Our recent #Supporting Clubs On and Off the Pitch Webinars hosted by Aisling O’Reilly Off the Ball Sports Journalist and featuring some of the best GAA clubs in our communities, offered some really insightful and diverse ways that GAA clubs and volunteers are engaged in helping finance the ambition of their clubs and players.

Here are some of the innovative and most popular fundraising initiatives that are being delivered right across the island of Ireland. You may already have tried these in your club, or you may not but as everybody knows all ideas for financing and keeping the club open and vibrant are always welcome.

1. Club Lotto

Club Lotto remains a big earner for GAA clubs. When Covid struck, volunteers weren’t able to go door to door to sell tickets anymore and a number of clubs moved their lotto activity to online. As one of our clients Jim Codd from Ballyhea GAA in Munster told us, at times the Club Lotto can account for up to 30% of our income.

2. Coffee Mornings and Bake Sales

Who doesn’t love a delicious treat? Host a coffee morning and invite the local community to come along. From Rice Krispie squares and millionaire’s shortcake to cupcakes and brownies, everyone can bring along their baked goods to sell, with the profits going into the club’s coffers.

3. Fundraising Walks

During the pandemic, the activity that saw the biggest rise in participation was walking. As a result clients like Knockananna GAA (Co. Wicklow) and Kilcoo GAA (Co. Down) invested in off pitch facilities such as floodlit walkways. Our own Client Relationship Manager for Munster Nora Keogh said that sponsored fundraising walks are a great source of income for GAA clubs as well as great family events:

“My daughter’s football club in West Limerick has the sponsored walk back again this year. The kids are delighted to go out and get €2 off each of their relatives for taking part. It’s only a small amount but it all adds up. It’s great to see and it’s a great family event on the day.”- Nora Keogh, Community Finance Ireland.

4. Golf Classics

The GAA continue to use other sports outside the realm of Gaelic Games to assist with raising funds for their club. One example that our client Jim Codd at Ballyhea GAA referenced was that of a recent Golf Classic, where a combination of players or volunteers created golf teams to compete against each other with all funds raised going back into the club.

5. Strictly Come Dancing Competitions

Add some sequins and sparkle to your fundraising activity with a Strictly Come Dancing style competition. Pair your GAA players with local community volunteers and sell tickets for a weekly dance off to see who knows their sliotar from their salsa.

6. The 300 Club

After meeting with Community Finance Ireland and setting specific and realistic fundraising targets, Freddie McInerney from Newmarket-On-Fergus GAA Club in Co. Clare explains how they set up a 300 Club:  

“We created a 300 club. We got almost 300 people to sign up over a four year period in which we asked for a donation of €5 per week, €250 a year or a quarterly or sign up on direct debit. People were very generous with some offering €1,000 upfront. We created a team of eight people dedicated solely to this fundraising activity. There were two lads in particular – Thomas Reagan and Darren Dugan who went out and collected probably the bones of €100,000 themselves, talking to people, ringing people, cajoling people and getting them to bring money in. So, in the end we got an awful lot of people signed up.”- Freddie McInerney, Newmarket-On-Fergus GAA.

7. Family Fun Days

With many GAA clubs now the hub of most communities the ability to offer family fun days for their members and their wider community is now a reality. Bouncy castles, Mr Whippy vans, face-painting, arts and crafts and fun and games are almost as likely to be found as the footballs or hurls.

8. Car Boot Sale

It’s an oldie but a goodie, but with us all trying to repurpose or resell rather than put items in landfill the car boot sale is a fantastic way to raise funds as well as reduce waste.

9. Table Quiz

Hosting a table quiz is a simple but effective way to bring in some extra cash and a great way to add some entertainment to the line up at the club house bar. A simple eight round event can be used to test your membership’s knowledge on a variety of subject. Maybe even include a specialist round about your club’s history.

10. Scrap Metal Collections

Scrap metal is valuable in high quantities and rural clubs have been jumping on the opportunity for years. It’s easy to raise money by asking farmers and people in your village for their unwanted scrap metal at a collection point so it can then be sold on. It doesn’t cost the community anything and in fact you’re providing a service that they would otherwise have to pay for.

