership Programme We are seeking individuals from a range of communities across Northern Ireland to take part in…
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24 Feb 2022
Help where it is needed most
Written by Anne Hailes for the Irish News. 21st February, 2022. You may not be aware of the Community Foundation here in Northern Ireland but chances are you will…
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23 Feb 2022
£6.8M of funding awarded towards Mental Health Support
The Foundation has this week announced the allocation of £6.8m in funding through the Mental Health Support Fund, which was established by Minister Robin Swann last autumn…
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4 Feb 2022
Shifting Practice, Policy and Power
Individuals with lived experience share five tips for impactful change. Individuals with lived experience partnered with the Foundation and Comic Relief last year to…
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27 Jan 2022
Integrating Asylum Seekers into Elite Sports
Our economy is about people living, working, and thriving together. Building a fair economy or society is impossible if people are excluded from taking part. In Northern…
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27 Jan 2022
Democracy in Northern Ireland is Alive and Kicking
To many eyes, politics at Stormont doesn’t present a very rosy picture of the health of our democracy – institutions teetering on the brink again, a series of…
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26 Jan 2022
Social Innovation in Northern Ireland – 8 years, 8 reflections
Paul Braithwaite, Head of Innovation & Voice at the Foundation After eight and a half years, this week I’m moving on from a job I’ve loved, as Head of Innovation…
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12 Jan 2022
Community Foundations North and South working together
Article from the Irish Times. People living along both sides of the Border have found the last two years of Covid a particularly exasperating experience in having to deal…
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10 Jan 2022
Renewed Focus for 2022
I would like to say thank you to everyone for helping us to make 2021 a year of impact, perseverance and resilience! Although the year has been hugely challenging, with…
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6 Jan 2022
Coronavirus Statement
We are aware of and understand the many challenges that people and organisations we fund and stakeholders we work with may be facing due to the Coronavirus. We want to be…
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20 Dec 2021
Over £9,000 of funding awarded to address digital poverty
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is delighted to announce the first round of funding awards with their new partner, full fibre broadband provider, Fibrus…
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10 Dec 2021
Maeve Monaghan – Our Chair’s Farewell
The Community Foundation has been on a journey and it has been a pleasure to be along for the ride. When I took up post 6 years ago I saw an opportunity for me to develop…
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3 Dec 2021
Philanthropist of the Year Award 2021
For the second year running, the Community Foundation has awarded Philanthropist of the Year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to philanthropy in…
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1 Dec 2021
Community Foundation celebrates generosity on Giving Tuesday
At our recent Giving Tuesday event, (30th November) we celebrated generosity and giving back to good causes. Over 70 people attended the online event, to hear how three…
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26 Nov 2021
Annual report
After an extraordinary 12 months of unprecedented challenges and change for us all. Evident through the level of achievement and number of people supported, we are proud to…
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22 Nov 2021
Community Foundation announces £300k match fund for Gifts in Wills
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has launched an innovative new match funding initiative to support giving to local communities through charitable gifts in…
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18 Nov 2021
After the darkness comes the light
The short film ‘After the Darkness’ is the culmination of a North West Carnival Initiative programme that engaged several groups from across the Derry City and…
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1 Nov 2021
13 Housing and Homelessness Challenges identified
Housing and Homelessness Challenges Identified by People with Lived Experience for New Innovation & Grants Programme Individuals with lived experience of housing issues…
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19 Oct 2021
Gold for Techies in Residence in local awards
We’re delighted that our Techies in Residence programme won the Gold award in the ‘not for profit‘ category at the recent Chartered Institute of Public…
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7 Oct 2021
Community Foundation achieves Quality Accreditation
The fifth round of Quality Accreditation, launched in October 2020, is now complete. Over the past year, the Community Foundation has undergone an internal audit of its…
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1 Oct 2021
The Foundations first Irish fund awards £62,000
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has awarded £61,910 to 46 community organisations across Northern Ireland through the Ultach Fund, to support them to use and…
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30 Sep 2021
100 days and counting as I go back to the beginning
Roisin Wood, new Chief Executive of the Foundation shares her insights on going full circle (almost)..….. My proclamation that “I’m not taking another CEO role” was…
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29 Sep 2021
