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Tag: Charity

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We are all still recovering from a jam-packed weekend of Six Nations action. Ireland started their title defence with a marginal victory over England on Saturday, while France look strong with a resounding win over Wales in the opening match on Friday evening and could well be the team to beat this year.

While we all love the thrill of the competition on the international stage, clubs locally will be putting into place plans for the year to ensure that their playing facilities meet the needs of the club’s ambitions. Community Finance Ireland is here to help you to secure the funds you need to get started.

Our bespoke bridging and term loans ensure that your club can access funds swiftly and efficiently, turning visions into reality. With a deep understanding of both finance and grassroots challenges, we’re not just lenders; we’re partners in progress.

What Type of Projects Do We Support?

In our 20+ years of doing business, we have supported a wide variety of sports projects including helping rugby clubs, but also soccer, GAA, tennis, rowing, athletics, gymnastics, hockey, ice hockey, watersports, golf, basketball and other sporting clubs in accessing finance to realise projects like:

We Speak Finance, But We Hear People

We have loaned over €120m (£97m) to clients across the island of Ireland including rugby clubs like Shannon RFC in Co. Limerick . The club worked with our team to finance the construction of a ladies’ dressing rooms at club grounds.

Shannon RFC Rugby Community Finance Ireland Sports Funding

With supporting loans ranging from upwards of £/€25k, you can be confident that if you have an idea or a dream, we know how to support your request and help get finance into your project.

If you are ready to make an application, click here. Or for more information, give us a call today: NI: 028 9031 5003  ROI: 041 6858 637.

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Community Finance Ireland in association with NICVA and the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) are seeking participants for the NetWorks25 Programme, a 12-month business mentorship support programme for voluntary-led organisations in Northern Ireland and Southern border counties.

What is NetWorks25?

The overall aim of NetWorks25 is to build progressive partnerships that will deliver meaningful benefit for communities on both sides of the border and raise awareness of issues and challenges impacting communities while also contributing to wider peace-building.

The project will span a twelve month period and participant organisations will allocate two representatives who will attend:-

  • 3x full day long workshops (weekdays) and
  • 3x residential events (all day Friday to Saturday lunchtime) throughout the year
  • Dates to be confirmed in due course.

Benefits for Participating Organisations

  • The opportunity to network, connect with and learn from other organisations from other communities.
  • The creation of positive and long-lasting relationships between cross-border communities who share similar challenges and open the door for collaborative working.
  • Improve and understand best business practices across a wide range of areas such as financial planning and management, strategic business planning, marketing and communications, digital transformation and technology, governance and compliance and product and service development. 
  • Learn how to access different funding streams for your organisation.
  • Aid the development of social enterprises or community projects, working to combat deprivation and legacy issues arising from the Troubles and other socio-economic barriers unique to living in border areas.
  • A chance to explore business ideas to create new sources of income generation, leading to more effective and more sustainable business practices.

Hear from some of the previous participants in this short video:

Criteria Requirements for Participating Organisations

  • A charity, social enterprise, community or voluntary organisation based in Northern Ireland or the surrounding border counties in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Be available to attend all workshops and residential events
  • Experience of supporting creative and innovative approaches to dealing with contentious issues.
  • History of implementing projects that tackle the barriers arising as a result of the border.
  • Previous involvement with supporting regions or communities needing particular attention as a result of historical isolation, under-investment, the impact of the conflict and/or Brexit.
  • Experience of contributing to peace-building and promoting good relations on a cross-border basis.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying to the NetWorks25 Programme, please complete the online application form here. Applications take roughly 15-20 minutes to complete.

The deadline for applications is Friday 14 February 2025 at 5pm.

For any queries or to request further information, please email hello@communityfinanceireland.com with the subject NetWorks25.

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Seacourt Print Workshop, a mainstay of Northern Ireland’s arts and cultural community since 1981, has unveiled its newly renovated premises in the heart of Bangor’s town centre. Situated in a former bank building, the transformed space now serves as an accessible and vibrant hub for printmaking, fostering creativity and community engagement.

Funded by a loan from Community Finance Ireland (CFI), this redevelopment marks a significant milestone for the arts charity. The updated 7,500 square-foot facility now accommodates a diverse range of printmaking techniques, including etching, screen printing, and lithography, while offering expanded services such as free monthly workshops and open days aimed at fostering inclusion.

