Federation of Irish Sport Sport Industry Awards 2024

Irish Sport Industry Awards Announce 2024 Nominees

Our partners at The Federation of Irish Sport announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2024 Irish Sport Industry Awards, which will take place at Dublin’s College Green Hotel on Tuesday 28th May, with keynote speaker Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD.
The 11 award categories celebrated represent a cross-section of enterprise, sporting organisations and individuals that fuel and drive the promotion, management, growth, and sustainability of sport in Ireland. The 8 open category nominees were revealed today, see below for the list of nominees.

A highlight of the awards evening will include the announcement of the individual award winners for the coveted Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to Sport Award, the Women in Business in Sport Award, in partnership with KPMG and the Jimmy Magee Sports Coverage of the Year Award, as determined by the Association of Sports Journalists Ireland, to be presented by the Magee Family.

Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport said, “The Federation is delighted to host the 7th annual Irish Sport Industry Awards which recognise and reward excellence in the business of sport and entrepreneurship. Sport has a unique potential to drive positive change in Irish society, in the areas of public health, education, social integration, tourism and economic growth. These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise the multibillion-euro value of the sport sector to the Irish economy and celebrate the work of the more than 60,000 people employed within the sector.”

Sport for Business Founder and CEO Rob Hartnett, Chair of the Judging Panel commented, “It has been a real privilege to study the record number of nominations and to debate their merits with my fellow judges, each bringing a depth of industry knowledge and expertise to the discussion. The awards are a unique celebration of the intersection between sport and business. Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted and achieving this accolade.”

 

Full Shortlist of Open Category Nominees

Best Sports Sponsorship
• Certa & Cricket Ireland, Women’s Cricket
• WHPR, Guinness Six Nations, ‘L’Opportunité’
• Olympic Federation of Ireland & PTSB, Dare to Believe
• FAI and SKY, WNT

 

Best Use of Communications Platforms in Sport
• FAI, FAI Connect
• Munster Rugby, Access Munster
•Titan Experience, Her Moves
•FAI & 53 Six, WNT Squad announcement FIFA Women’s World Cup

 

Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity
•Dublin City Sport & Wellbeing Partnership, Sim 4 STEM Women in Motorsport
•LGFA Sports Direct G4MAO (Gaelic4Mothers&Others)
•Orreco, Fitr Women
•Laois Sports Partnership, MenoWell

 

Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity in Sport & Physical Activity
•Paralympics Ireland, PTSB NextGen
•Field Of Vision
•Sanctuary Runners
•Liquid Therapy, A Drop in the Ocean

 

Local Sports Partnership of the Year
• Clare Local Sports Partnership
• Carlow Local Sports Partnership
• Sligo Local Sports Partnership
• Laois Local Sports Partnership

 

Governing Body of the Year
• Basketball Ireland
• IRFU
• Irish Squash
• Canoeing Ireland

 

Best New Sports Business of the Year, in partnership with Sport Ireland
• Move Ahead
• Danu
• Precision Sports Technologies
• Sports Impact Technologies

 

Best Sports Business of the Year, in partnership with Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet

• Future Ticketing
• Orreco
• SportsKey
• ClubZap

 

To be announced on the 28th May 2024 at the awards ceremony:
• Jimmy Magee FIS/ASJI Sports Coverage of the Year Award
• Women in Business in Sport Award, in partnership with KPMG
• Outstanding Achievement & Contribution to Sport Award

 

Judging panel

  • Rob Hartnett, (Chair) Founder, CEO Sport for Business
  • Jill Downey, Chief Sustainability & Sponsorship Officer, Core
  • Brian Staunton, NGB Support Unit Manager, Sport Ireland
  • Maeve Buckley, Founder & Managing Director, Leading Sport
  • Ciarán Medlar, Head of Sport Advisory Unit, BDO Ireland
  • Catherine Tiernan, Commercial Director, Olympic Federation of Ireland
  • Stephen Bradshaw, Head of Marketing, Close Brothers Motor Finance
  • Brenda O’Donnell, CEO, Active Disability Ireland
  • Hannah Craig, Women in Sport Manager, Sport Ireland
  • Mary Maguire, Head of Sponsorship, Legacy Communications