Techies in Residence: Five Cycles On, It’s Time to Reflect
Since its first cycle in 2015 the Techies in Residence Programme (TiR) has built 32 digital products for social impact. This has provided direct benefit to at least…
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28 Sep 2021
Digital Transformation in the Third Sector is Long Overdue
It could be argued that the Covid19 pandemic has done more for digital transformation in the voluntary sector than any capacity building programme or fund could ever have…
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15 Sep 2021
The Ann McGeeney Charitable Trust celebrates anniversary
On the seventh anniversary of Ann’s passing, 11th September, The Ann McGeeney Charitable Trust held a special memorial mass to celebrate the work of the organisations…
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13 Sep 2021
Empowering Change with Comic Relief
We are very excited to announce the launch of the Comic Relief Empowering Change Programme. This 24 month programme is responding to the growing need for small locally led…
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13 Sep 2021
New housing and homelessness programme seeks the voice of those with lived experience
The Community Foundation Northern Ireland is offering individuals the opportunity to have their say on the development of a new programme that will address the root causes…
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10 Sep 2021
£55,000 fund launched to support digital poverty in rural communities
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is delighted to announce a new partnership with Broadband provider, Fibrus Networks Ltd. This week saw the launch of…
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8 Sep 2021
Over £590k in grants awarded to 16 Carer projects
The Community Foundation Northern Ireland has this week allocated over £590k in funding from the Department of Health to support the community here in response to the…
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8 Sep 2021
Our response and learnings through Covid
The Community Foundation has at its core a focus on ‘Connecting People Who Care With Causes That Matter’. As a leading independent, grant making trust here in Northern…
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3 Sep 2021
Meet the Funder – Henry Smith Charity
Meet the Funder – Henry Smith Charity – Strengthening Communities Programme Tuesday 5 Oct 10am – 12pm Register here We will be joined by…
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27 Aug 2021
30 cross border community partnerships
All-Island Fund issues £350,000 in grants to thirty cross border Community partnerships Thirty cross border community partnerships including clean air initiatives,…
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26 Aug 2021
£7.95m awarded in grants to Cancer Charities’
Community Foundation Northern Ireland awards over £7.95m in grants to 14 projects for Cancer Charities’ Support Fund. The Community Foundation Northern Ireland has today…
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5 Jul 2021
£10m Mental Health Support Fund now open
The Community Foundation Northern Ireland has opened the final of three health-related funds to support the community here in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. An…
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23 Jun 2021
Noah Donohoe Fund makes first funding awards
Fiona Donohoe opens Noah Donohoe Fund in memory of her son Noah on his first anniversary. The mother of Noah Donohoe has this week made the first of a series of donations…
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15 Jun 2021
Osclaíonn an Fhondúireacht Phobail an chead chiste atá tiomnaithe don Ghaeilge.
The Community Foundation opens first dedicated Irish language support fund. The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has today, (17th June) opened the Ultach…
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9 Jun 2021
Covid Stories
In September 2020, we launched our “Covid and Communities” storytelling publication. It captured 25 diverse stories of great community spirit, and tremendous…
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7 Jun 2021
£4.1 million Support for Carers Fund opened
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has today (7th June) opened the Support for Carers Fund on behalf of the Department of Health. Just under £4.1m will be…
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2 Jun 2021
Celebrating Volunteer Week 2021
Each year we celebrate Volunteer week, 1st – 7th June. A week to say thank you to the millions of individuals who give up their time across the UK to support others.…
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28 May 2021
Philanthropy Fortnight – Our annual celebration
Our annual celebration of charitable giving explores, encourages and celebrates generosity to causes and communities across NI. As we come to the end of the 9th anniversary…
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19 May 2021
Community Foundation welcomes new CEO
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has appointed Róísín Wood as its new Chief Executive. Róisín, previous CEO of Kick It Out, English football’s equality…
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13 May 2021
Addressing social injustice in the deaf community
View Digital have been recently awarded from Comic Relief Community Support programme to produce and publish journalism on deaf inequalities. The UK Deaf community of…
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11 May 2021
Upcoming £10 million Mental Health Fund
The Foundation is proud to announce a new £10 million Mental Health Support Fund, funded by the Department for Health, which will open for applications in the next few…
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7 May 2021
Meet our inspirational Board
The growth and success of the Community Foundation is due in no small part to the knowledge and dedication of our Trustees, past and present. Their contribution has been a…
