Councils urged to back pilot Local Philanthropic Funds in €10M partnership Proposal to establish public-private partnerships to deliver community services

Community Foundation Ireland publishes ‘A Sense of Place’ Local Election Manifesto

Councils are being urged to back the roll out of pilot local funds which would see private giving and public funding working together to deliver community services.

The call has been made in a local election manifesto ‘A Sense Of Place’ from Community Foundation Ireland.

The manifesto proposes the establishment of five pilot funds under a €10M partnership.

The Community Foundation says each would benefit from the desire of philanthropic donors to make a contribution to communities where they have a personal or professional connection.

Established with Government seed funding of €1M in 2000, the Foundation has since delivered more than €130M in grants to advance its mission of ‘Equality For All In Thriving Communities’.

A number of existing local philanthropic initiatives have been identified as offering potential for growth. These include a Dun-Laoighaire-Rathdown ‘Changing Lives’ Fund which since 2022 has seen local donors and businesses supporting parenting initiatives, after-school clubs and an aging well in place project. A sustainability fund in Mayo which is building on a scoping study which has identified local climate and biodiversity actions. Growth of a well-established Monaghan Fund at the Foundation.

The Foundation is proposing:

• A programme of pilot place based giving initiatives to commence this year allowing private donors with a local connection to work together with National and Local Government to deliver real social change through Placed Based Giving Initiatives.
• €10M in funding for five pilot based giving initiatives: comprising €5m from the state in a challenge grant and €5M through philanthropic match funding.
• Building long term endowment funds with use of 55% of total public and private support (€5.5M). Endowment funds have a significant role to play in providing sustainable sources of funding as well as much needed investment in local communities.
• Local authority support towards the administration of the Funds and contribution to initial grants of the Fund.

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland said:

“Place lies at the very heart of Irish philanthropy. Donors want to give back to communities where they have a connection. This placed based giving opens up opportunities for local people of all ages. It has the power to transform lives with the delivery of community services, opens up opportunities in education, access to the arts and so much more.

We believe that a partnership approach with public and private funding working together could deliver even greater impact. The proposals we are making are informed by both our experience as a philanthropic hub delivering supports to communities through a network of 5,000 partner organisations as well as extensive research. It is our hope that policymakers both locally and nationally will see the value of partnership and work with us to deliver the innovative local funds.”