As we mark the 10th annual Philanthropy Symposium on 15 October, I have been reflecting on how much has changed over the past decade – and how much possibility still lies ahead.

This year’s theme, Leadership, Learning & Legacy, feels particularly timely. The Symposium has always been a space to bring people together: to share experience, challenge assumptions and consider how philanthropy can respond to the needs of the moment.

Ten years on, the questions are both ambitious and practical. How do we create the conditions for more strategic giving? How do we build stronger partnerships across philanthropy, Government and civil society? And how do we turn learning into lasting impact?

Those questions run throughout this issue. Bairbre Nic Aongusa reflects on progress at the halfway point of Ireland’s National Philanthropy Policy, while Joy Booth explores place-based philanthropy through Changing Lives DLR. St Stephen’s Green Trust shares learning on funding democracy, Common Knowledge considers the value of organisational capacity, and the Crann Centre shows what becomes possible when philanthropy supports the whole family. We hear from Tom Clinch on grassroots arts, the Smurfit Westrock Foundation on philanthropy in action, and Dec Ryan on more than two decades of giving. Marina Giblin looks at preparing the next generation for purposeful stewardship, while Kathy Richardson considers the opportunities and responsibilities emerging from AI in grantmaking.

Alongside these perspectives, we are continuing to strengthen the evidence base for philanthropy in Ireland. In this issue, we share early findings from Advising for Impact, our research into the role of professional advisers in conversations about philanthropy, ahead of the full report in November. Over the coming months, we will also bring forward updated evidence on Ireland’s philanthropy landscape and further research exploring wealth, responsibility, values, legacy and the future of giving. That combination of evidence and experience matters. Research can show us the patterns, gaps and opportunities; the stories in these pages show us what they mean in practice.

The tenth Symposium is therefore more than an anniversary. It is an opportunity to recognise the leadership that has brought the sector this far, to capture what we have learned, and to think seriously about the legacy we want to build over the next decade. I hope this issue gives you both inspiration and useful food for thought, and I look forward to continuing these conversations with many of you on 15 October and beyond.