September 2025 National Funders’ Insight Visit
Twelve senior staff from eight national funders attended a Northern Ireland Insight Visit on 23rd and 24th September 2025
The visit was promoted by FFNI members and Association of Charitable Foundations as an opportunity for any national funder to ‘lift the lid’ on funding in Northern Ireland. It was open to: those already actively funding here, but who would benefit from gaining a fuller picture and connecting with others; and those not yet funding in NI, or funding in a very limited way, and who would like to understand how, why and where to start.
It was designed to create opportunities for funders to:
• Learn more about Northern Ireland – its present and the context of its past
• Understand better how funders’ contributions can and are making a difference in local communities
• Be inspired by visiting a range of visionary projects
• Connect with other funders and learn from their approaches to funding in NI.
November 2024 Annual Conference
Funders agree key actions to support disadvantaged communities across Northern Ireland
A collaborative approach to addressing poverty, a greater understanding of its lived experience and a recognition of the long-term impact of funding interventions are key factors in helping disadvantaged communities ‘grow towards the light’.
These were among the main conclusions reached at a one-day conference at Clifton House in Belfast on Thursday 14 November 2024, organised by the Funders’ Forum for Northern Ireland.
November 2022 Annual Conference
In November 2022, the Forum hosted its Annual Conference with members and invited representatives. The conference created a platform for Trusts & Foundations with an interest in Northern Ireland to network, collaborate and share practice.
The conference focused on two key issues:
- Navigating the road ahead: An opportunity for delegates to reflect on the shifting economic, political and cultural landscape in which they operate.
- Managing future shocks: Supporting the VCSE sector to navigate change and crisis as it responds to immediate and longer-term challenges, from cost-of-living to climate crisis.
November 2021 Annual Conference
In November 2021, the Forum hosted a one-day hybrid conference in Clifton House, Belfast, with members and invited representatives.
The conference focused on two key issues:
- The stability, certainty and sustainability of the community and voluntary sector as we emerge from the pandemic.
- The role of funders in tackling climate change.