 

About the Irish Sport Industry Awards

The 7th annual Irish Sport Industry Awards recognise and reward excellence in the business of sport and entrepreneurship. The categories celebrated highlight several meaningful themes in sport such as inclusivity, women in sport and business, and the excellent work being done in sport by the National Governing Bodies and the national network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships. In addition, there the two closed categories celebrating the Jimmy Magee FIS/ASJI Award and the Outstanding Contribution to Irish Sport Award.

 

For more on the Irish Sport Industry awards, contact: Clare Louise O’Donoghue, Head of Commercial and Marketing on 086 0437887 or at clarelouise.odonoghue@irishsport.ie.

Glenamaddy GAA Development Plan Rural Regeneration and Development Fund Grant Success 2into3

€4 Million Grant Success for Glenamaddy GAA Club

We are thrilled to announce that our client, Glenamaddy GAA Club in Co. Galway, have been allocated €4 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. They were successful in receiving 100% of what they applied for, to fund a new multi-use community and enterprise facility in Glenamaddy.

Out of 30 projects, Glenamaddy were the only sports and community based project who received this round of funding. Additionally, this marks a monumental achievement for both Glenamaddy and for us at 2into3 – the largest funding ever awarded to one of our clients.

 

Glenamaddy Community Arena Development

Glenamaddy GAA Development Plan Rural Regeneration and Development Fund Grant Success 2into3

 

The €4 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will go towards the development of their community arena. Members of Glenamaddy GAA Club came together to formulate a plan to transform the grounds over the next three years, to ensure they are meeting the needs of their community and promoting inclusion.

After years of ambitious planning, they formulated a strategy to bring their dreams to life.

 

The development plans include:

  • 64m X 34m Indoor Astro Turf Arena
  • 20m X 15m Public Gym
  • Modern Facilities Building with 4 Large Dressing Rooms and Disability Equipment Storage
  • Floodlit Public Walking Track Around Site Perimeter
  • Second Full Size 4G Astro Playing Pitch
  • 300-Seat Spectator Stand with Wheelchair Access
  • New Car Park including Disability and Electric Vehicle Spaces and Bicycle Shelter
  • Improved lighting and landscaping upgrade

 

For more information on Glenamaddy GAA Club’s development plan, visit their website here.

About the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is a commitment of €1 billion by government to be invested in rural Ireland over the period 2019 to 2027.

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund funds projects including:

  • Infrastructure that may be needed to support town centre housing and/or commercial development
  • Measures to address building vacancy including building refurbishment, redevelopment and/or demolition
  • The development of community or public facilities infrastructure including improvements to roads, bridges and car parking facilities
  • Infrastructure that improves telecommunications connectivity
  • Projects that support job creation, entrepreneurship and innovation in rural areas (for example: development of Digital Hubs, Enterprise Hubs, Creative Hubs, or training facilities)
  • Enhancement of heritage and/or other community assets including the provision/enhancement of recreational or leisure facilities.

 

To view the Fifth Call under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (May 2024), visit here.

 

Get in Touch

We are absolutely delighted for our clients at Glenamaddy GAA Club and look forward to seeing the impact of this multi-use community and enterprise facility in the coming years.

If your club requires support in securing funding for your community, contact our Director of Grants & Economic Services, Patricia Keenan, or visit our webpage for more information.

 

Artificial Intelligence Nonprofits

How to make the most of AI in your Nonprofit

The use of AI can oftentimes cause scepticism within organisations. With any technological advancement, there will always be concern regarding job security, misuse of new technology and data security.

Despite these concerns, AI is a powerful tool that can be used in our favour. In order to keep up with technological advancements, nonprofit organisations should incorporate AI into their daily operations to improve efficiency. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming, so here are 5 tips for how to make the most of AI in your nonprofit.

 

Where to start with AI?

