Today CFI’s impact was in evidence as Nora Keogh Client Relationship Manager for the Munster region, provided support to social enterprise Recruit Refugees Ireland based in Cork.
Nora had this to say:
“We are delighted to help support Recruit Refugees Ireland and its ambitions to break down barriers to meaningful employment for refugees – the work they do really is delivering impact in the Cork region”
CEO Roos Demol outlined to Nora how her team are committed to an inclusive and diverse Ireland and in supporting career aspirations for those who are now living in Ireland.
Community Finance Ireland delivers social finance solutions that support local communities and drive social impact through sports, community projects, faith-based groups, and social enterprises.
Community Finance Ireland was established in 1995, and now supports a diverse portfolio of clients across the island of Ireland from Bantry to Belfast, and from Dublin to Dingle.
Currently, Community Finance Ireland is the only Irish and UK member of FEBEA, the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks.
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In conjunction with our strategic partners SocialFinance.ie, Community Finance Ireland will host three information workshops in January to equip your organisation with all the tips necessary to make a successful application for Social Finance with us.
These 45 minute sessions are opened to organisations based in the Republic of Ireland only and will be hosted virtually on Zoom by our Social Finance experts.
To register for one of the sessions or for further details, click the link to your preferred date below:
Our all island team are very aware that every small step can help the enormous challenges that climate change and sustainable choices can make to our everyday lives and the planet at large.
We moved “house” in 2021 and had almost 15 years of paperwork stored in boxes that needed to find a home too. Step up Shred Bank, who shredded those old files, helped recycle it and helped us save five trees.
Our client Western Forestry Co- Operative, based in Sligo town have often told us that “trees are the lungs of the earth” and their passionate CEO Marina Conway is a key change-maker herself in the preservation and love of trees.
Marina featured in one of our first Change-maker podcasts and you can hear her views on sustainable forestry here:
Social Impact is in all our hands.
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This time last year we all had hopes that the Pandemic would be done and dusted. We are all aware this didn’t happen and, as we close off another year we will continue to live with its effects for a while yet.
Whilst we acknowledge Covid continued to affect us during the past 12 months, we can confidently say that we supported both our clients and key stakeholders to achieve progress and ensured that, whilst we were often asked to stay apart, we came together in ways that helped our clients deliver health, happiness and hope.
We took the opportunity to grow our local footprint and welcomed new team members Emmett, Anne, Pauline, Nora, Nick, Stephanie and Jack.
In Belfast our new head office was finally able to open its doors and support our new norm that is a hybrid working model.
We helped deploy £7.1m to 354 charities on behalf of Department for Communities via the Covid- 19 Charities Grant Fund.
We collaborated with Joanne O ‘Riordan of The Irish Times, Brendan Boyce Olympian Athlete and Patsy McGonigle of Finn Valley AC on the launch of our All Island Sports Fund
We continued to work with key stakeholders such as Invest NI, Enterprise NI and Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, as well as Social Finance Foundation, Rethink Ireland and DCU in the Republic.
We listened to and worked with 91 enquiries.
We welcomed an additional 62% increase in followers across our social media channels
All of the above are indications that despite hurdles the sector continues to seek support, insights and social finance.
Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive, said the following:
“Whilst the Pandemic continues to challenge all communities we have seen greater solidarity across the whole island of Ireland. Clients are responding with innovative fundraising initiatives as-well as migrating to an online service (an investment we ourselves undertook in 2020) to help make the provision of services easier and sustainable.
The sector itself is not immune to trends. We expect to see hybrid events and campaigns plus sustainable, remote working facilities, as well as questions around how we play our part in supporting climate change targets.
All of the above offer the opportunity for us to continue to work with clients who want to ensure social impact is felt not just dreamt – we are here listening all the time and committed to finding solutions that support that ethos”.
Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive
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Today CFI’s impact was evidenced as Nora Keogh Client Relationship Manager for the Munster region, provided support to local social enterprise Limerick Gateway to Education.
Nora met with the brilliant charity, based in Limerick City, to hear first-hand how they are working to address social and economic barriers to education.
