This week Ulster Community Investment Trust Ltd t/a Community Finance Ireland held its all island Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Belfast’s Clifton House. As part of the AGM, the team officially launched its Annual Report for 2022.
The report published today highlights the following key takeaways:
Ulster Region: £2.8m (€3.2m) of loans into 28 organisations
Leinster Region: £3.1m (€3.5m) of loans into 38 organisations
Munster Region: £0.9m (€1.0m) of loans into 16 organisations
Connacht Region: £0.6m (€0.7m) of loans into 7 organisations
£6.5m to 231 communities via much needed grant payments funded by the Department of Communities NI and in collaboration with NICVA
£5.8m in loan support to 186 SME clients through the management of the Invest NI sponsored NISBLF Fund II since 2018, in collaboration with Enterprise Northern Ireland.
With a client portfolio, whose core assets are predominately its volunteers, the 89 projects saw their own belief mirrored back to them and secured term or bridging loans which supported them in:
Providing access to facilities and services for their local area
Expanding their businesses and growing their memberships
Improving their sustainability and helping them achieve their long-term goals
In what was another extraordinary year for the history the organisation and for the communities and citizens on the island Donal Traynor Group Chief Executive highlighted the following in his welcome video message:
To learn more about Community Finance Ireland and discover the inspiring stories of the organisations we supported in 2022, please visit here.
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First cross-border workshop held in Derry~Londonderry as part of delivery programme for project supported through the International Fund for Ireland.
An ambitious cross-border project is bringing people together to deliver a capacity building programme that will make border communities more sustainable.
NetWORKS23 is funded by the International Fund for Ireland’s (IFI) Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP). It has a strong focus on developing and embedding sustainable relationships on a cross-border basis through supporting cooperation and innovation between groups and organisations North and South.
The project is being led by Community Finance Ireland in partnership with Rural Community Network. Both organisations bring a wealth of experience in social enterprise, finance, peace building and reconciliation.
Through a shared learning approach, NetWORKS 23 will facilitate cross-community and cross-border engagement with people who have had limited opportunities for collaborative working. The Project targets community and voluntary organisations in Derry, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, Donegal and Tyrone.
Attending Networks23 event in Greysteel were left to right: Damian McAteer Community Finance Ireland Group Chair, Donal Traynor, Community Finance Ireland Group CEO, Columba Mailey, Manager of the Vale Centre, Bridie Mullen, Board Director Vale Centre and Paddy Harte IFI Chair.
Participants to date have attended residentials in Sligo and a cross-border workshop in Greysteel at the Vale Centre. The daylong seminar provided practical insight into the Vale Centre’s commercial activities, revenue generation and how a social enterprise approach feeds into the public and social services offered to the wider community.
NetWORKS23 aims to build progressive partnerships that will deliver meaningful benefits for communities on both sides of the border and raise awareness of the issues and challenges while also contributing to the wider peace building work of the IFI.
Commenting on the project, IFI Chair Paddy Harte says;
“The NetWORKS23 Project is timely as border areas have traditionally suffered from isolation, lack of investment and the ongoing legacy of The Troubles. It is important to examine how we can improve reconciliation between rural Unionist and Nationalist communities to help build resilience and develop local leadership. This initiative will provide the necessary training for participants to examine the long-term development of their own projects within a wider peace and reconciliation context.
The IFI is committed to delivering cross-community and cross-border outreach, encouraging challenging conversations to deal with a range of issues. We are particularly pleased to support this project under CiPP, which values innovation and the creation of positive and long-lasting relationships between cross-border communities who share similar challenges.”
Donal Traynor Group CEO of Community Finance Ireland had this to say:
“Community Finance Ireland are delighted to lend their support to this cross-border initiative. Our support for the ongoing prosperity and development of all communities has been in place for over 21 years and our commitment remains for this generation and the next.”
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Community Finance Ireland are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark Accreditation. This prestigious accreditation demonstrates that the company is creating real benefits for people and the planet, and is committed to social impact.
The Social Enterprise Mark is an independently assessed accreditation that recognizes organizations that are operating as social enterprises. This means that they are using business to create social and environmental impact, and are committed to reinvesting their profits back into their mission.
Community Finance Ireland’s CEO, Donal Traynor, expressed his excitement about achieving the Social Enterprise Mark accreditation, saying:
“We are thrilled to have received this accreditation, which confirms our ongoing commitment to creating positive social impact. At Community Finance Ireland, we believe that social finance can play a critical role in building a more equitable and sustainable future for everyone. Our recent Social Value Impact report and findings further demonstrate how social finance is working to achieve great results, and we are committed to continuing this important work.”
The Social Enterprise Mark is awarded by Social Enterprise Mark CIC, the leading global authority on social enterprise. To achieve the accreditation, Community Finance Ireland underwent a rigorous assessment process that evaluated the company’s social and environmental impact, governance structures, and financial sustainability.
