The United States has announced $4 million in new support for the International Fund for Ireland, a long-running peace and reconciliation body that works in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. The announcement, made as US Ambassador to Ireland Edward S. Walsh visited the border region, highlights how American backing continues to shape community development and stability in Ireland.
The International Fund for Ireland was established in 1986 by the British and Irish governments with financial contributions from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Its mission is to promote economic and social advance while encouraging contact and dialogue between nationalists and unionists throughout Ireland, and it has supported more than 6,000 projects across the island.
“The progress we've seen in Northern Ireland over the past decades is remarkable. Programs supported by the International Fund for Ireland demonstrate how sustained commitment to peace and reconciliation can deliver real and lasting change in people’s lives. By supporting stability, we’re also safeguarding the nearly $2 billion investment by American companies in Northern Ireland and the wider region, while creating new opportunities for future U.S. business growth,” said Ambassador Walsh.
On behalf of the Fund, Chairperson Shona McCarthy said the new U.S. contribution arrives at a critical moment.
“On behalf of the International Fund for Ireland, I wish to extend our gratitude to the United States for its continued and longstanding commitment to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. This funding announcement of $4 million, along with a €4 million contribution for 2026 from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, comes at a pivotal moment as we prepare to launch our next phase of peace-building with a new strategy for 2026-2030," said McCarthy.
"The support of international donors, particularly the political and financial support from the United States over the past 40 years, is vital to our neutral and impartial work, ensuring we can continue to build a shared, peaceful, and prosperous future for all."
The IFI's work centers on practical projects that help communities move beyond the legacy of conflict. That includes peace-building initiatives, shared spaces, cross-border cooperation, youth development, and programs designed to build trust in areas where peace dividends have been uneven, all with the goal of strengthening life for families in Northern Ireland and along the border counties.
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