Bank of Ireland provides €1m in emergency funding for communities impacted by Covid-19

Funds fast-tracked for projects supporting vulnerable groups with immediate needs.

Bank of Ireland is donating €1 million in emergency funding to communities with urgent needs arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In partnership with The Community Foundation for Ireland, the Bank is fast tracking €500,000 of the funds to 13 organisations that are working to support the immediate needs of vulnerable groups across the island of Ireland, north and south. This support is being delivered to projects which will support children and older people, domestic abuse, rural isolation, cancer support, mental health, and food distribution.

The remaining €500,000 is being donated to The Community Foundation for Ireland and the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 Funds to help local charities and community organisations assisting vulnerable individuals and groups through this difficult period. The Community Foundations will launch these funds next week.

Francesca McDonagh, Group CEO, commented: “This is a time of crisis, and some of those most affected by it are also the most vulnerable in our society. They need help now, so we’ve structured this support in a way that it can get to them as quickly as possible.

“A crisis like this presents a range of real challenges. Some are obvious, but other needs may be less visible. That’s why we are working with The Community Foundation for Ireland which has advised us on a wide range of social issues and needs that require immediate financial support.”

“As one of the largest employers on the island of Ireland, we want to practically support the communities where we live and work. We hope this will help some of those most at risk right now.”

The organisations working on Covid-19 specific projects who have received funding from Bank of Ireland are Aware Northern Ireland, Cruse Bereavement Care NI, Age Action, Crosscare, Irish Cancer Society, SAFE Ireland, St Vincent de Paul, Irish Rural Link, COPD Support Ireland, Children’s Rights Alliance, with a joint project being worked on by Asthma Society of Ireland, Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Fibrosis Ireland.

Note to Editor:

CFI Covid-19 Fund: The Community Foundation for Ireland Covid-19 Fund will direct philanthropic support towards community groups and local charities supporting vulnerable groups in the evolving Covid-19 situation. Initially started with some of the CFI’s own grant funds, a number of donors, including Bank of Ireland, have pledged support to the Fund.

For information on available grants in the Republic of Ireland, please visit:
www.communityfoundation.ie/grants

In Northern Ireland please visit: www.communityfoundationni.org/

Begin Together Fund: In February 2020 Bank of Ireland launched its new ‘Begin Together’ initiative with three strands – the Begin Together Fund, the Begin Together Awards and Begin Together Colleagues – in February of this year. Creating this new emergency fund of €1 million effectively doubles the Bank’s community investment for 2020 to €2 million.

Banking Supports from BOI: Bank of Ireland has introduced a comprehensive range of supports for customers during the Covid-19 national emergency. These include payment breaks for mortgages and loans, cocooning and self isolation supports, a priority service for over-65s, carers, and frontline healthcare workers, and waiving fees for contactless payments. Full details are available on www.bankofireland.com.