Community Finance Ireland’s Compliance Officer Stephanie NIcholl and CEO Donal Traynor awarded the Social Enterprise Mark Accreditation April 2023
As a registered social enterprise, Community Finance Ireland is committed to using finance as a tool for positive social change. The company provides affordable loans to community and voluntary organizations, social enterprises, and charities across Ireland, helping to build stronger communities and support important social causes.
As well as recognising Community Finance Ireland’s dedication to achieving high quality social impact, holding the mark demonstrates our commitment to effective good governance controls, stakeholder engagement, financial transparency and ethical and good business practices.
Stephanie Nicholl, Compliance Officer at Community Finance Ireland said:
“The Social Enterprise Mark recognises and builds the capabilities of social enterprises as sustainable businesses that are dedicated to maximising social impact. The Mark recognises the value of our social impact, specifically with our clients that we work with in the Social Enterprise sector across areas such as sport, arts and heritage, community organisations, faith and church groups and the workspace provision.”
Stephanie further explains the importance of the recognition in the short video below:
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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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Every Generation Needs Help & a new Romanian Church is leading the way and Future Generations are in good hands as a Result.
Whatever church or place you usually frequent, the gathering at Betania Church in Tyrellstown Co. Dublin is an amazing one.
RTE news rightly shone a spotlight on what is an inspiring achievement for the Romanian community and volunteers. What they have built is a staggering legacy for all future generations to be involved in.
Welcoming all Christians and demonstrating the inclusive, diversity and kindness that is now Ireland’s global hallmark, we recently welcomed the team at Betania Church as new clients.
When they found their local bank did not believe, our team did. Dónal Traynor MBS LIB QFA and Barry Symes were on hand to combine the volunteers excellent fundraising abilities, with their own lending expertise.
The result of this collaboration is the building of a church that is fast making a name for itself both within Dublin and beyond.
The changing face of Ireland and its citizens is something that we here at Community Finance Ireland are experiencing across all communities. Our CEO Donal Traynor was on site earlier this week and had this to say:
“Our social finance offering is all about supporting social impact. It is also about supporting inclusion and diversity for communities’ right across the country. What the team have built here is exceptional. There is massive credit to the volunteers and to those who now call Ireland home, for coming together and ensuring that today and into the future there is a place to gather in faith and a sense of belonging”.
CEO Community Finance Ireland Donal Traynor, gets a tour of Betania Church and its facilities, from Local Romanian Volunteers. Dublin Ireland.
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are being delivered by volunteers and community champions behind local visitor experiences. When planning a weekend break in Donegal, don’t forget to consider some of the terrific clients that our team have helped over the past few years.
From sports activities to sight-seeing, there are many venues and activities located throughout the county whose core purpose is social impact as well as visitors’ enjoyment.
These venues and experiences are housed alongside beautiful beaches, traditional pubs and scenic landscape. Whether you experience a heatwave or a downpour, you are guaranteed a warm welcome and value for money. Get booking.
If you’re brave enough to storm the cold waters, then our first two suggestions will raise an eyebrow…
Kilcar Kayaking or Mullinasole Bay Water Sports Club is the perfect opportunity to explore whilst having fun. Mullinasole Bay is located in Mullinasole, south of Donegal Town whilst Kilcar Kayaking is located in Kilcar, east of Donegal Town. We recently supported both organisations to bridge a finance gap for a retrospective grant fund. It’s fulfilling to see these activity groups flourish and it’s worthwhile visiting for the scenery alone.
Mullinasole Bay Water Sports Club are an unincorporated club with a constitution and a committee who run the Club with a not for profit ethos. Mullinasole Bay Water Sports Club was set up formally in 2020 to promote and provide resources for children and adults to enable them to enhance their experience in salt water based activities such as swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, windsurfing, Rowing, Sailing and boating.
Whether health and fitness is a priority or bringing your family and friends together for an event is on your to do list, Finn Valley AC is one of many great facilities.
With one of the best sports facilities on the island of Ireland, Finn Valley AC offers a wide range of facilities. From athletics tracks, pitches to indoor facilities catering for events. Situated in Ballybofey, south of Letterkenny it truly is a modern clubhouse that caters for all and could be the perfect opportunity to hold an event or keep fit throughout your tenure in Donegal. With countless athletes charging out of the blocks representing Ireland, proving the level of commitment and professionalism that goes on behind the scenes here at Finn Valley AC.
Famously, the terrain of Donegal is known for its breath-taking views and there is no exception when mentioning Fort Dunree – which is definitely one for the road trip bucket list with a driving route worthy of an Instagram. Located on the North Coast of Donegal overlooking the North Atlantic Sea.
Fort Dunree was established to enhance the level of tourism on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal. The centre underwent major refurbishments in 2000, and again in 2006, and now incorporates walks, a museum, and a café. In 2019 the organisation received a loan from Community Finance Ireland to bridge FLAG grant aid and cash flow being used towards capital upgrades.
“Its stunning natural beauty and abundant wildlife are drawing increasing numbers of visitors to one of Inishowen’s most beautiful and peaceful locations. It is a must see for every visitor to the Inishowen peninsula.” – Fort Dunree.
