About Clann Credo
Established in 1996, Clann Credo is a community development and social finance lending organisation with a national remit. A registered charity, our purpose is to enable communities to deliver high social impact projects and services in the local community. We do this by lending social finance and providing advice to community groups, social enterprises and charities throughout Ireland.
Our mission is to make social finance accessible to all communities who share our ambition for positive social change.
We understand community development – the ups and downs, the stops and starts and in particular, the voluntary work that drives community development in Ireland. It is our deep understanding of community development and volunteerism that enables us to deliver a responsive, honest and flexible social finance lending and advisory service to our customers.
Social Impact
We use the Pobal HP Deprivation Index to ensure social finance lending is always targeted towards communities most in need. Our confidence in local communities to deliver sustainable solutions to alleviate disadvantage and harness opportunity is demonstrated by the extent of our longer term lending (term loans 2 – 15 years) to communities that have below-average scores on the Pobal HP Deprivation Index.
We support the development of local and regional projects and services that are led by a collective community process and deliver a social benefit. We recognise the positive social impact potential of social, cultural and economic projects and focus our lending across several areas of activity to deliver sustainable community development.
2023 Areas of Activity
Sports and Recreation – 39%
Community Facilities – 17%
Disability – 14%
Other – 10%
Enterprise Centres – 8%
Social Sheltered Housing – 7%
FRCs / LDCs – 5%
The demand for Clann Credo social finance has increased since 2013 with a positive outlook in 2024. Our customer insights indicate that our understanding of community development and the quality relationships we nurture with our customers are key drivers of increasing demand for Clann Credo social finance.
Corcaghan Childcare, Monaghan
In 2014, community leaders in Corcaghan identified the lack of local childcare services as a barrier for families to access education, employment and recreation. In response, the community leaders established Corcaghan Childcare Committee and soon afterwards were delivering a pre-school, after-school and a breakfast club to the local families.
Corcaghan Childcare Committee approached Clann Credo and working together, secured a social finance term loan to refurbish the property and expand the service to reach more families. And it has all worked out! Ten years later, the childcare service is booming and accommodates 42 children aged between 2.5 years and 12 years.
Clann Credo and Corcaghan Childcare services share the view that community-led childcare service is a vital element of social support in many communities as it supports parents to work, learn and access services, gives young children the advantage of a positive pre-school education and provides the community with employment and training opportunities.
“There are so many community projects that would not have developed if it were not for Clann Credo. We couldn’t recommend them high enough for what they do and how they do it.”
Shirley Smith, Childcare Manager
“It is clear that Clann Credo are making a real social impact on the ground around the country, through their support of community, sporting and voluntary groups. The level of social finance required in Ireland over the last number of years demonstrates the need for this type of finance, and reflects the huge ambition of local community groups to making a difference in their areas”
Minister for Finance Jack Chambers