“When we started fundraising initially, we wanted to find things that are a negative cost to people, so we ran a scrap collection, initially that can bring anything from €2,000 to €10,000 depending on when you are running it and how much people have in their backyards that they want to get rid of.”- Jim Codd, Ballyhea GAA.

Our thanks to all the club members or volunteers who participated in our webinar series this summer and for sharing their insights and experience. If you missed these webinars, don’t worry- you can play them back here. In the meantime we speak finance, but we hear people. Click here and the local client to reach out to the local Client Relationship Manager in your area.

#Supporting Clubs On and Off the Pitch.

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Two of their boxers triumphed on the night with Cahir Gormley being crowned the 67kg champion and Matthew McCole coming away with not only the 71kg title but was also announced as the Best Boxer of Championship.

Speaking about his win, Cahir said:

“It’s a big win for me. I won schoolboy titles and probably fell short around youth level, but I kept at it, kept working hard and it’s starting to pay off now. I want to be one of the best elites- that’s what I’m aiming for. We’re going to the top, this is only the start of it.”

This sense of determination and ambition is one shared throughout the club. Cahir’s teammate Matthew McCole, who was also victorious on the night, had disappointing performance at last October’s Irish elites, and wasn’t sure whether he had any future in the sport. But with the support of the Illies Golden Gloves coaches he was encouraged to continue competing. Matthew remarks:

“I boxed poor in the last Irish elites, I didn’t know what I was going to do after that. Them boys at the Illies Golden Gloves were asking me to go to the Ulsters and I was like ‘I don’t know’. We got sparring with Aidan Walsh over Christmas but, even after that, I still wasn’t sure. I could’ve taken the easy option, Jon was Irish number two at the weight last year, but I thought if I’m going to do it, I’ll do it the hard way.”

Set up in 1998, Illies Golden Gloves Boxing Club’s ambition is not just in the ring but also to develop their facilities for the wider local community. The club approached Community Finance Ireland back in 2016, when they were awarded the finance to purchase their training facilities at the Lisfannon Industrial Estate in Buncrana and to carry out works to make premises fit for purpose as an amateur boxing club.

Mary Nohilly from Community Finance Ireland who works with the club, was overjoyed with the results, saying:

“This is a fantastic result not only for the two lads taking home the titles but also for the whole team behind the scenes who have contributed to their success. A lot of work has gone into developing the club’s facilities to give the young people of Buncrana a place to train in the sport of boxing and these two titles are the result of that work paying off. A huge congratulations and hopefully a sign of more success to come!”

If your sports club has a project in mind, but needs the funding or advice on how to get started, get in touch with Community Finance Ireland today.

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Nestled in the heart of Gowran village, the Gowran Outdoor Hub is a one-of-a-kind project designed to bring community, wellness, and inclusivity to the area. It’s set to feature a 300-metre walking/running track, multi-use courts (tennis, basketball, and football), and an inclusive playscape for all ages/ abilities.

It will deliver a space that prioritises safety and inclusivity, catering to people of all ages and abilities, as well as fostering community engagement and strengthening social bonds by providing a space for people to gather, play, and connect, encouraging physical activity, contributing to overall health and wellbeing.

At the centre of the project is the state-of-the-art castle-themed climbing frame, the first of its kind in the Northern Hemisphere. The equipment is designed with inclusivity at its heart and children of all abilities can use the facility. It’s a flagship project to bring together all ages and abilities in an inclusive social environment welcoming all and helping to combat marginalisation.

Thanks to our support and the support of the Kilkenny Leader Partnership, Kilkenny County Council, the Town and Village Renewal Grant, and other fundraising activities the initiative has already secured €395,000. Construction has already begun, with the play equipment and courts already taking shape. The project is estimated for completion in spring 2024.

Denis Hynes, the Chairperson for Gowran on the Move said:

“We’re beyond excited to finally see our long term vision start to rise from the ground. We truly believe this one-of-a-kind project will inject fresh energy into the heart of the Gowran community. We’re now appealing to local people, businesses and organisations to help us with a final fundraising push to get the project across the line in time for a spring launch.”