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5 May 2021
Philanthropy Fortnight 2021 celebrating the outburst of generosity during a pandemic
As one of the most charitable and generous regions in the UK, Northern Ireland is set to celebrate the positive impact of philanthropic giving in our community. During…
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4 May 2021
New Community Investment Fund launching soon
New Community Investment Fund launching, with support from Bank of Ireland UK, Community Giving Fund. We are excited to be launching a new Micro-Community Investment…
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4 May 2021
A century on – ‘my space’, ‘your space’ or ‘our space’
By Michael Hughes As we move towards some of the pivotal dates in the centenary of the formation of Northern Ireland (including 3rd May when one hundred years ago it was…
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19 Apr 2021
£4.4 Million fund to support carers
The Community Foundation are proud to be partnering with the Department of Health to support unpaid carers with a new £4.4 million fund, which will open in the next few…
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19 Apr 2021
Public consultation on the new EU PEACE PLUS Programme
PEACE PLUS is a new funding programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, building upon the work of the…
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8 Apr 2021
£425k All-Island Community Fund launched
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and Community Foundation Ireland have launched a new All-Island Community Fund. The fund which was launched on a pilot basis…
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29 Mar 2021
Welcoming our new Peace Impact Programme Development Officer
Shauna Deery has been appointed PIP Programme (Peace Impact Programme) Development Officer at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland based in Derry. She will be…
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29 Mar 2021
Welcoming outdoor sport back this week
As grassroots sport once again begins its phased return in NI it is now essential we use the power of sport to build back better for our young people, who have been…
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25 Mar 2021
Little Stranger by DU Dance
Jane Coyle, writer and originator of the project, little Stranger shares with us how the project came about and her passion to change individuals perceptions of migrant…
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24 Mar 2021
Always in our hearts
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and long-standing Trustee of the Foundation, Fred (David) Bass. Fred played a huge role at the Foundation,…
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8 Mar 2021
Acorn Giving Circle empowering women
International Women’s Day, 8th March, is celebrated globally sharing the outstanding achievements of women building a future that is sustainable, peaceful and inclusive.…
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8 Mar 2021
Women In Philanthropy
On this International Women’s Day (8th March) let’s celebrate the women in philanthropy in NI, their leadership and the increasing impact they make. Women are most…
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8 Mar 2021
Fáilte roimh an Chiste Ultach/Welcome to the Ultach Fund
The Community Foundation is delighted to welcome The Ultach Fund to its family of managed funds. The original Iontaobhas Ultach Trust was established in 1989 to promote the…
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5 Mar 2021
RTE Toy Show Appeal open for applications
The Foundation are thrilled to be part of the first-ever RTÉ Toy Show Appeal. Before Christmas, the show aired and together you helped raise just over €6.6 million to…
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2 Mar 2021
Henry Gill’s Charity opens for applications
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has opened the Gills Charity Fund for applications (1st March 2021) from groups supporting older people in the Carrickfergus…
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1 Mar 2021
DFC Minster and DAERA Officials meet community champions
Today (1st March 2021) Communities Minster Deirdre Hargey, Paul Donnelly, Director of Rural Affairs Division and Gerard Treacy, Head of Branch – Rural Affairs West,…
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19 Feb 2021
258 families sign up to ‘I Can Grow’ project
Over 250 families in Derry and Strabane are rolling up their sleeves and getting ready to embark on the journey towards self-sustainability thanks to a new environmental…
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11 Feb 2021
The Foundation commits to being more open and trusting
Over 50 UK funders have signed a pledge for open and trusting grant-making, committing to be #FlexibleFunders for the organisations they support. The Community…
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4 Feb 2021
Reflections from Andrew, outgoing CEO
It’s a strange time to be doing anything at the moment; and it’s a strange time to be leaving an organisation. My farewells have all been virtual; and when I start my…
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4 Feb 2021
Maurice Healy Social Justice Awards
Maurice Healy died on 18th December 2019, the Community Foundation for NI immediately acknowledged his contribution to the local (and indeed international) fields of social…
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29 Jan 2021
Accelerator Programme empowers voluntary sector
Monkstown Village Initiatives in Newtownabbey is a charitable organisation serving the Monkstown community for over 25 years, with a focus on the regeneration of the…
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22 Jan 2021
How much of a crisis is enough of a crisis to ignite change?
