Rethink Ireland holds its annual Board meeting in Co. Limerick, to renew their annual call for regional leaders in philanthropy to ‘give where they live’.

Rethink Ireland has marked the positive impact of non-profit organisations in County Limerick and, significantly, a €7.8 million investment to date in social innovation projects active in the county, at its annual Board gathering, hosted this year in the treaty County on April 17th and 18th. As part of the annual gathering, Rethink Ireland visited non-profits in Limerick who have been awarded funding under four investment areas: Education, Health, Green Transition and Social Enterprise. The Board gathering focused on priorities for community-led change across the four areas.

As Rethink Ireland holds its annual event in County Limerick, the organisation is also highlighting 150 awards of funding to organisations in Munster since 2016, with 65 of these projects active in Limerick. 

To date, Rethink Ireland has opened over 50 social impact focused funds backing 415 awardee non-profit projects. These funds have reached 829,425 people in Ireland whilst also supporting 2,700 people into employment. 

Rethink Ireland’s annual board event takes place in a different county each year to reinforce: its commitment to the regions through the regional funds; its position as a national fund; and its call for current and future donors to partner with Rethink Ireland to fund investments in their locality and “give where they live”. 

Through a unique venture philanthropy model, Rethink Ireland backs social innovations that are thinking differently to meet the urgent needs of people in communities across Ireland, partnering with businesses, individuals, families and Government. 

This year, Rethink Ireland board directors and team members, together with a vibrant network of social innovators, are renewing their annual call for Ireland to think differently and harness social innovation for positive change towards an equal, just and sustainable Ireland.

Awardee organisations visited during this event included:

Narrative4, Limerick City, an organisation that facilitates secondary school students to craft and find meaning through their own stories and student-led discussions and activities;

Corpus Christi Family Centre, Moyross, an organisation that aims to provide a range of interventions that complement classwork and contribute to the social, educational and emotional development of the pupils and their families;

Bedford Row Family Centre, Limerick City, an organisation that addresses the issue of recidivism (repeat crime) and the wider impact of imprisonment on prisoners and their families.

John Fitzgerald, Board Director, Rethink Ireland, commented: “I’m delighted that we are hosting this year’s board meeting in my native County Limerick, marking the innovative non-profit organisations that we back at Rethink Ireland. Our remit is to accelerate positive social change by backing social innovation. Localised philanthropy is something that we resolutely back at Rethink Ireland as part of our unique venture philanthropy model because we know that it is important for people to see their donation in action and its benefits to society. At our annual gathering we get to put the spotlight on progress made in our hosting County of Limerick.”

Speaking at the annual event, Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Rethink Ireland said: “Being back in Limerick today reminds me of how we have contributed to social change in this city and county through the incredible generosity of Rethink Ireland donors. Since 2016 we have invested €7.8 million in social innovation in Co Limerick. In the run up to 2030, we plan to accelerate funding for positive social impact to meet the diverse and growing needs of communities in Ireland.”

Also commenting on the event, Áine Kerr, Chair of the Board at Rethink Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to be here in Limerick to mark our investment in the region and the great work of local non-profit organisations. Rethink Ireland supports organisations that are thinking differently, finding new ways to solve urgent problems and putting their ideas into practice. We enable philanthropy to effect positive social change through our venture philanthropy model, which combines funds with business supports. The success of this model is clearly evident in the great impact of our Funds as directly experienced in communities.”

“This is an exciting time. We are now at the next stage of growth and impact for social innovation, and our mission is clear.”

The annual board meeting is utilised as an opportunity for the Rethink Ireland organisation to reflect on their work to date and look to the future of promoting inclusion and fostering a better society in Ireland.