Barry Symes, Community Finance Ireland’s Head of Community Finance for the Republic of Ireland was thrilled that we could help make the organisation’s ambitions a reality, saying:

“It is such a joy to see the progress being made on the Gowran Intergenerational Outdoor Activity Hub project – an all-inclusive project that will bring life to the community of Gowran and be enjoyed by all children and their families for many years to come. At Community Finance Ireland we support a huge range of community and volunteer-led projects from sports projects to social enterprises to faith-based groups, but they all start with an idea and a group of people who want to make it work.

Mick, Denis and the team at the Gowran Hub project came to Community Finance Ireland with an idea and we were delighted to help them make it a reality. This group has long established roots in their community and it goes to show, when you have a vision for your local area, and the drive to create that change, there’s no limit to what you can do. If you would like to support the project in their fundraising goals, get in touch with Denis or one of the committee members“

If your community group has a project in mind, but needs the funding or advice on how to get started, get in touch with Community Finance Ireland today.

The post Gowran on the Move Poised to Open New One of a Kind, Inclusive Outdoor Hub in Spring 2024! appeared first on Community Finance Ireland.

Community Finance Ireland have partnered with Belfast City Council and a number of other key strategic partners to deliver On Purpose: Inspiring and Showcasing Social Business.

The event is your opportunity to hear from success stories within the Community, Voluntary and Social Enterprise Sector as well as affording you the opportunity to chat to and get advice from sustainable finance experts about the funding opportunities available to your community organisation or social enterprise.

The event is free to attend and will take place in East Belfast’s Templemore Baths on Thursday 8 February, kicking off at 9:45am and finishing at 12:15 including a light lunch. To register attendance, click the booking link:

The Speakers

Phelim Sharvin | Sustainable Finance Expert, Community Finance Ireland

Phelim is a Chartered Banker and has Honours Degree and Masters Level qualifications in European Regional Development, Economics & Business Management. Now Head of Community Finance NI, Phelim has had sole responsibility for the CFI loan portfolio since 2007, committing approximately £80m to the wider CVSE sector and developed a successful range of bespoke loan funds most notably in the local Sports, Childcare, Green Energy and Start-Up Social Enterprise Sectors. Most recently he led the CFI Covid Grant Fund Management Team committing £22m grant funding to the local Community sector. He is a regular judge of the Social Enterprise NI Awards and chairs the CFI annual Dragons’ Den event.

Pamela Hughes | Kids Together, Belfast

Kids Together Belfast (KTB) was set up initially by two parents passionate about providing services for families, children and young people with complex needs. KTB uses the social enterprise model to deliver these services across the Belfast and Lisburn Trust areas. They are entrepreneurial and innovative in their approach and have scaled their venture over the past 8 years to employ more than 50 people in an area of high economic and social deprivation. Pamela Hughes will share the Kids Together Belfast story including how they have lobbied for policy change in terms of self directed payments, increased services to meet local needs and diversifi ed their income to help sustain the venture for the longer term.

Rónán Ó Dálaigh | Founder and CEO, Thriftify

The Thriftify platform enables charity shops to value their donations, instantly list them across all of the leading online marketplaces, and easily ship orders to circulators around the world. The social enterprise was launched in Ireland in 2018 and has been on a rapid growth trajectory; scaling to 98% market share in Ireland and expanding quickly across the UK. With a vision of changing how and why the world shops, Thriftify is building the engine for the circular economy. Charity shops receive the vast majority of used goods and, by making these items accessible to consumers who care, the company is aiming to create a new model of shopping – one that is not only sustainable but also impactful. A champion of social enterprise, Rónán has been the recipient of the Irish Presidential Youth Award, The Chancellor’s Medal at DCU and the winner of the Irish ENACTUS award for social enterprise. He was also voted a ‘Young Global Shaper’ by the World Economic Forum.

Alice Thompson | International Speaker and Purpose Coach

A proven Social Business Leader, Alice co-founded Social Bite, an Edinburgh café designed to employ and feed the homeless community. It now boasts 9 outlets, 100+ employees and has been visited by the likes of George Clooney, the Duchess of Cambridge, Bill Clinton and Leonardo DiCaprio. Alice and her team made Social Bite a nationwide success, distributing over 150,000 fresh food items each year to those in need and campaigning for policy reform. Alice was also pivotal in the establishment of ‘The World’s Big Sleepout’ which took place in 52 cities across the globe with stars such as Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren reading bedtime stories to participants. A recipient of the RSGS Livingstone Medal, which is also held by the likes of Sir David Attenborough and Neil Armstrong, Alice is now an international speaker and one of the UK’s best known purpose coaches.

