# More philanthropy research in Ireland needed, seminar told

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/02/03/philanthropy-research-ireland-needed/
- Published: 2017-02-03T00:04:21+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Research into philanthropy in Ireland has improved but is still limited, a recent
seminar in Dublin has heard.**

The [European Research Network on Philanthropy](http://ernop.eu/) (ERNOP) [‘Giving in Europe’ factsheet](http://ernop.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Factsheet-7-HR.pdf)
rates the Irish research as a little more encouraging, with Ireland populating the
middle ‘representative’ band of participating countries. This was revealed during
a [Philanthropy Ireland](http://www.philanthropy.ie) event for a group of philanthropic
foundations and researchers who assembled in Dublin to present the first insights
into a recent survey on philanthropy.

Dr Gemma Donnelly-Cox of the Centre for Nonprofit Management at Trinity College 
Dublin presented her research findings based on the survey of Irish foundations 
as part of the pilot Global Philanthropy Report (GPR), coordinated by the [Kennedy School at Harvard University](https://www.hks.harvard.edu/).

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The response rate to the survey was very small, as even the number of foundations
in Ireland is proportionally smaller than other countries of its size. However, 
the research still offered extensive information on the organisation, governance,
financial resources, operational strategies and scope of philanthropic foundations
and giving in Ireland, according to the researchers.

 Some of the key findings from the first analysis of the research data include:

• Two-thirds of the foundations that responded to the survey were established since
1990.

• The total assets held by the respondent foundations is approximately **€326 million**,
with almost half of this (**46% or €153 million**) held by independent foundations,
the remaining with community (**€74 million**), corporate (**€55 million**) and 
family (**€44 million**) foundations.

• Grants and scholarships are largely the way in which respondents distribute funding
and the beneficiaries span a wide range of functional areas and key demographics.

This is the first time in a decade that Ireland has had any research of this kind
on philanthropy.

Deirdre Mortell of the Social Innovation Fund said there is an interest from the
wider sector to set a strong research agenda. At the seminar speakers suggested 
that they hoped that any new evidence could contribute to informing the next direction
for State policy in the area of philanthropy. This is especially important as the
mandate for the State-supported Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising expired at
the end of 2016.

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