Kilkee man leads philantrophic campaign

KILKEE man Seamus Mulconry, who is executive director of Philanthropy Ireland, will play a key role in this year’s National Giving Campaign.
The report of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising was launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Phil Hogan last year. The forum report targets a 10% increase in philanthropic giving year on year in Ireland from its current level of approximately €500m per annum to €800m by 2016.
“Philanthropy Ireland is an organisation which represents funders for good causes in Ireland. Our members invest somewhere in the region of €60m a year in good causes in Ireland. Members include The Ireland Fund, Atlantic Philantrophies and the St Stephen’s Green Trust,” Seamus Mulconry explained.
“We are part of the Forum on Philanthropy, which was re-established last year to promote philanthropy and fundraising in Ireland. It’s a joint partnership between government and the philantrophic sector. Irish people are fairly generous. In excess of 80% would have given money to charity or a good cause in the last two months. That’s way higher than anywhere else. We don’t necessarily give as much as donors in other countries but Irish people are fundamentally generous,” the Kilkee man added.
The National Giving Campaign will be launched in the coming weeks.
“The National Giving Campaign is a joint venture between a number of organisations. It is designed to ask people to go out there and ask people, if they can afford it, to give a little bit more and also look to giving time to charities or to community groups. Basically we’re looking to increase the amount of money and time that goes into good causes. Stuff that isn’t government and stuff that isn’t business but that makes Ireland a better place to live in. It’s everything from your local GAA club to St Vincent de Paul or indeed the arts,” Mr Mulconry stated.
The National Giving Campaign will be a multimedia and public relations campaign that will use a combination of traditional and new media events to create a framework for the fundraising efforts of charities and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Despite the dire economic situation in Ireland, Mr Mulconry says the Irish have not ceased contributing to charity.
“The recession has wiped out about 35% of the national wealth. If you can imagine somebody taking a third of your bank balance almost overnight; it’s had a major impact. That brings us back to 1997 levels. So Ireland isn’t a poor country. There is still money there but obviously people are afraid to spend it. Nobody knows what the future will bring. But Irish people have stayed giving to charities even in the depth of the recession. It’s one of the last things people try and cut. They’ll make savings elsewhere before they do that,” he believes.
Mr Mulconry says people are particularly keen to donate to local charitable causes.
“People will give to a cause that they have an emotional connection to. Local really matters these days. If you’ve got a local thing that you’re promoting, that’s a good start. If you can show people the benefits you’re delivering, that’s also very powerful,” he said.