Ireland’s philanthropy sector is entering 2026 with confidence and momentum. Growing private wealth, next-generation donors, and rising public need are reshaping how philanthropy is understood and practiced. Key trends include more strategic and values-led giving, increased collaboration and pooled funding, growing use of data and digital tools, deeper engagement with policy and regulation, and the rising influence of professional advisers in unlocking philanthropic impact.

by: Niall O'Sullivan, Campaign Solutions New Research from Campaign Solutions has highlighted a growth in legacy income in 2023, after a disappointing fall in 2022. The market overall – which includes fundraising charities, religious bodies and other charities was up 5% to over €82 million as per the chart below. While overall legacy income in 2023 was up 5%, looking more closely at ‘fundraising charities’, using the subset of My Legacy members may provide a more accurate gau

The DTNI report highlights key social justice challenges in Ireland’s social economy, including fragmented funding, weak regulation, and limited capacity building. It urges funders to provide long-term, flexible support and foster cross-border collaboration. Philanthropy can drive inclusive growth through shared investment models, community ownership funds, and scalable, all-island initiatives that empower social enterprises and strengthen community-led regeneration.

Irish philanthropy in 2025 is driven by AI, collaboration, ESG goals, trust-based funding, innovative models, new leaders, and equity focus.

By: Niall O'Sullivan, Campaign Solutions September marks Legacy Month in Ireland, a time to seriously consider the importance of legacy...

By: Hazel Hennessy, Philanthropy Ireland DonorSearch recently hosted a thought-provoking webinar featuring Rhodri Davies, a scholar and...

By: Hazel Hennessy, Philanthropy Ireland In our 2024 Budget submission, Philanthropy Ireland placed data collection as a fundamental...

By: Hazel Hennessy, Philanthropy Ireland The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) has recently published a research report titled...

By: Hazel Hennessy, Philanthropy Ireland Climate change stands as an all-encompassing public disbenefit, obstructing the path towards a...

Philanthropy drives SDG progress in Ireland through collaboration & participation, fueling €110M+ for 1153 initiatives across 14 SDGs.