Irish Funds charity initiative heads for €1m funding mark

A youth-education charity initiative of the Irish Funds Industry Association (Irish Funds) is heading for the €1 million funding mark after launching its latest round of programme-funding.

Former Ireland rugby captain Paul O'Connell last week launched a new programme for the basis.point initiative to fund charities based in Limerick and Cork that are working with children.

The charity initiative was established four years ago, but it expects to break the €1 million mark for overall donations next year.

This year alone it will invest more than €300,000 in multi-year programmes of six charities across the State. They are Archways, National College of Ireland's Early Learning Initiative, Suas, Foróige, Business in the Community and DIT Foundation.

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basis.point's chairwoman, Eimear Cowhey, said the recession had caused "considerable hardship" for many people in Ireland.

“We have now committed over €800,000 to our charities and next year that amount will go to €1 million. We collaborate with our grantees and fund multi-year programmes as it’s not really possible to make a lasting impression with just one year of funding.”