AI is a popular topic of conversation, particularly over the last few years. According to a recent study, almost half of organisations in the public and private sectors in Ireland use generative AI. However, if you haven’t started using it already, it’s not too late to get started. Two popular AI tools are Chat GPT and Gemini, which are both available as a free subscription.

For day-to-day tasks, the free version on any AI platform will suffice the majority of your needs within a nonprofit organisation. However, for more tailored results, you can upgrade your account to the premium version.

 

Chat GPT vs. Gemini?

ChatGPT is owned by OpenAI, a company that was founded to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI). Gemini is Google’s GenAI model that was built by the Google DeepMind AI research library. The Gemini model powered Google’s Bard GenAI tool that launched in March 2023, and has since become a popular competitor.

Both Chat GPT and Gemini have similar interfaces, but a benefit of Gemini is that it has a microphone feature and the ability to upload images. Encourage your team to try out both and see which works best for your organisation.

There are many benefits of using AI to improve your nonprofit’s efficiency.

For example, your team can use it for:

  • Fundraising
  • Donor Management
  • Content Creation
  • Impact Reporting
  • Internal / External Emails

 

Be specific

Oftentimes, AI can cause frustration with new users if it doesn’t produce the exact information they had in mind. However, AI will only generate results on the information you’ve given. Therefore, try to be as specific as possible. Include descriptions such as your preferred tone of voice, target audience and specific context.

Example 1: Poor Description

“Summarise our board meeting notes from this document *inserts text from document*”

Example 2: Specific Description

“Summarise our board meeting notes from this document in under 500 words, highlighting action points for our Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary. These findings should be written in a formal, descriptive tone with spellings in English (Irish/UK), not USA. *insert text from document*”

 

Draft and redraft

One misconception of AI is that, “AI doesn’t produce a final draft of the content I need”.

Don’t start using AI with the mindset that it will produce an error-free, specific, tailored result. You will most definitely have to re-draft whatever AI produces for you, because it only understands what you’ve told it to produce. It may not pick up any additional complexities such as: human preferences, the sector you work in (unless you tell it), the specific language you typically use and tone of voice.

You will have to redraft much of the content it produces. This shouldn’t be viewed as a hinderance, it is still helping you save time by drafting your first version. It won’t draft your final version, and if you use it as your final version, it will be very obvious.

 

AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement

AI should be used to augment human capabilities, not replace them. Nonprofits still need skilled staff to manage AI tools, interpret results, and make crucial decisions. Just as the smartphone cannot replace face-to-face human interaction and remote working did not entirely replace in-person meetings, AI will not replace our jobs either.

AI should be used in addition to human intelligence, to improve efficiency, particularly on mundane tasks. Artificial intelligence + human intelligence + human experience = improved outcomes.

We can use our human intelligence for things that bring value, such as this blog post, which was not written by AI. As for tasks such as drafting emails, generating ideas, summarising notes, calls, or action points, AI can take care of that.

 

Get in Touch

Does your team want to start using AI, but don’t currently have the bandwidth or resources? If so, an expanded team may help with limited resources – contact Fergal O’Sullivan for Talent Management services.

 

Written by Eilis O’Boyle, Marketing Manager, 2into3.

Federation of Irish Sport Sport Industry Awards 2024

Irish Sport Industry Awards Keynote Speaker Announced

Our partners at The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to announce that Michael McGrath TD, Minister for Finance will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming Irish Sport Industry Awards at the College Green Hotel on Tuesday 28th May. This announcement reaffirms the positive working relationship between the Federation across Government departments.

 

Federation of Irish Sport CEO Mary O’Connor commented “We are particularly delighted to welcome Minister McGrath to be our keynote speaker at the upcoming awards. The Sport Industry Awards spotlight the people and partners that drive the business of Irish sports forward. The sector makes a significant economic contribution to GDP, so it’s imperative we recognise the growing diversity and innovation of the sector and the contribution it makes to Ireland’s economy. From Best Sports Business of the year and the Best New Sports Business, to celebrating commercial partnerships and use of communications, and recognising our own members successes, the Irish Sport Industry Awards reflect the varied make up of Ireland’s sports industry and the power of sport and business working together”.

