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:
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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Ireland has celebrated a summer of sporting success at national and international level, but when we look to the grassroots of our sporting heroes, we must see how much more we could achieve with investment in community facilities. That’s according to Community Finance Ireland, who today (23.09.21) launched a new €5 million fund offering social finance solutions to sports clubs across the island of Ireland.
The new fund will make flexible loans of €10,000-€500,000 available to sports organisations seeking to make a change in their local community whether that is to renovate changing or training facilities for their players and participants, or to improve local infrastructure that makes their club grounds more accessible for the local community.
The fund launched today at an online event, ‘Financial As Well As Physical Fitness Is Key To Success’, with panellists including Sinead Reel, Chairperson of Armagh Ladies’ GAA County Board, sports journalist with the Irish Times Joanne O’Riordan, and Irish Olympian Brendan Boyce who trains at the Community Finance Ireland funded Finn Valley Athletics Club in Donegal.
Speaking at the launch, Anne Graham, Community Finance Ireland Client Relationship Manager said:
“Our athletes have been blazing a trail across tracks, pitches and pools, and inspiring our next generation of sporting heroes. While it’s been a summer to celebrate, it’s also challenged all of us to consider how much more we could achieve, how much more support we could provide our aspiring Olympians or All-Stars, with greater investment in grassroots facilities and clubs.
Every community will be looking to their local pitch, climbing wall or tennis court to see where improvements can be made to upgrade equipment, develop more accessible and inclusive facilities, or perhaps to make the circuit around a pitch or track a safe public walkway for the community to keep active on those darker winter nights by installing floodlights.
Wherever a club sees an opportunity to invest in their local community, we want to put the power to make that change into their hands with fast, flexible, fair loans that can be used to bridge gaps in their funding, unlock drawdown of government grants, or provide much-needed project finance.
We work closely with sports clubs across the country, in fact they make up over a third of the organisations we work with, so we know what they need. We know that volunteers and board members aren’t in a position to provide personal guarantees, so we don’t ask for them; we know funding streams can be unpredictable, so we don’t change our interest rates or hand out penalties for early or lump-sum repayments”.
Anne Graham- Client Relationship Manager, Community Finance Ireland
Patsy McGonagle, Chairman of Finn Valley Athletics Club, worked with Community Finance Ireland to make essential improvements to their grounds in 2013. He said:
“We’re providing a modern facility in an area where there’s very little opportunity. The mental impact that’s had on the community, the physical and social impact – it’s all positive. When there was a shortfall and we needed money, Community Finance Ireland’s welcome and their approach made it a win-win for us big time. They were very responsive, easy to work with. It was a great experience. The facility would not exist were we not to get that finance.”
Patsy McGonagle- Chairman, Finn Valley Athletics Club
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 – £500k (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, Nora or Anne depending on where you and your team are located.
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Following a summer where local sporting heroes made their mark at national and international level, Community Finance Ireland has launched a £5 million fund aimed at sports clubs throughout the island of Ireland.
The new fund will make flexible loans of £10,000-£500,000 available to sports organisations seeking to make a change in their local community whether that is to renovate changing or training facilities for their players and participants, or to improve local infrastructure that makes their club grounds more accessible for the local community.
The fund launched today at an online event, ‘Financial As Well As Physical Fitness Is Key To Success’, with panellists including Sinead Reel, Chairperson of Armagh Ladies’ GAA County Board, sports journalist for the Irish Times Joanne O’Riordan, and Irish Olympian Brendan Boyce who trains at the Community Finance Ireland funded Finn Valley Athletics Club in Donegal.
Speaking at the event, Phelim Sharvin, Head of Community Finance (NI) at Community Finance Ireland said:
“The considerable appetite for finance from the sports sector shows no signs of slowing down, with almost a third of queries to our website coming through from sports clubs .
The success of NI sports people this summer has meant that there’s increasing demands on clubs who are experiencing growing membership and interest in their offerings. We know that the flexibility of the loan terms, alongside the speedy decision-making process makes this an attractive product for sports clubs.
With just over a third of loan applications last year coming from the sports sector, this is an area Community Finance Ireland know really well. In the period June 2020-June 2021, queries from sports organisations were higher than ever with roughly a quarter of these approaches coming from Northern Ireland. Interest from GAA and football clubs continues to be strong, however we’re starting to see engagement from less traditional disciplines like gymnastics and cricket where increasing membership requires additional space and therefore investment in facilities.”
Phelim Sharvin- Head of Community Finance (NI), Community Finance Ireland
Flight Gymnastics in County Antrim, a client of Community Finance Ireland since 2017, has experienced a 300%+ increase in membership in the past 24 months. Andrew O’Hare and Judith Hindes attribute recent growth in part to the Olympics, but more so coming out of lockdown and the need younger people have to develop much needed fundamental movement and social interaction skills greatly affected over the last 18 months.
Andrew O’Hare from Flight Gymnastics said:
“We’ve been working with Community Finance Ireland since 2017, accessing finance for working capital and the installation of a specialist heating system in our premises. The relationship we have with the team means they know our business and how we work and the fast decision-making process means that we can be as flexible as possible in responding to the changing needs of our members. Due to a significant increase in our membership base we’re currently looking at expanding our premises and we know that Community Finance Ireland understands how important this facility will be, not only to us but to our members and their families.”
Andrew O’Hare, Flight Gymnastics
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 – £500k (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, Nora or Anne depending on where you and your team are located.
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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:
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