News & Events

Unlock the Potential of ESG for Your Charity!

Are you ready to elevate your charity’s impact and ensure a sustainable future? Our upcoming webinar, “ESG Strategies for Charities – Navigating the Future,” is your key to unlocking the full potential of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.

Wednesday, 11th September 2024. 1.05pm to 2pm.

Register here.

Across Ireland, a new chapter is unfolding for charitable organisations. It’s a narrative that extends beyond traditional philanthropy and ventures into the realm of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. These principles are charting a course for Irish charities to navigate towards impactful and enduring operations.

What is ESG?

ESG is a trio of criteria that measure the ethical impact and sustainability of an organisation. The ‘Environmental’ aspect scrutinises a charity’s ecological stewardship. The ‘Social’ dimension assesses how it fosters relationships with its workforce, partners, donors, and the communities it serves. ‘Governance’ encompasses the charity’s leadership ethics, financial transparency, and the rights of its stakeholders.

The Impact of ESG on Irish Charities:

• Regulatory Readiness: ESG knowledge is vital for staying ahead of regulatory changes and securing funding.
• Risk Management: ESG practices enhance operational efficiency and risk mitigation, ensuring longevity.
• Trust and Transparency: Clear ESG policies cultivate trust among donors, volunteers, and the public.
• Competitive Edge: Charities with strong ESG frameworks can attract more support and forge better alliances.

The funding for the provision of these services comes from the National Training Fund administered by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science. Participants will be asked to provide further information regarding Age Range, Gender, Employment Status, Educational Background, Role in Organisation, Organisation Activity & Size post registration.

Trainer: Maighréad Kelly

Maighréad is an experienced Consultant and Director at Collaboration Ireland and has been working in the community and voluntary sector for over 30 years. She has a depth of understanding of the community, voluntary and health sector – its operational and policy context, its political sensitivities and its people, organisations, and systems. Prior to becoming a consultant in 2018, Maighréad worked in the disability sector for over 25 years and was responsible for establishing new services, setting up projects in the community and managing large teams of staff which included training and facilitating meetings, and workshops. Maighréad is also a Safeguarding and Risk Consultant who will undertake investigations and inquiries on behalf of disability organisations in the Munster Region. Maighréad is both experienced and knowledgeable in the area of governance and assessing governance compliance within companies. She will partner with your charity, organisation, or social enterprise to help your CEO and Board of Directors to identify the areas of priority in order to be compliant with the Charity Regulators Code.

The Level 6 Certified Charity Trustee Programme aims to provide learners with a broad understanding of the governance framework guiding Organisations and an understanding and appreciation of the organisational behaviours within an organisation. This will allow the learner to be informed and confident in their roles.

This predominantly online 1 year part time programme has been designed in partnership with Carmichael and TU
Dublin. The aim of this programme is to provide participants with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of
their roles and obligations. Since 2021, Charities have been required to report on their compliance with the Charities
Governance Code which is designed to help charity trustees meet their legal duties under the Charities Act 2009. With over 11,000 registered charities in Ireland this programme will assist organisations and their trustees to effectively fulfil their roles within an organisation in line with regulatory framework and to be professionally competent within the team to do so.

Course Content

• Governance & Legal Compliance Responsibilities: The module focuses on the legal and accounting framework as it applies to organisations. The module will draw on the Law, Accounting and Governance that is required to fulfil their duties and responsibilities effectively in compliance with the regulations.
  • Charities Act
  • Charities Governance Code
  • Trustee Governance
  • Companies Act 2014
  • Financial Governance
  • Risk Management
  • Data Protection
  • Cyber Security

• Organisational Behaviour & Dynamics: This module focuses on the behaviour of individuals and groups in organisations including not-for-profit organisations. It will provide learners with an understanding and appreciation of this behaviour and an awareness of how it contributes to the success of the organisation. The module will draw on concepts and theories from the field of organisational behaviour, management and the not-for-profit environment to gain further understanding of different organisational behaviours and to improve learners’ self-confidence and potential governance effectiveness. Learners will engage in self-reflection regarding their use of individual and organisational actions.
  • The Nature of Organisational Behaviour
  • Individual Behaviour
  • Motivation
  • Communication & Decision-making in the Workplace
  • Working in Group & Teams
  • Leadership in Organisations
  • Organisational Power and Politics
  • Organisational Conflict
  • Organisational Culture
  • Organisational Change

Application Details

Applications are now open here.

Please contact school.globalbusiness@TUDublin.ie for further information.