The value of sport to the Irish economy is estimated to be around €3.3 billion annually, with the sector supporting over 64,000 jobs. The Federation continues to work closely with the Department of Finance promoting the value of sport to the economy and Ireland inc. and welcomes the Minister’s support of the work the Federation does on behalf of its members.

 

About the Irish Sport Industry Awards

The 7th annual Irish Sport Industry Awards recognise and reward excellence in the business of sport and entrepreneurship. The categories celebrated highlight several meaningful themes in sport such as inclusivity, women in sport and business, and the excellent work being done in sport by the National Governing Bodies and the national network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships. In addition, there the two closed categories celebrating the Jimmy Magee FIS/ASJI Award and the Outstanding Contribution to Irish Sport Award.

 

For more on the Irish Sport Industry awards, contact: Clare Louise O’Donoghue, Head of Commercial and Marketing on 086 0437887 or at clarelouise.odonoghue@irishsport.ie.

2into3 nonprofit Talent recruitment trend

Q1 2024 Nonprofit Talent Trends

Our latest assessment of recruitment activity for senior roles in the Irish nonprofit sector shows a continuing increase in the number of roles advertised. Our review of the main websites and jobs platforms shows that there were 287 roles advertised in the first quarter of 2024, up 42 (17%) on the same period last year. The number of organisations actively recruiting rose by 19% year-on-year, up 33, from 176 to 209.

 

Q1 2024 2into3 Talent Trends

Q1 2024 Nonprofit Talent Trends Summary

Activity by Subsector

The number of roles being advertised anonymously continues to increase, with 32 of the 209 (15.3%) of recruiting organisations unknown.  This means that the analysis below is based on 177 known organisations.

Roles by Subsector Nonprofit Talent Trends

The change in activity by organisation varied by subsector, with four areas showing a decline in activity (Arts, Culture & Media, Health, Professional & Vocational and Recreation & Sports). All other sectors were more active, plus the previously mentioned increase in anonymous postings, up a significant 146% year-on-year.

 

Activity by Role Type

Service Delivery & Operational Management roles were by far the most advertised in Q1 2024, with 134 of the total, way ahead of the second most popular, Fundraising & Business Development (45) and Finance (42).

Q1 2024 Nonprofit Talent Trends

That large number of Fundraising & Business Development roles is actually a drop of 9 versus Q1 2023 and is one of two role types that saw a reduction in activity, with Administration, Strategy & Governance roles dropping 40%, from 10 to 6.

All other role types saw an increase, some quite modest, such as CEO/Executive Director roles increasing from 23 to 24, while others showed quite significant increases. The number of Finance roles for example, increased by almost 45%, from 29 to 42, whilst HR roles jumped a massive 77% (from 13 to 23).

 

Activity by Income Type

The split in terms of organisation size remains consistent, where such information was available, either because the role was posted anonymously, or the organisation does not share their income. 42 organisations (26%) had annual income over €10M, while 41 (25%) had less that €1M in annual income; the remaining 49% were somewhere in between.

 

Observations

Activity remains high in the sector and continues to show a year-on-year increase for the first quarter, but that upward trend is not equally distributed throughout the sector, or indeed the types of senior roles we have seen advertised. The level of anonymous roles is now a significant part of the data we are capturing, with approximately 1 in 6 roles for the period. Why organisations are choosing this approach is uncertain. Potentially, they do not wish to share their plans (or salaries) with the wider public or are they “testing the waters” to see what candidates may show an interest, for example.

It is a curious development for a sector that relies so heavily on attracting individuals who can identify with the recruiting organisations’ mission, vision and values, so it remains to be seen whether this trend continues. For now, the market remains active, the level of active jobseekers remains tight, so it looks like there will be no change in this activity level for Q2 as things stand.