Emma Drury, Director of Seacourt Print Workshop said,

“We’re proud to play a part in Bangor’s cultural regeneration and our central location makes us more visible and accessible, enabling us to double our programming and support the community in new ways.”

Emma Drury CEO Seacourt Print Workshop and Phelim Sharvin Head of Community Finance (NI) on site at the newly opened Seacourt Printing Workshop facility in Bangor Northern Ireland. Photo credit: Brian Morrison

Phelim Sharvin, Head of Community Finance Ireland NI, commended Seacourt for its transformative vision:

“This project aligns perfectly with our mission of driving positive social change. By supporting Seacourt, we’re helping to create a vibrant, inclusive space that enriches the community.”

The project’s success highlights the collaborative potential of social finance, arts, and community resilience.

If you want to take part in any of the upcoming events at Seacourt you will find everything you need here.

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Dogs for the Disabled Cork (DFTD) has announced that renovations are now underway at their newly acquired 11.5-acre site, Castlewhite House, located in Waterfall just south of Cork City.

The charity’s new permanent home, made possible by a significant community loan from Community Finance Ireland (CFI), will enable DFTD to train and place more assistance dogs, aiming to reduce their three-year waiting list. This move marks a significant step forward for the charity, which supports disabled adults and children across Ireland with assistance dogs trained to help with practical tasks.

Jennifer Dowler, CEO of DFTD, shares,

“CFI’s support and efficient loan process meant we could secure this site quickly and look toward a promising future. Our new premises will help us serve even more people in need of assistance dogs.”

Nora Keogh Client Relationship Manager Munster Community Finance Ireland & Jennifer Dowler CEO Dogs for the Disabled with DFTD volunteers and assistance dogs on site at the newly acquired located in Waterfall just south of Cork City. Photo credit: David Clynch

Nora Keogh, CFI Client Relationship Manager for the Munster Region, said:

“Dogs for the Disabled Cork change lives across Ireland and with the security and potential of their new home, just think how many more people they can help. It’s a powerful example of social impact in action, showing how targeted efforts can make a meaningful difference. We’re delighted to support them and can’t wait to see them roll out their ambitious plans for on-site services in the future.”

We encourage any community or volunteer-led groups who, like DFTD, want to make improvements or expand their services, to reach out to us. We take a flexible approach to bridge funding gaps and support new projects, offering short and long-term loans that are fast, flexible and fair.

For more information on Dogs for the Disabled, visit their website here, or to find out more about Community Finance Ireland and how we can help your next project, click here.

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A dedicated team of ramblers from Community Finance Ireland are covering new terrain in an effort to raise funds for the charity MacMillan Cancer Support.

Our team (humorously named CFI Cirque du Sore Legs) have bravely decided to take on the hilly route around Northern Ireland’s North Coast on 24 June in the hopes of raising a personal target of £250 or a combined total of £1,500. While some are aiming on covering an impressive 13 mile half distance, other team members are geared up to complete the full marathon.

In preparation for the big day Compliance Officer and Employee Engagement Officer Steph Nicholl remarked that:

“I have been strength training at the local gym three times a week. Trying to build up some muscle in my calves, in my quads and in my hamstrings. Taking some smaller tasks to improve endurance, such as taking the twelve flights of stairs every day in the office rather than relying on the lift.”

The team have been spirited by a little bit of friendly competition in the office with each member vying to be top of the steps leaderboard each week. Chief Executive Donal Traynor notes:

“We found ourselves competing with each other trying to get the steps in on a weekly basis. I think I’m lagging very much so in that regard. But there’s still plenty of time to turn it around and for me to catch up in terms of the training.”

There are currently over three million people living with cancer in the United Kingdom while 44,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the Republic of Ireland each year. MacMillan Cancer Support is a charity dedicated to offering healthcare support and financial support to those who have been directly or indirectly affected by cancer.

Finance Officer Sandra Cowan notes the importance of fundraising for a charity like MacMillan, as cancer has had a personal impact on her own family:

“MacMillan is a really good cause. Having lost loved ones to cancer, I just want to contribute what I can raise on the day and give that to MacMillan.”

Watch the video below from our team as they prepare for the big day on 24 June. They discuss their expectations, what they’ve done to ready themselves for the hike and why they have chosen to raise funds for MacMillan in particular.

If you would like to support the team’s fundraising activities, you can contribute to their efforts on their JustGiving page here.

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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 the ilovelimerick.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).

For further information, visit www.communityfinanceireland.com or @ComFinanceIrl.