Written by Paul Braithwaite for Involve NI. Paul leads the Foundation’s work on social and civic innovation. Since 2013 he has developed and delivered a series of unique…
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20 Jan 2021
Celebrating public spirit and generosity
In Northern Ireland, there are around 50 individuals at any one time who are destitute because of their asylum status (NICRAS). This means that they have no adequate…
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20 Jan 2021
Covid Response
Since March we have been privileged to work with over 1,000 organisations who have been working tirelessly to provide support to those in our communities. Covid forced…
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13 Jan 2021
Aware NI encourage children to ‘Express Yourself’
12.6% of children and young people in Northern Ireland experience common mood disorders such as anxiety and depression – around 25% higher than in other UK nations…
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5 Jan 2021
Star Boxing Club gains Christmas bonus from Business Eye and Community Foundation partnership
Star Amature Boxing club has been an integral part of the New Lodge community for 82 years. So much more than a boxing club, they work hard to reach young people in the…
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4 Jan 2021
Building leaders, building peace programme
We are now recruiting individuals from a range of communities across Northern Ireland to take part in our Building Leaders, Building Peace: A Grassroots Leadership…
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16 Dec 2020
Circle of Change – A unique giving model
Giving Circles are a collection of individuals who pool their donations together to make grants to local individuals and organisations. Often, they are formed from a group…
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4 Dec 2020
Paul Braithwaite, leading social innovation
We are thrilled to announce our colleague Paul Braithwaite has been highly commended for the C03 Social Innovation Award. An award which celebrates individuals who have…
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3 Dec 2020
Giving Tuesday 2020
December 1st is Giving Tuesday and to mark this global day of giving and generosity, The Community Foundation awarded over £12,500 to three organisations at their online…
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2 Dec 2020
Social Justice Awards launched in memory of Maurice
Maurice Healy died on 18th December 2019 and the Community Foundation for NI immediately acknowledged his contribution to the local (and indeed international) fields of…
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1 Dec 2020
Acorn Fund, sowing seeds of change in Derry and Strabane
People in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area are being invited to take part in a food growing project over the next 18 months. The ‘I can grow’ project,…
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13 Nov 2020
Awards for Destitute Asylum Seekers
Although it’s impossible to know the exact number, NICRAS reports Northern Ireland to have around 50 individuals at any one time who are destitute because of their asylum…
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6 Nov 2020
Embedding a culture of Public Participation in post Covid recovery
Involving the public in shaping our post Covid recovery and building back better was on our agenda at our recent virtual round table discussion for MLA’s and Executives…
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2 Nov 2020
Impact Report 2019/2020
Here at the Community Foundation, we are a local grant-making charitable trust that connects people who care with causes that matter. Matching generous people with…
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2 Nov 2020
£2 Million Community Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund
The Community Foundation is delighted to launch a new £2 million supporting community-based arts, culture and heritage projects, in partnership with the Communities…
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19 Oct 2020
Remembering David and Joe
The last few weeks have seen the sad loss of two people who were closely associated with the Community Foundation. David Cook, a founding trustee of the Foundation…
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16 Oct 2020
Seeing is Believing – A brief insight into mental health
Official reporting states that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of suicide within the UK, however, new information came to light last week that Northern…
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13 Oct 2020
Football Trailblazers show us how it’s done
Football is for everyone and Belfast Trailblazers, a powerchair disability football club, open to all ages, gender and disability was awarded £2,500 through the Foundation…
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13 Oct 2020
Fundraising in the Midst of Crisis Workshops
As Covid-19 continues to restrict what was considered normal community interactions and activities, many of our community and voluntary sector groups have seen their annual…
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1 Oct 2020
From Event Tourism to ‘Community Calling’
Sarah Scullion As a mum, freelancer and entrepreneur Sarah Scullion leads a busy life. Launching a travel startup specialising in event tourism was her next step. …
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