International Fund for Ireland Archives – Community Finance Ireland

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.

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.”