Hope to see you on 8 February.

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In a notable achievement, Mobile IT CLG has emerged as the winner of Community Finance Ireland’s prize for their participation in the SERI Social Enterprise Census. This recognition highlights their dedication to the social enterprise sector and their impactful work within the community.

The celebratory event took place at the Deebert House Hotel in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, where key figures from Mobile IT CLG, including Maureen Browne (Chairperson) and Alice Quinlan, joined Nora Keogh (Client Relationship Manager at Community Finance Ireland) and Catherine Fitzgerald from Charleville to discuss all things social enterprise related.

Community Finance Ireland and SERI are both committed to supporting social enterprises that make a lasting impact on our communities. Together, they aim to empower social enterprises across Ireland, ensuring that they have the resources and recognition they deserve.

For more information on this collaboration and the SERI Census Campaign, please visit SERI’s website.

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This significant accomplishment reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence in serving our clients and advancing positive social impact.

The ISO 9001 standard is built upon a set of quality management principles, including a strong customer focus, active involvement of top management, a process-oriented approach, and continuous improvement. By adhering to these principles, we have established a solid foundation for organizational excellence.

Benefits to CFI and Our Clients
This achievement brings several advantages to both Community Finance Ireland and our valued clients:

Increased Efficiencies: With all our processes aligned and comprehended by every member of our organization, we can enhance the efficiency of our internal controls, streamlining our operations and ensuring optimal performance.

Enhanced Reputation: The ISO 9001 accreditation further strengthens our reputation as a credible and genuine charity and social enterprise. It underscores our dedication to advocating for positive social impact and demonstrates our commitment to delivering high-quality services.

Clear Objectives and Commitment: By assessing the overall context of our organization and understanding the expectations of those affected by our work, we can clearly define our objectives. This enables us to showcase our unwavering commitment to excellence and the pursuit of our mission.

Customer Focus: We reaffirm our dedication to putting our customers first, consistently meeting their needs, and enhancing their satisfaction. This recognition ensures that our clients’ experience with Community Finance Ireland remains at the heart of everything we do.

Compliance and Governance: Attaining the ISO 9001 accreditation guarantees that we meet the necessary statutory and regulatory requirements, strengthening our compliance and governance practices.

We extend our gratitude to our dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment have made this achievement possible. We are excited about the opportunities this accreditation brings and the continued positive impact we can make together.

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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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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

View the report in full here.

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As the leading global non-profit employment resource for women our team were on hand to celebrate the initiatives expansion in Northern Ireland, with the opening of a second branch, situated at the Glengall Exchange, in Belfast City Centre, under a new tenancy from Community Finance Ireland.

Dress for Success Northern Ireland is managed by Foyle Women’s Aid and to date has supported over 200 women through its first branch which opened in 2018 in Ashleywood House, Derry/Londonderry. 

This is the only affiliate of the global Dress for Success brand operating in the island of Ireland, there are more than 140 affiliates operating in 20+ countries across the globe and marks an important achievement in the organisation’s growth and reach in Northern Ireland. 

Dress for Success empowers women into the workplace from positions of disadvantage by providing professional clothing and styling, skills and confidence, interview coaching and ongoing support once they re-join the workplace. 

“As an equal opportunities company, as well as a registered social enterprise and charity ourselves, our team is delighted to support Dress for Success and aid their ambitions to help women going back to work.

We feel privileged to be able to host the Dress for Success Northern Ireland team, as well as its future service users at our premises, and wish them every success in this new chapter of their history.”

Donal Traynor, Group Chief Executive Officer (Community Finance Ireland)

To find out more about Dress for Success or to refer to its services please contact Sarah Quinn, Programme Manager, 0771 963 681 or email sarah.quinn@foylewomensaid.org.

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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”

Nora Keogh, Client Relationship Manager (Community Finance Ireland)

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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