Grant seeking, Ireland

NICVA is organising a ‘Meet the Funders’ event in January to kick start fundraising for 2010.

Northern Ireland’s voluntary and community sector has received a major boost with the confirmation that the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland has secured long-term funding.

The AIB Better Ireland Programme application period has been extended to this Friday (November 27th).

Tanya Harrington has been appointed as Director of the new NTR Foundation which has been established by Irish company NTR plc.

A charitable foundation set up by businessman JP McManus donated more than €17 million to causes in Ireland and abroad over the past three years, according to the Irish Times.

Lloyds TSB Foundation Northern Ireland will shortly decide whether to accept new terms offered by the the Lloyds Banking Group which will see its grant giving considerably reduced in the long term.

Atlantic Philanthropies, one of Europe's largest foundations, has announced a number of significant new grants in Ireland this year with a total value of over £2.7 million.

The Big Lottery in Northern Ireland has unveiled the new focus for its grant programmes up to 2012 which will deliver £40 million for the voluntary and community sector.

The Arthur Guinness Fund, which is worth €2.5 million over the next two years, is open for applications from social entrepreneurs around Ireland.

The Irish government’s decision to accept money from charity has led to criticism from a leading charity director.