A NEW £425,000 fund that has a focus on how "communities are more important than borders" has been launched.
The Republic's foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney unveiled the All-Island Community Fund, which will support partnerships between community, voluntary and charitable groups on both sides of the border.
It is part of an initiative by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and Community Foundation Ireland and has been launched on a pilot basis.
It is also part of #VitalTalks, a series of webinars hosted by the two foundations on emerging challenges and issues.
Siofra Healy, director of philanthropy at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, said: "We already work on an east-west basis, with funders at a UK and global level so it makes absolute sense to support opportunities for north-south collaboration at grass roots level.
"This fund aims to build our relationships and knowledge of civil society on an all-island basis, support the sector with flexible funding to engage in innovation and new collaborative ways of working and to build relationships and work with new funders and other foundations, learning from each other as we progress."
Denise Charlton, chief executive of the Community Foundation for Ireland, added: "Covid-19, climate change and the impact of Brexit have shown us that that the challenges we face do not respect borders.
"This fund is a coming together of donors who believe communities are more important than borders.
"By supporting partnerships, collaborations and working relationships we hope communities will benefit through the sharing of information, experiences and advocacy work.
"We are going to strengthen civil society and the people it represents so that all voices will be heard in shaping the future of our island."
