The essential funding is derived from philanthropic gifts and fundraising events by The Ireland Funds America, the largest international chapter of The Ireland Funds, and will allow the selected programmes to address urgent needs during the winter period.
The grand round focuses on immediate needs such as supporting the elderly, tackling homelessness, and delivering practical assistance to families, alongside strategic organisational support to ensure sustainability and impact.
“We are proud to support organisations that are on the front line of care during the winter months. These grants will help address urgent needs and ensure that organisations can continue their vital work, bringing strength and stability to their communities," said Caitriona Fottrell, president and CEO of The Ireland Funds.
"We are deeply grateful to our donors whose generosity makes this possible and whose commitment inspires a brighter future across the island of Ireland.”
The Ireland Funds works with the not-for-profit sector across its four funding pillars: arts and culture; community development; education; and peace and reconciliation.
The latest grant round focuses on immediate needs such as supporting the elderly, tackling homelessness, and delivering practical assistance to families, alongside strategic organisational supports to ensure sustainability and impact.
This latest funding follows two earlier successful grant rounds in 2025, which awarded a total of $1.25m to organisations in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The Ireland Funds has awarded $250,000 to 11 organisations.
Read more
Organisations receiving funding include:
Barnardos: A leading children’s charity that works to support vulnerable children and families through practical services, advocacy, and early intervention programs. (Amount awarded €20,000)
COPE Galway: Works with people in Galway who are facing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and support older people towards healthy, independent ageing within their communities. (Amount awarded €20,000)
Focus Ireland: Focus Ireland works to prevent and reduce homelessness for children, families and young people through tenancy and accommodation support, education, and advice. (Amount awarded €20,000)
Making Connections: Making Connections’ mission is to alleviate loneliness and isolation by providing Befriending and Wellbeing supports that empower older people to stay healthy and socially connected. (Amount awarded €20,000)
ALONE: ALONE is a national organisation that enables older people to age at home. They provide an integrated system of Support Coordination, Practical Supports, Support & Befriending, a variety of Phone Services, Social Prescribing, Housing with Support, and assistive technology. (Amount awarded €20,000)
MACS NI: MACS Supporting Children & Young People supports young people aged 16-25 who are facing challenges such as homelessness, mental health issues, or lack of family support. (Amount awarded £15,000)
The Welcome Organisation (Homeless Belfast): The Welcome Organisation helps people affected by homelessness through a range of services including a Support Hub, Street Outreach service, Crisis Accommodation for Women, Floating Support service, Catherine House supported accommodation for women and a Mobile Health Unit. (Amount awarded £15,000)
St. Francis Hospice: St. Francis Hospice provides specialist palliative care to people in North Dublin & surrounding counties. Their holistic, person-centered care includes support for patients’ families and friends and all healthcare professionals involved in their care. (Amount awarded: €25,000)
Together Academy: Together Academy is a unique training and employment initiative aimed at providing young adults with Down syndrome specialised and individually tailored training. They provide young adults with both certified and vocational training, practical work experience, employment opportunities, and a critical social and support network. (Amount awarded: €10,000)
Bounce Back Recycling: Traveller-led social enterprise that repurposes old mattresses and is part of the Galway Traveller Movement (GTM). Bounce Back Recycling impact model addresses two key social and environmental issues: The high rates of unemployment and the lack of work and training opportunities for members of the Traveller community and Ireland’s national climate imperative to extend a circular economy approach across all items, industries, and communities. (Amount awarded €25,00).
* This article was originally published on BusinessPlus.ie.
Comments