 

Get in touch

Our Talent Management Team record senior role activity in the nonprofit sector, producing quarterly findings. If you’d like to discuss these findings further, please contact our Director of Talent Management, Fergal O’Sullivan at fergal.osullivan@2into3.com. For more information on our Nonprofit Talent Trends, visit here.

Talent Management 2into3

Attracting Talent in the Social Economy: Impact of the Second National Social Enterprise Policy

As we anticipate the forthcoming publication of the Second National Social Enterprise Policy, we’ve considered the impact it may have on attracting talent into the social economy, and what challenges may lie ahead for recruiting and retaining talent in the current market.  

 

Attracting the Next Generation of Changemakers 

Attracting fresh talent into the social economy is an ongoing issue, even more-so given the current labour market. The new policy’s first objective offers a potential solution to this problem. The focus on awareness building and defined communications is an important first step in informing young people about the positive impact social enterprises have on their local communities. We need to leverage the consideration for sustainability and social responsibility shown by the new generation of Gen Z workers and attract these future leaders into the social economy. 

 

There’s immense potential to integrate awareness of social enterprises into the education system, particularly during transition year or at university, thereby introducing students to the sector early on. Research shows that fewer younger people are engaged in social enterprises than other cohorts. Therefore, we can do more to attract innovative, creative and passionate individuals into our sector through work placements or graduate programmes, offering a pathway into the sector for future leaders. 

 

 

Growing Social Enterprises 

Currently, many social enterprises encounter obstacles when accessing business supports, hindering their commercial viability and scalability. We hope to see increased engagement from LEOs and Enterprise Ireland, as until social enterprises have access the same business supports and financing as private enterprises, their sustainability will continue to be in question.   

Whilst the financial health of social enterprises clearly impacts the resources available for attracting talent or building out a team; we also need to see investment in skills-building and training tailored to the social economy. This is particularly apparent in business planning, governance, finance, risk management, and human resources management. Learning and development opportunities are not only a key indicator of staff attraction and retention, but also ensures adherence to best practice and fosters organisational growth and impact. 

 

 

Data Collection and Social Impact Measurement 

Social impact measurement is a key aspect of how organisations demonstrate accountability and transparency. However, given the long-term and inherently qualitative nature of many social outcomes, it can be hard to measure. We hope to see standardised tools and mechanisms for data collection developed to support organisations in carrying this out, with the input of sectoral stakeholders. It is crucial for the sector to take the lead in determining measurement metrics, rather than deferring to what funders or government departments may want to see. 

 

Nevertheless, these initiatives will be resource intensive and social enterprises will need to be prepared, particularly in terms of recognising potential skills gaps in their teams and assessing whether they have the capacity to carry out the research and analysis in-house.  

We may see increased demand in hiring for certain skillsets, such as data collection, research methods and analytics. Outside consultants can offer the answer in some cases, yet the availability of accredited services remains limited. 

 

In conclusion, whilst the Second National Social Enterprise Policy presents promising opportunities for attracting talent into the social economy, addressing the associated challenges demands concerted efforts from both policymakers and stakeholders from across the nonprofit sector. Through fostering an innovative, collaborative and growth-oriented environment, we can attract the best talent; ensuring the social economy can realise its full potential in driving positive societal change. 

 

Written by Orla Dolan, Recruitment Co-ordinator, 2into3.

 

Get in Touch

Do you require assistance with recruitment and retention in your organisation? Find out more about our talent management services here, or contact our Director of Talent Management, Fergal O’Sullivan at fergal.osullivan@2into3.com.

 

Federation of Irish Sport Sport Industry Awards 2024

Federation of Irish Sport Launch 2024 Sport Industry Awards

Our partners at Federation of Irish Sport launched the 2024 Irish Sport Industry Awards on 12th April, alongside Minister of State with responsibility for Sport, Physical Education and Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne. Now in its 7th iteration, they will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on Tuesday 28th May at The College Green Hotel in Dublin’s city centre.

