Community Funding Initiatives
Key Issue 1 Addressing the Social Isolation of Older People
Key Issue 2 Supporting Sexual Minorities in Rural areas
Key Issue 4 Assisting the building of networks and structures for Ethnic Minorities
Key Issue 5 Supporting people who are Leaving Institutional Care
Community Funding Initiatives:
The Community Foundation's mission is to match donors’ philanthropic interests with community needs by serving as a leader, resource, and catalyst to enrich the quality of life in Ireland. One key to meeting this goal is the implementation of focused programme initiatives. This involves bringing in outside funds, convening organisations and individuals, awarding grants, and designing and implementing programmes. Such initiatives can be funded by individuals, families, businesses, religious and other institutions, or government.
Current initiatives: The Community Foundation for Ireland (CFI) – with the support of its donors – responds to a wide spectrum of needs in our communities. In addition to individually tailored funds where donors have already specified the area(s) they wish their fund(s) to be applied to, The Foundation operates a Small Grants Scheme, funded by income earned on its Permanent Endowment Fund. The Small Grants Scheme has a particular – but not exclusive - focus on:
Key Issue 1: Addressing the Social Isolation of Older People:
Currently 430,892 or 11% of the population is above the age of 65. By 2030, the proportion of aged 65+ will have risen to 18% or 850,000 people. Over a quarter of people over 65 live alone and 11% of older people experience isolation or loneliness. In total 5% of older people live in poverty. Although the State provides core funding to the majority of organisations working with the elderly, there are major gaps in funding for social and recreational supports for older people. These include the provision of clubs, day centre activities, befriending schemes, volunteer visiting etc. It is the aim of CFI to target funds effectively in these areas in order to reduce social isolation and enhance the quality of life of our ageing population.
CFI Action:
CFI work closely with key organisations providing supports for the elderly such as Age Action Ireland, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the Rural Transport Initiative. We also have a member of Age Action Ireland on our Review Board. To date, we have provided support through: Befriending Schemes, Falls Education, Exercise workshops, Intergenerational projects, Dance workshops, Social outings, activities with a Health and Well Being emphasis etc. We have also supported a number of organisations in the provision of practical supports to elderly people living in isolation in the area of Home Improvement and maintenance.
Key Issue 2: Supporting Sexual Minorities in Rural areas:
Approximately 10% of the population are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) and of this 87% have experienced or know someone who has experienced physical violence or harassment. There are currently few supports for Sexual Minorities in Ireland, particularly in rural areas. Although there are a number of regional telephone help lines available, there is currently no National Helpline. Furthermore, support groups and activities for LGBT’s are limited and mostly confined to the larger counties such as Dublin, Cork, Kerry and Galway. It is the aim of CFI to expand services and supports for sexual minorities to more rural areas across Ireland and to encourage an attitude of awareness and equality.
CFI Action:
CFI have an active relationship with GLEN – the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network- who work for change in legislation and social policy in Ireland to advance equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people. We also have a member of GLEN on our review panel for all grants rounds. To date, projects funded in this area have included: provision of information and advice through telephone help lines, websites and ‘drop-in’ services, provision of training on the needs and circumstances of LGBT people, support for young LGBT people, support groups for LGBT people etc. Most recently, we have funded a billboard and media campaign to enable those who are very isolated & do not have access to mainstream gay services or media to access a confidential helpline and to train volunteers for outreach clinics in rural areas.
Key Issue 3: Supporting Carers:
They are over 150,000 Carers in Ireland at present. Of these, 50,000 are All Time carers. Although the Department of Health and local Health Service Executive provide core funding in this area, there are many gaps in service, particularly for home respite and social networks. Our aim is to bridge these gaps in funding through the provision of support for local respite initiatives and the development of social networks.
CFI Action:
CFI have met and continue to maintain contact with key organisations working in this field such as The Carers Association, CASA and Caring for Carers Ireland. Meetings take place annually to inform CFI of priority needs for Carers and these are taken into consideration in our review meetings at each grants round. To date, priority needs we have funded include: Weekend/Emergency respite, Home respite, Support groups for carers in rural areas, awareness raising events, training for Carers in First Aid and Health and Well Being. Two of the larger projects we have supported recently include: (1) National Consumer Forum involving people with dementia and their families/carers to inform and influence the political lobbying agenda of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. (2) National Carers Awareness week to promote and raise awareness of the invaluable contribution that family carers make to society with the Carers Association in Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and Kilkenny.