We first helped support Fort Dunree in 2007 so it’s great to see the impact it’s had on tourism over a decade later.
On site, is a military museum with exhibitions, events and the ability to hire the venue for celebrations such as weddings, receptions and conferences would be a unique experience and one to remember. Fort Dunree in Irish means “Forth of the Heather”.
Why not take a trip into what life used to be like and experience the harsh reality of the famine era with a tour around the Dunfanaghy Workhouse.
Located in Dunfanaghy, which now houses a Heritage Centre, explores local history and culture. This beautiful historic building includes tourist information point for the area, as well as an exhibition centre, a coffee shop, art gallery, craft and book shop.
The Workhouse opened as a heritage centre in 1995, and was officially opened by the then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
Catering for all, admission is free into the Workhouse. Although, some exhibitions do charge giving an in-depth experience of the struggles throughout The Famine and what the Workhouse was used for – a worthwhile experience.
In summary, this is just a snapshot of the inspiring organisations that we are able to support and love to see the social impact added throughout the Island of Ireland, highlighting projects that continue to choose change reinforces our purpose and the true value of social finance. If you are ever in the region of Donegal and are looking for things to do, make sure to consider these wonderful sites.
With a total of 225 miles of track, formed the largest narrow gauge railway system in north-west Europe from Co. Donegal to Co. Derry and Lough Swilly Railway.
A blast from the past, allowing you to see what life was like back in 1889 with one of the first combustion engines in the world. The recently refurbished museum comprises of railway rolling stock, interesting artefacts, displays, a video presentation, audio presentations, model railways, a reference library, a shop, a coffee hut and much more. The star exhibit has returned to the museum, an original 1907 Donegal Railway steam engine, “Drumboe”, the first engine to return to the county in many decades.
Donegal Railway Heritage Centre have been in existence for over 20 years in Donegal Town attracting some 6,000 visitors per year. At Community Finance Ireland, we are proud to have supported this organisation in restructuring their existing loans to aid cash flow.
Spending your time and money in these venues helps deliver social impact and the endorsement that the local volunteers and committees’ efforts are valued.
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The ambition of all within the Social Economy is to encourage sustainability and reduce levels of dependency, where possible, on the uncontrollable, whatever guise it might take.
The Community Voluntary & Social Enterprise (CVSE) sector owes a great deal to the availability of charitable support, as well as start-up and development grants from various quarters. Much of the Community & Voluntary subset will no doubt always be reliant on continued grant support to maintain the level of service provision. But what of the rest of the sector involved in growing the earned income side of their Social Enterprise?
Social Enterprise will usually need debt finance at some point, to draw down retrospective grant support, for capital acquisition, development, refinance personal debt, or manage existing unsustainable borrowings where immediate demands on repayment are a real threat.
The volunteer led ethos implies to the conventional debt system that there exists at least a reduced, if not total, absence of financial vested interest in the project.
The absence of collateral of any marketable value, often requires volunteers to sign personal guarantees in order to access this debt. A community manager pledging their home as security on a loan has been as bad as I have seen. That the voluntary board allowed the situation to arise is a whole other matter.
Social Finance is the incubator for the community sector on the road to achieving experience in borrowing, developing a credit score, but on terms and conditions appropriate to that market. It does not request personal guarantees off volunteers (or staff!). It normally does not charge arrangement fees. Its priorities are simple.
Presently in Ireland (2022), social finance up to a general limit of €500k is available to the CVSE sector absent arrangement fees and personal guarantees, yet recent survey findings would suggest that much of the sector remains unaware of the support, with over 50% financed by the conventional banking instruments such as overdrafts and secured borrowings.
IRD Kiltimaghin Co. Mayo are clients who understand the benefits of refinancing and are thriving as a result.
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Today (16 June 2022) Ulster Community Investment Trust Ltd t/a Community Finance Ireland held its all island AGM in person for the first time in three years. As part of the AGM the team officially launched its 2021 Annual Report.
The report published today highlights the following key takeaways:
Northern Ireland
£2m of loans into 14 local projects;
£7.2m to 354 charities via much needed grant payments in collaboration with Department of Communities NI and NICVA; and
£4.4m to 152 SME clients through the management of NISBLF Fund II since 2018.
Republic of Ireland
€2.2m of loans into 26 projects in the Leinster Region;
€1.2m of loans into 15 projects in the Munster Region;
€0.1m of loans into 4 projects in the Connacht Region; and
€1m of loan approvals into 17 projects in Ulster (excluding NI).
With a client portfolio, whose core assets are predominately its volunteers, the 76 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 another 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:
“Our team continue to ensure social impact is felt not just dreamt and 2021 was no different. Dreams were realised and progress was felt right across the island. Choose change is indeed the mantra of the sector and the volunteers who keep it vibrant. We are delighted to be part of that change, whilst recognising there is always more to do.”.
Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive Community Finance Ireland
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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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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