Our thanks also to the Limerick Leader for also recognising the merits of this organisation and featuring the organisation’s story in the local business section of the paper and online on theilovelimerick.ie website.
Community Finance Ireland delivers social finance solutions that support local communities and drive social impact through sports, community projects, faith-based groups, and social enterprises.
Community Finance Ireland was established in 1995, and now supports a diverse portfolio of clients across the island of Ireland from Bantry to Belfast, and from Dublin to Dingle.
Currently, Community Finance Ireland is the only Irish and UK member of FEBEA, the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks.
Pictured above: Nora Keogh (CFI Client Relationship Manager Munster) with Limerick Gateway to Education’s Andy Fogerty (Accountant), Paul Goodwin (Assistant Manager) and Suzanne Roche (CEO , Founder).
This week marks a reduction in some of the Covid-19 restrictions on the island of Ireland. While there is still a long road to recovery ahead, we have weathered the storm together and Community Finance Ireland continue to support our clients and stakeholders. Integral to this support is our recent move to new, state of the art premises for our head office in Belfast.
Whilst we have remained open throughout the Pandemic, supported our clients across the island and helped our people work from home whilst delivering HR best practices and tech ability, we as a group welcome the signals of a refreshed and re-energised way of working and delivering the service our clients rely on.
A new office might seem like an old way of doing business but there is nothing old or typical about Community Finance Ireland’s new core headquarters located at Glengall Exchange on Glengall Street in the city of Belfast.
Almost 10 years in the making the team’s ambition has always been to continue to evolve our services both for our clients and our people. And the new space does just that. Working with Belfast based She Said Brand and Design team, the space offers a light, open plan, modern facility with fast speed Wi-Fi, break out areas, a compact kitchen and a canvas for our Choose Change brand identity. Our team has also grown over the past 18 months – we have 18 team members now (pre -Covid we were 14).
Our Group Chief Executive Donal Traynor has this to say on the announcement:
“Whilst we all acknowledge that anxiety might have run very high, as we learned about Covid and found ways of living with it, we have proven our resilience as a community and in our ability to embrace change. Our expanded team, along with this energising work space brings the best of what we had, what we have learnt and what we need to continue.
The location at the heart of Belfast city reminds us of our business’s starting point whilst also reflecting that change is a constant and necessary part of the human condition. Our offices are within five minutes of most of Belfast’s popular spots. The location is also a key area of development, with the proposed extension of the Belfast Glider service and the construction of a new Rapid Transport Hub at the current Europa Bus Centre site, just metres from our new office.
We are delighted with the space, with how it will support our people’s desire for hybrid working and how it embodies our Choose Change mantra.“
Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive Community Finance Ireland
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Today (16 September 2021) Ulster Community Investment Trust Ltd t/a Community Finance Ireland held its all island AGM and officially launched its 2020 Annual Report.
The report published today highlights the following key takeaways:
Northern Ireland
£3.1 m of loan approvals into 37 local projects;
£9.1m to 315 social enterprises via much needed grant payments in collaboration with Department of Communities NI and SENI; and
£ 4.1m to 140 SME clients through the management of NISBLF Fund II.
Republic of Ireland
£2.6m/ €2.7m of loan approvals into 37 projects in the Leinster Region;
£1.4m./ €1.67m of loan approvals into 32 projects in the Munster Region;
£0.6m./ €0.5m of loan approvals into 25 projects in the Connaught Region; and
£4.4m/€4.6m of loan approvals into 72 projects in Ulster (including NI).
With a client portfolio, whose core assets are predominately its volunteers, the 169 projects saw their own belief mirrored back to them and secured term or bridging loans which supported them in:
Keeping their doors open;
Pivoting their business;
Ensuring their viability when their services were needed more than ever; and
Ensuring their sustainability as the island transitions to a new normal.
In what was an extraordinary year for the history the organisation and for the communities and citizens on the island of Ireland Donal Traynor Group Chief Executive said the following:
“The combined market conditions of Brexit and Covid left us all a little shaken in 2020. Yet it also stirred in us a reminder of the importance of access to social finance and the resilience of communities across our shared island.