Key Issue 4: Assisting the building of networks and structures for Ethnic Minorities:
Currently 10.4% of our population is foreign born and gross inward migration flows are estimated at 70,000 per year. In a recent OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) study, Ireland ranked eleventh highest of 26 OECD countries in terms of percentage of foreign born population and eighth highest of 23 countries in terms of percentage of non citizens. By 2030, it is projected that there will be 1 million foreign people in Ireland, compared with 0.4 million now. That would be 18% of the population. It is the aim of CFI to help provide mechanisms for the successful integration and support of these ethnic minorities in Irish communities and also, to provide for the integration and support of the travelling community in Ireland.
CFI Action:
As part of our work in this area, CFI have met, and continue to meet with key organisations involved in Immigration and Integration. We have an active relationship with The Immigrant Council of Ireland and Integrating Ireland and we ensure that a representative from one of these organisations partakes in our review meetings at every grants round. To date, initiatives funded have included: Support of intercultural activities at drop in centres for asylum seekers and refugees, networking activities, support groups for migrant women and traveller women, translation services, language resources, awareness raising activities etc. CFI funded a research proposal for a Cross-Departmental Structure within the Irish Government to Coordinate Immigration and Integration. The outcomes of this research will provide the tools necessary for organisations working in this field to assist government with future change.
Key Issue 5: Supporting people who are Leaving Institutional Care:
People leaving institutional care are particularly vulnerable when re-entering society and many experience varying degrees of social isolation and exclusion. In 2005 over 10,000 people were committed to prison. People leaving institutional care include primary areas such as Homeless, Mental Health, and Offenders. In a report launched by Amnesty International in 2003, it was revealed that there was, and still is, a critical shortage of supported housing and community supports for homeless people with mental ill health. There is also little or no follow-up for homeless people after discharge from in-patient care or from prison. Amnesty's report also documents a clear link between homelessness, prisons and psychiatric hospitals. Approximately 900 or 9% of all offenders are homeless. In 2005 close to 22,000 people left psychiatric care and many people remain in psychiatric hospitals as they have nowhere to go. Of all offenders who are homeless, 30% end up in prison because of minor offences related to their homelessness and mental health or addiction problems. Prisoners are also being discharged directly into situations of homelessness, for 25% of prisoners sourcing housing is a key problem on release. It is the aim of CFI to fund projects which help support and re-integrate these marginalised people.
CFI Action:
CFI has continued to work closely with organisations involved directly in the provision of services for Homeless, Mental Health and Offenders. These include: DePaul Trust and The Irish Penal Reform Trust. CFI are also an endorsing organisation of the Mental Health Coalition which seeks to put mental health on the political and public agenda. To date, the type of projects funded have included: Supporting work on promoting legislation to enable ex-prisoners to expunge past criminal convictions, confidence building programmes for people who have recently left psychiatric care, befriending schemes for those leaving institutional care to independent living, social inclusion activities etc. As part of our work in this sector, we also commissioned a research study into ‘Alternatives to Custody’, the results of which were launched in a report in June 2006.
Key Issue 6: Supporting parents and their children where there are particular risks of poverty and exclusion:
Despite Ireland’s wealth and prosperity, 25% of our population are at risk of poverty. In all close to 7% of our population live without basic necessities and on weekly incomes of less than €172 per adult. Of these, 1 in 7 children (aged under 18) in Ireland live in consistent poverty. Approximately 41,000 people are waiting to access Social and Affordable housing. The impact of poverty on families can include: insecurity of tenure, exclusion from everyday social activities and experiences, early school leaving, unfulfilled potential, and exposure to drug and alcohol abuse. It is the aim of CFI to address these problems for families at risk of poverty and to foster a supportive community environment for families at local level.
CFI Action:
CFI maintain regular contact with key organisations working in this field such as Combat Poverty Agency, HSE, and One Family. We also have a member of Combat Poverty at our review meetings at each grants round to inform and advise us of the most pressing needs in this area at any given time. To date, CFI have funded projects such as: parents support groups for families on low incomes, projects aimed at supporting young men and women at risk of leaving school early, prevention and intervention training for families at risk of substance miss-use, conflict resolution workshops for families, Healthy Eating programmes for disadvantaged children etc.
Grant Aid will normally be in the range €500 to €1,000. In exceptional circumstances, grant aid may be as high as €5,000.
See the “Applying for Grants” section for our “Grant Making Policy and Guidelines”.