Module Details

TU Code: TU5533
Level: NFQ Level 6
Award: Certificate in Business in Organisational Governance and Behaviour
Duration: 1 Year
Contact: school.globalbusiness@TUDublin.ie

Method of Delivery: Weekly online lectures, 1 evening per week, with two face to face workshops during each semester. Please see schedule below with further details.

Location: Face to face induction will take place on TU Dublin’s Blanchardstown campus. Location for the capstone workshop will be confirmed with learners during the semester to ensure location is accessible for the majority of learners.

Schedule: This programme runs for 2 semesters, one module per semester.
Semester 1 will begin at 2pm on Friday 20th September 2024 with a face to face on campus induction.

Please see current summary timetable here.

Commencement Date: Semester 1 will begin at 2pm on Friday 20th September 2024 with a face to face on campus induction. Induction will take place on the Blanchardstown campus from 2pm to 6pm. This will be followed by 2 hour weekly online lectures from 7pm to 9pm which will begin on Wednesday 25th September.

All registered applicants will be contacted by the Head of Discipline/Programme Coordinator two weeks prior to the commencement date with further details and room location for their face-to-face induction.

Fees: The reduced Student fee of €600 from €1250 is available for this delivery of the programme starting in September 2024.  This reduced fee is now available courtesy to funding available from The TU Dublin Enterprise Academy, which is funded by the Higher Education Authority’s HCI Pillar 3, a government programme designed to meet priority skills needs, by increasing collaboration between higher education and enterprise with a focus on innovations in teaching and learning.

Find out more information click here

Testimonial for the Certified Charity Trustee Programme

The programme has provided me with a broad understanding and appreciation of the governance and compliance requirements of a Charity, it identified very clearly the specific legal, financial, and governance responsibilities of a Charity Trustee.

It provided me with a strong understanding and appreciation of Organisational Behaviour, looking at individual behaviours, motivation, working in a team/group, decision making, leadership styles, organisational power, influence, conflict, culture and change management.

I thoroughly enjoyed the learning on this course and meeting the other participants and presenters on the course. Most of the classes were online which worked well for me.

The course has helped me both personally and professionally. I highly recommend the course to any person aspiring to be a Trustee or officer of a charity.

Maria Barry.

Retired School Principal, St. Wolstan’s Community School, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. 1999-2022.

Trustee, Le Chéile Schools Trust, February 2023 -To date.

Improving Your Nonprofit’s Annual Report – February 27th 2024 from 10.05-10.55am

Carmichael is delighted to provide free training webinars on relevant themes for nonprofits.

In this webinar nonprofits of all sizes will gain tips and advice from an expert panel on how to improve the content and narrative of their Annual Report.

The recording is now available of the webinar “Improving Your Annual Report”:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/UphEGTsBvbAtTNeR9_EmfkUgmIlnM63VZVB0hpymMgD0UbryTK6Ax0bDYFStsUsK.T6kLjMfoDel4FgOr

Passcode: D*c2=3dD

In this free webinar for nonprofit organisations, we will discuss:

-How can a nonprofit, with limited time and resources, produce the best possible annual report?

-Who reads an annual report and why?

-What are the key elements to a strong annual report?

-Where can you find more support with producing your annual report?

-When should you start preparing your annual report?

There will be a Q&A at the end.

Our panelists will be:

-Róisin McGuigan (Chair): Services Manager at Carmichael and Coordinator of the Good Governance Awards

-Nina Arwitz: CEO of Volunteer Ireland

-Aedín Morkan: Audit Partner at Mazars Ireland

-Senan Turnbull: Consultant and trainer specialising in nonprofit annual reports

In collaboration with The Wheel, Carmichael are pleased to announce a new National Training Fund Programme for 2024. The National Training Fund is funded through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. There is a range of different programmes to support small to medium sized organisations.

NTF Annual Report Support Programme 2024– Fully booked

NTF Impact Management Support 2024– Fully booked

NTF Succession Planning – Online 08/03/2024 or 19/07/2024

NTF Leadership Programme September 2024: Effective Leadership & Management of Teams

NTF Diversity & Inclusion Programme: Embracing Diversity, Encouraging Inclusion-April/May 2024

NTF Leaders, Managers and Management Teams -Fully booked

NTF Enhance Coaching Skills for Greater Collaboration – In-person 05/07/2024-Fully booked

NTF Bullying Complaints – Guidelines for Investigation – 26/07/2024 (In-person workshop)

If you have any questions, feel free to email training@carmichaelireland.ie.

This NTF  programmes are aimed at Charities/Community Groups/Voluntary Organisations/Social Enterprises in the Republic of Ireland.