A highlight of the sports awards calendar, the event brings together a cross-section of the sports sector and key stakeholders in sport. The awards celebrate and reward excellence in the business of sport, while simultaneously highlighting the contribution of sport to the Irish economy. This will be the sixth staging of The Sport industry in Ireland supports 64,000 jobs, stimulates €3.3 billion in household spending, and generates €3.7 billion (GVA) gross value added to the Irish economy.

 

Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, commented: “The Irish Sport Industry Awards are a unique celebration of Sport. The awards offer a welcome opportunity to recognise new enterprises and innovation in sport and celebrate the many successful campaigns undertaken by National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships, in promoting participation for all in sport. I want to commend the Federation of Irish Sport for organising the awards and commend all of those being recognised and celebrated.”

 

Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport said: “We are once again looking forward to hosting the Irish Sport Industry Awards which recognise the invaluable relationship between business and sport in Ireland. The Federation firmly believes that the true power of sport can be harnessed by viewing it in a wider context including what it delivers for the economy and our communities.”

 

Entries open for Sport Industry Awards

Entries are now open for submission, for a full list of categories, event updates and to enter the awards go to: https://irishsportindustryawards.ie/. Closing date for entries is Friday 3rd May. 

LSSIF 2024

LSSIF Review: Learnings Since 2019 and Expectations for 2024

On 3rd April, Ministers Catherine Martin and Thomas Byrne published a review of the 2019 LSSIF Fund, including recommendations for the upcoming LSSIF programme. As the 2019 round was the first for this new fund, it is worth reflecting on some of the data and observations shared.

€172m was sought back in 2019 from a fund of €100m. €86m was allocated at the time and an additional €37m allocated in 2023 to address cost inflation, for a total of €124m. Five years later, only €5.4 million (4%) has been drawn down, with completion achieved for only two out of 33 projects.

Clearly, the LSSIF Fund has had a difficult start, and the review sets out a range of reasons for this, including: Covid19, Construction Inflation, Planning issues and % allocated compared to level of funding sought. There is no doubt that these will be factored into the new round.

The review notes that the Immigrant Investment Programme (IIP) has been a significant factor in helping to fund many of the 2019 projects and that its closure could have an impact of demand in the next round. This, along with the 5-year gap between rounds, demographic growth, continued cost inflation, sports infrastructure deficits and similar access requirements will, in our view, lead to demand at a multiple of 2019’s €172m. This would be mitigated if there was a real commitment to LSSIF rounds becoming an annual (rather than an irregular) option for capital development funding for Sport.

 

Key Recommendations

There were 5 key recommendations going forward, none of which were surprising and should enrich the proposed investments in sports and ultimately the communities they serve. However, some of the recommendations caught our attention as they reflected the changes in what is happening with sporting developments across the country at the grass roots level.

Firstly, the equality of access for males and females is a pre-requisite to funding, similar to the requirement which was included in the SCEP funds. This financially supports the ‘Women In Sport’ strategic objective which has been adopted by all sports. However, this funding incentive will hasten the development of the required facilities at all levels of sport across the country. Many women’s teams still struggle to gain access to facilities, but this will ensure that their needs and demands are centre stage.

Secondly, sports facilities are multi usage as well as multi-sport in many cases and they are a part of the wider infrastructure of community facilities. The NGBs provide a focal point for their sport at all levels and share facilities as needed. This is not only for sporting reasons, but also ensures the economic viability of a large facility and brings in additional income streams to the NGB. The need to show access for multi-sport users will encourage and support greater integration, which is economically advantageous for all involved.

Economic viability of a facility is demonstrated by access to other users such as conferencing, social meetings and corporate events. For example, the redevelopment of the Basketball Ireland arena in Tallaght currently facilitates Irish dancing championships, as well as LEGO exhibitions. There are endless possibilities for their state of art facility which will be able to host not only Basketball, but Badminton and Paralympics, as well corporate exhibitions.

 

Get in Touch

The announcement of the new round of LSSIF is being eagerly awaited by all sports and project promoters across the country. I’m sure the competition for funding will be high, with a need to show not only environmental sustainability, but also the socioeconomic impact of sports and the wider community.