Our partners in NI: Invest NI and Enterprise NI and Department for Communities, and in ROI SFF, Rethink Ireland and DCU also stepped up and showed their support to the ongoing sustainability and viability of the NFP sector.
It was a year like no other and yet we can confidently say that we supported both our clients and key stakeholders achieve great things and ensured that, when we were asked to stay apart we came together in ways that we could have only imagined.
As a result, we have much to admire and be proud of as our ongoing promise to ensure social impact is felt not simply dreamt continues”.
Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive Community Finance Ireland
View the report in fullhere.
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We are inviting you to attend our short Zoom Webinar event on Thursday 23 September from 12 noon to 12:45pm. You’ll hear from our Head of Community Finance NI Phelim Sharvin and our Client Relationship Manager for Connacht and Donegal Anne Graham as well as our sporting special guests Sinead Reel (Chairperson of Armagh Ladies’ GAA County Board), Brendan Boyce(Donegal Sports Star of the Year 2019 and Irish Olympian) and Joanne O’Riordan (Irish Times Sports Journalist).
With a current all island client portfolio that makes up 37% of our activity, our team have and continue to seek new ways in facilitating sporting excellence and enthusiasm across the island of Ireland. Our support remained during Covid-19 and we will be on hand again as each of us navigate new terrain and a new normal.
Our genuine commitment to sport runs very deep in our organisation. This is showcased again as we launch our first €/£5 m All Island Sports Loan Fund. Open to all those change-makers across the island of Ireland who may realise that despite Covid disruptions, the ability to gather, train, play and compete plays a key role in our personal and community connections.
The theme of this event is Financial as well as physical fitness is key to success. The panel will discuss the importance of financial and physical fitness and detail how our new £/€5 million All-Island Sports Loan Fund can support sports club’s activity.
Our Speakers
Phelim Sharvin | Head of Community Finance NI, Community Finance Ireland
Phelim is a Chartered Banker and holds a Masters degree in European Regional Development, Economics & Business Management. He joined Community Finance Ireland in 2002, bringing with him nearly 20 years’ experience in the Social Finance sector and Portfolio Management. He has helped develop tailored loan products and bespoke loan funds in the local Sports, Childcare, Green Energy and Start-Up Social Enterprise sectors. He is a sports enthusiast and is involved in his local GAA club.
Anne Graham | Client Relationship Manager, Community Finance Ireland
Anne joined Community Finance Ireland in April 2021 as our Client Relationship Manager for Connacht and her native Donegal. Anne has over 25 years’ experience working across financial services in business development, business lending, and financial advice and credit control roles. Anne holds an MBA from University of Ulster and a QFA Diploma from the Institute of Bankers. When not working with clients, Anne spends her time running and has recently taken up sea swimming on the beautiful shores of Lough Swilly. Family time is a priority at weekends and if not attending Football or GAA matches, Anne enjoys cooking and making the most of beautiful outdoors in Donegal
Joanne O’Riordan | Sports Journalist for the Irish Times and Activist
Joanne O’Riordan studied criminology in University College Cork (UCC) and is only one of seven people in the world living with a rare physical disability known as Total Amelia. Joanne is an activist for people with disabilities, a motivational speaker and a sports columnist with the Irish Times. Joanne has spoken before the UN and was named Young Person of the Year at the People of the Year awards in 2012. Joanne also appears in the 2013 documentary No Limbs No Limits. Joanne recently travelled to Japan in 2021 to cover the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Brendan Boyce | Olympic Race Walker and Sports Ambassador
Brendan Boyce is an accomplished sportsman who has competed three times in the Olympics in the sport of race walking. Most recently he finished tenth in the 50km walk event in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. A native of County Donegal, Brendan has benefitted from Community Finance Ireland’s investment in Finn Valley Athletics Club. Brendan now lives in Midleton and trains in Cork City. Brendan has been vocal on sporting issues that he feels are unjust, recently using his influence to speak out about the International Olympic Committee (IOC) giving itself power to remove sports from the Olympic program.
