Seventh year of Bank of Ireland Community Fund brings total support to €3.5m for programmes focused on inclusion, skills and resilience.
Bank of Ireland has revealed the 22 organisations selected to receive funding under its 2026 Community Fund.
€500,000 is to be distributed to community groups working with under-served populations across the island of Ireland.
Now in its seventh year, the Bank of Ireland Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland.
It supports organisations addressing social inclusion, capability-building and community resilience.
Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has distributed €3.5m to local projects, delivering long-term impact at community level.
2026 Community Awards
Twelve grants of €10,000, have been allocated across a breadth of support services including County Roscommon Women’s Network and Midwest Simon Community.
Five charities including Leave No Trace Ireland and Third Age Foundation will receive €20,000 grants.
North West Migrants Forum, Age and Opportunity and AsIAm will each receive €40,000 over two years. Two charities, Active Connections and One Family, have been allocated €80,000 multi-year grants, to fund long-term projects.
“Strong communities are built on inclusion, opportunity and confidence,” Áine McCleary, Chief Customer Officer at Bank of Ireland.
“Through the Community Fund, we are proud to support some of the organisations around the country who are helping to make society stronger and more resilient.
“The 22 organisations selected this year are strengthening community resilience in a range of ways – from providing engagement and support services to helping build capability and develop new skills, including in financial literacy, so that they can access opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
“We are now in our seventh year and committed to deepening the impact of the Fund, working with partners in Community Foundation Ireland to expand access to opportunity, and help people feel included, supported and more confident in their financial futures.”
The 2026 awards reflect a broad spread of support across key social priorities, with €130,000 allocated to disability-focused initiatives and a further €70,000 directed towards neurodiversity supports.
Organisations working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers will receive €70,000, while programmes supporting older people have been awarded €60,000. Funding of €80,000 has been allocated to services for lone parents, alongside €40,000 for organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Additional targeted grants include €20,000 each for Traveller support and domestic abuse services, €10,000 for housing and homelessness initiatives, and continued backing for community-based responses aimed at reducing isolation and improving long-term outcomes for under-served groups.
A full list of recipients is available here
Top image (left to right): Mary Rohan, Head of Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan, Bank of Ireland; Marianne Mulread, Care Coordinator, AgeWell; Paul O’Rourke, AgeWell Programme Manager; Áine Brady, CEO, Third Age; Annmarie Slevin, Care Coordinator, AgeWell; Áine McCleary, Chief Customer Officer, Bank of Ireland; Alan O’Rourke, Meath Manager, Bank of Ireland; and Ian Murray, Senior Manager, CSR, Bank of Ireland.
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