If your organisation requires assistance with your grant application, please get in touch at patricia.keenan@2into3.com, or on +353 86 065 7347. For more information on our grants process, visit our webpage.

 

Insight piece written by Patricia Keenan, Director of Funding Services, 2into3. PDF version available to download here.

2024 Community Recognition Fund

Our Rural Future: 2024 Community Recognition Fund

The Minister for Rural & Community Development has announced a further €50 million in funding under The Community Recognition Fund, to deliver projects over 2024- 2025. The Community Recognition Fund was first introduced last year to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland.

Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects in supporting cities, towns and villages nationwide that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries. Local authorities, in collaboration with communities, will be funded to develop projects that will deliver long term benefits to those living in the areas selected. 

Projects that will be funded include

  • Development or refurbishment of community or cultural facilities including play areas, walkways, parks, community/sensory gardens, allotments, and recreational areas; 
  • Development or refurbishment of local club and sports facilities; 
  • Enhancement to school/parish facilities which are open to use by all of the community after school hours; 
  • Purchase of equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations 
  • Transport infrastructure such as community vehicles

Require support with your Grant Application? 

Applying for state funding can be a difficult and timing consuming process. Many organisations struggle with the grant application process, as they lack the capacity or resources to do so. To date, our Grants & Economic Services team have secured over €3m in capital project funding for nonprofit organisations. We can assist you with developing an application which is in line with the Government’s Public Spending Code.  

If you’re interested in gaining support with this grant application, contact our Director of Grants & Economic Services, Patricia Keenan at patricia.keenan@2into3.com, or on +353 860 657 347. To see our range of grants supports, visit our webpage.

5 Ways to Make Your Fundraising Efforts More Sustainable

4 Ways to Make Your Fundraising More Sustainable

Fundraising is an essential component for nonprofit organisations to achieve their mission and sustain operations. However, it can be challenging to create a fundraising strategy that is sustainable and effective over the long term.

Here are 4 ways your nonprofit can make your fundraising efforts more sustainable:

 

1. Leverage Digital Methods of Fundraising

Most organisations are aware of the benefits of using digital methods of fundraising, as opposed to traditional promotional methods. However, many organisations are not making use of digital communications and marketing techniques in their full capacity. Leveraging digital methods of fundraising includes using social media, email campaigns, webinars, SEO and online newsletters to achieve successful fundraising results. Ensuring that you’re investing in digital marketing for your fundraising efforts in a strategic manner will make your fundraising more sustainable in the long-run.

2. Focus on Donor Retention

Whilst acquiring new donors is important, retaining existing donors is crucial for sustainable fundraising. Donor retention efforts not only save resources, but also contribute to long-term relationships and support. Collaborate with your communications team to ensure personalised communication, donor appreciation events, and other updates are circulated on a regular basis. By cultivating strong relationships with your donors and demonstrating the value of their support, you can increase donor loyalty and retention rates.

3. Diversify Your Revenue Streams

Another effective way to ensure sustainability in your fundraising is to diversify revenue streams. Relying solely on one source of funding, such as grants or individual donations, can make your organisation vulnerable to funding fluctuations or changes in donor priorities. Explore alternative revenue sources such as corporate partnerships, earned income streams, and fundraising events. By diversifying your revenue streams, you can create a stable financial foundation for your organisation.

4. Partner with Sustainable Businesses

In addition to our previous point, as part of diversifying your fundraising strategy, consider partnering with a business who compliments your organisation. Consumer preferences have changed, and pressure for businesses to act sustainably has increased. Therefore, many businesses are fine-tuning their ESG strategy and are seeking a nonprofit to partner with. Collaborating with companies that align with your mission, vision and values can make for a mutually beneficial partnership that is sustained in the long-run. For more information on developing a Corporate Partnership, click here.

 

Get in Touch

If your organisation is interested in developing a more sustainable funding model, or if you would like to discuss the recommendations in this blog, contact our Head of Fundraising Advisory Practice, Rob Foley on 086 032 7935. For more information on our range of fundraising services, visit our webpage.

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