The funding for the provision of these services comes from the National Training Fund administered by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science. There is a nominal charge by way of a contribution.

In the last week of June, our CEO Diarmaid delivered governance sessions in the six counties of Munster in partnership with the Volunteer Centres in Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford. The theme of the sessions was the changing operating landscape for nonprofits, focusing on the Charities Act Amendment and the Gambling Regulation Bills currently working their way through the legislative process, compliance with the Charities Governance Code, concerns received by the Charities Regulator and the Good Governance Awards which is now open for entries.

Diarmaid wrote a brief reflection following these sessions.  Read in full here.

In today’s dynamic landscape, assembling a highly qualified volunteer board goes beyond qualifications alone. It requires identifying individuals who actively contribute to the effectiveness of board processes, bringing the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your organisation’s objectives.

Join BoardEffect as they continue the conversation on enhancing your board’s effectiveness and driving impactful outcomes. During this interactive 45-minute session, the expert panel will share invaluable insights and best practices to help you find and onboard the right Board Members to elevate your board’s effectiveness, including:

• • Identifying skill gaps in your current board
  • Finding the people with the right skills to complement your board
  • How to find the right volunteers for your board and more!

This is a must-attend webinar for organisations seeking to optimise their board composition and harness the power of diverse skills and expertise.

Bring your questions!

Sign up here.

Missed the previous webinar, “Increasing Board Effectiveness”? No problem, find key insights and watch the full recording here.

Office Accommodation Available in Carmichael 

Across our two buildings on North Brunswick St and Coleraine St in Dublin 7, Carmichael is home to 44 Resident Nonprofits which benefit from affordable office accommodation, shared facilities and access to knowledge sharing with other Resident Nonprofits and Carmichael’s staff. 

A bright and spacious office currently equipped for 7 people, with potential to accommodate more, has come available in Coleraine House. The annual fee is €16,685, charged quarterly in advance at €4,171. Carmichael hopes to have a new Resident Nonprofit in place on or before June 1st. 

Please contact roisin@carmichaelireland.ie if you would be interested in arranging a viewing or have any questions. 

Carmichael is seeking voluntary assessors to join the panel for the Good Governance Awards 2023. Assessors score up to a maximum of 4 annual reports between June 1st to September 29th, with September 18th-29th expected to be the busiest period. Assessors attend a briefing session and then use a scoring template provided by Carmichael to mark the reports against several criteria.  

The assessors come from a range of backgrounds and professions including the nonprofit sector itself, accountancy, consultancy and law. Assessors are permitted to be involved with a nonprofit organisation which enters the awards provided this is disclosed in line with the Good Governance Awards conflict of interest policy so that the assessor will not be asked to score other entrants in the same category. 

Now in its eighth year, the Good Governance Awards is an initiative that recognises and encourages adherence to good governance practice by nonprofits in Ireland, particularly in terms of annual reporting. The awards were developed by Carmichael with the support of our partners and leading national bodies in the nonprofit sector. 

Each year more than 100 nonprofits (including community groups, charities, sports bodies and social enterprises) enter their annual reports into the awards. These annual reports are then assessed by a voluntary assessor from Carmichael’s panel of assessors.  

There are 7 categories of entry distinguished by annual income which range from under €100,000 at the lowest end and over €50,000,000 at the highest end. The highest scored entries in each category progress to a full technical assessment of their financial statements and the shortlisted entries are then assessed by a panel of judges who ultimately select the winner in each category. 

If you are interested in becoming a voluntary assessor, please contact roisin@carmichaelireland.ie with your full name, your profession, and where you heard about the awards. 

Carmichael are running two short webinars on 20th April and 1st June. These free afternoon sessions will be presented by Sean Bohan.

Living your Vision, Mission & Values (20th April, 2.30pm-3.30pm)

Topics covered include: An organisation’s mission, vision and values is “at the heart of everything we say and do”; and to achieve sustainable results, it’s useful to design a quality culture.

Culture Audits (1st June, 2pm-3pm)

Topics covered include: what’s a company culture; how is the company culture defined; what is a culture audit and what are the benefits?

If you’re interested in attending either or both these sessions, please register via https://forms.office.com/e/v4PxFUbAXF.

Improving Your Nonprofit’s Annual Report February 9th 2023 13.10-14.00

Carmichael is delighted to provide free training webinars on relevant themes for nonprofits. In this webinar nonprofits of all sizes will gain tips and advice from an expert panel on how to improve the content and narrative of their Annual Report.