Sinead Reel | Chairperson Armagh Ladies’ GAA County Board
Sinead Reel is a lifelong GAA player and fan. For Sinead, Sport is very much a family affair with both her father and her brother also sharing her love for competing on the GAA pitch. Sinead made history by building the first and only dedicated female changing and playing pitch in Co. Armagh. Her dedication to sport in her local community has not only helped to develop new state of the art playing facilities but has also created employment opportunities and helped to advance opportunities for the next generation of players.
Register Now
To reserve your place, simply register with Eventbrite below:
Put aside 15 minutes and you might win our €250 thank you voucher.
The launch of a collaborative project that sees the best social minds in Ireland get the support of European funding and thinking, is currently Live.
Our team are working with @DCU, @Irish Social Enterprise Network and @Rethink Ireland in helping to establish what type of financial models are missing for the sector, what models are working elsewhere across Europe, and what might a vibrant future finance model look like.
At a recent sold out event to launch this exciting, 2 year, research initiative our CEO Donal Traynor shared his thoughts:
“Community Finance Ireland speaks finance but hears people and this collaborative project is very much about this ethos. Our team are delighted to work on behalf of the sector to ensure that today’s, and tomorrow’s, social enterprises have sustainable and innovative supports and solutions that can deliver results for everyone”
With the next phase of listening now open – the project team are asking all social enterprises to give their views and help shape solutions that will support the sustainability and success of this sector, today and into the future.
Open the link below and get your thoughts across before 6th August 2021.
If you would like more information on the Financing Social Enterprise in Ireland project – click here.
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Community Finance Ireland has today (24 June 2021) announced a £/€10 million All-Island Recovery Loan Fund, its first all-island loan scheme. The fund will offer flexible loans of £10,000-£250,000 (NI) and €10,000 to €500,000 (RoI) to community sector organisations including faith-based groups, sports clubs and social enterprises.
Commenting on the launch, Dónal Traynor, Chief Executive of Community Finance Ireland said:
“Throughout the pandemic we witnessed the incredible resilience of the community sector, with many pivoting their offerings and exploring new opportunities for development. The All-Island Recovery Loan Fund is open to organisations who want to build on these new opportunities to recover, rebuild or reimagine what they can bring to their local community.
“Despite the challenges of Covid-19 and public health restrictions, our client portfolios performed well over the past year and at Community Finance Ireland, we have nothing but confidence in the sector and its ability to play a pivotal role in bringing our local communities back together and to create something new in response to the changes our communities have undergone during the past year.”
Mr Traynor continued:
“The flexible nature of the fund with the added value of a one-to-one relationship with a dedicated client manager who knows the sector and the local area, makes it a great option for communities exploring how they can become more attractive locations for people to live and work.
“The All-Island Recovery Loan Fund supports longer term loans plus shorter-term bridging loans. There are no time restrictions around funding and we will respond to applications within 48 hours of receipt.”
Here’s What You Need to Know
1. What loan product types are available?
Short term bridging loans to facilitate retrospective drawing of grant support (interest only, plus grant upon redemption).
Longer term loans with bespoke repayment schedules.
2. What geography does the fund cover?
Northern Ireland, Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht.
3. What is the loan range?
£10k – £250k (NI).
€10k – €500k (RoI).
4. What is the term range?
1 month – 180 months.
5. What is the interest rate?
Maximum 6.25%*, calculated on a reducing balance.
*The lowest maximum rate across the island.
6. Is there an arrangement fee?
No*
*The only bridging product available across the entire island to do so.
7. What security is required?
None on bridging loans.
Most of our term loans are also unsecured.
No Personal Guarantees are required.
8. Is there an Early Repayment penalty?
No.
9. How long does a loan decision take?
48 hours for any loan request of up to £/€200k once we have all of your final information.
Up to 4-6 weeks for loan request in excess of £/€200k.
10. How do I apply?
You can get started now by clicking here and completing an online application.
Or if you need to chat to us first click here and we will arrange a follow up call with either Phelim, Peter, Emmett, Barry or Anne depending on where you and your team are located.
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