merrion street

Environment Minister Phil Hogan  and Taoiseach Enda Kenny today launched a report by the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising

The report contains four main recommendations that will be implemented in the next four years.   Those recommendations include:

A National “Giving Campaign”- aimed at the public, high net worth individuals and corporates inIrelandto increase their giving.

• Improving the fiscal environment and incentivising greater giving.
• Developing better fundraising capacity, education and training among not-for-profits.
• Creating a National Social Innovation fund - supported by the Government and the philanthropic sector.

Speaking at the launch, the Taoiseach said

“The Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising is very much a public private partnership, bringing together as it does the major philanthropies, Fundraising groups and the relevant Government Departments and Agencies, to help shape and refine a strategy to develop Philanthropy and Fundraising and increase the investment in good causes inIreland”. 

Minister Hogan added

“One of my first actions in office was to reconvene the Forum on Philanthropy and extend its mandate to cover fundraising. I did so because I believe that Philanthropy and Fundraising can play a critical role in driving increased additional investment in the not-for-profit sector inIreland. Not-for-profit organisations will play a key role in national renewal and will help to build a betterIreland.”

Chairman of the Forum, Frank Flannery said

“The Forum on Philanthropy has set out a target to increase philanthropic giving inIrelandfrom around €500m per annum to €800m by 2016. We realise to many people this sounds like an ambitious target, especially given the current economic environment and the demands on people’s pockets. Nonetheless we have identified significant scope for growth in Irish charitable donations and believe that this transformation is possible.”