In collaboration with The Wheel, Carmichael is delighted to announce the launch of a new National Training Fund Programme for 2025. Funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, this initiative offers a variety of tailored programmes designed to support small to medium-sized nonprofit organisations.
NTF Annual Report Support Programme 2025
Carmichael will work with three organisations on a 1-1 basis offering customised consultancy during the course of 2025 with a view to helping them develop the best Annual Reports that they can.
For more information and to register, click here.
NTF Impact Management Support 2025
Carmichael will work with four organisations on a 1-1 basis offering customised support during the course of 2025 with a view to helping them identify, capture, measure and report on their impact.
For more information and to register, click here.
NTF Strategic Planning Support Support 2025
Carmichael will work with four organisations on a 1-1 basis offering a customised support package during the course of 2025 with a view to helping them to develop a Strategic Plan.
For more information and to register, click here.
The 2025 Programme also includes:
- Leadership Programme: Effective Leadership & Management of Teams x 2
- Diversity & Inclusion Programme: Embracing Diversity, Encouraging Inclusion
- Enhance Coaching Skills Programme
- Dealing with Difficult Situations
- Succession Planning. Dates to be announced soon.
- Bullying Complaints – Guidelines for Investigation. Dates to be announced soon.
- Upcoming Carmichael Webinars.
The 2025 Programme highlights key National Training Fund priorities, focusing on enhancing leadership and management skills to strengthen organisational impact. This includes fostering strong governance, developing well-formed strategies, and promoting agile, effective management and planning. Eligible participants include small to medium-sized non-profit organisations, as well as community, voluntary, charitable, and social enterprise groups.
If you have any questions, please email us at training@carmichaelireland.ie.
Affordable Office Accommodation for Nonprofits at Carmichael
Looking for office space for your nonprofit organisation? Carmichael House currently has three desks available in our bright and spacious co-working office space.
- Annual Fee: €1,874 per desk
- Quarterly Payment: €469
- Desk-sharing options are also available for added flexibility.
Interested? Contact derek@carmichaelireland.ie to arrange a viewing or for more information.
Why Choose Carmichael?
Located across two buildings on North Brunswick St and Coleraine St in Dublin 7, Carmichael is home to 42 Resident Nonprofits. Our residents benefit from:
- Affordable, high-quality office accommodation
- Access to shared facilities
- A collaborative environment with opportunities for knowledge-sharing with other nonprofits and our team.
Join a supportive community and be part of Carmichael. Get in touch today!
Carmichael Good Governance Awards Winner 2024
The Good Governance Awards recognises and encourages adherence to good governance by non-profit organisations in Ireland. The awards were developed by Carmichael with the support of our partners and leading national bodies in the non-profit sector.
The winners of the Good Governance Awards 2024 were announced at our Awards Ceremony on Thursday November 21st.
Read the press release here.
Congratulations to our 7 Good Governance Awards winners!
Category 1: Chronic Pain
Category 2: See Beyond Border
Category 3: Care Alliance Ireland
Category 4: The Marie Keating Foundation
Category 5: Barretstown
Category 6: FoodCloud
Category 7: Trocaire
Find the winners reports and more information here.
We had a fantastic night. Thanks to everyone for being a part of it!
All Island Conference ‘Collaboration and Transformation’.
Calling all Community, Voluntary and Social Enterprise representatives across Ireland!
Join us along with DTNI at our All Island Conference ‘Collaboration and Transformation’ which explores the challenges and opportunities of civic organisations across our island.
🔹 Engage with inspiring speakers
🔹 Network with like-minded visionaries
🔹 Discover innovative opportunities for our communities through our key findings and recommendations
Book your place here to avoid disappointment!
Date: February 25th 2025
Location: Draíocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, D15 RYX6
This conference is a culmination of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund project that DTNI are delivering with the Carmichael Centre, working with representatives from community organisations from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The winners of the Good Governance Awards 2024 will be announced at our Awards Ceremony on November 21st. Book your free ticket here!
This year, 134 nonprofit organisations entered their annual reports into the Good Governance Awards. The awards are divided into 7 categories based on the annual income of the organisation.
The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony which will take place from 5.30pm to 8pm on November 21st in Chartered Accounts Ireland (House, 47-49 Pearse St, Dublin 2, D02 YN40, Ireland).
Well done and good luck to the shortlisted finalists:
Category 1: for organisations with an annual turnover of less than €100,000.
Chronic Pain
Community Connect Ireland
Dark Sky Ireland
Ireland in Arabic
Category 2: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €100,000 and €250,000.
Feis Ceoil
Louth Volunteer Centre
See Beyond Borders
Category 3: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €250,000 and €750,000.
Mental Health Reform
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre
Care Alliance
Category 4: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €750,000 and €2.5 million.
Marie Keating Foundation
Social Entrepreneurs Ireland
Spraoi agus Sport
Leave no Trace
Category 5: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €2.5 million and €10 million.
Barretstown
Irish Hospice Foundation
Jack & Jill
ISPCC
Category 6: for organisations with an annual turnover of between €10 million and €50 million.
Plan International
FoodCloud
LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice
Barnardos
Dogs Trust
Category 7: for organisations with an annual turnover of over €50 million.
Concern
Goal
Rehab
Trocaire
Focus Ireland
Charity Trustees’ Week 2024 will run from November 11th to November 15th with 15 events for Trustees.
Carmichael’s event:
- Charities and Political Causes – Tuesday November 12th at 10.00-11.30am with The Wheel (Free, online)
- Sign up here.
For the full calendar of events and booking links see here.
Charity Trustees’ Week is hosted in partnership by the Charities Regulator, Boardmatch Ireland, Carmichael, Charities Institute Ireland, Dóchas, Pobal, The Wheel, and Volunteer Ireland.
As well as celebrating the work of charity trustees, the week’s events will also help to raise awareness among the public and others interested in the sector of the vital contribution of charity trustees to Ireland’s over 11,500 registered charities.
Follow us on social media, using the hashtag: #TrusteesWeekIrl
The Position: Board Member (Trustee & Director) with Finance Experience
The Board of Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups (“Carmichael”), in line with its succession plan, is seeking to recruit a new Board member with strong finance experience to join the Board in December 2024. The candidate should currently hold or have previously held a finance related role such as Financial Controller, Financial Accountant, Head of Finance or Auditor. The candidate should also have a very good understanding of, and interest in, the nonprofit sector.
The Board meets 8 times per year, 4 times online and 4 times in-person in Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7. Board meetings are held 5pm-7pm on a Tuesday.
The new Board member will also be required to be a member of the Board’s Audit and Finance sub-committee, which meets online 7 times per year. The estimated time commitment of the Board member is 8-10 hours per month.
The initial term of office for Carmichael Board members is 3 years, with an opportunity to serve a second 3-year term subject to Board approval.
Carmichael is the leading provider of governance training and supports to nonprofits in Ireland and has an excellent reputation for the quality of the supports it provides. Carmichael’s Board members have an essential role to play in contributing to good governance, both in Carmichael itself and in the wider nonprofit sector.
To apply
Please send a CV of no more than 2 pages and a cover letter of no more than one page through Board Match or directly to diarmaid@carmichaelireland.ie before October 20th. Your application should detail any relevant finance, nonprofit and Board experience as well as what attracted you to this role. Please note that previous Board experience is not an essential requirement for this role.
Interviews are expected to take place online between 8pm and 9pm on Tuesday November 12th and between 9am and 12pm on Thursday November 14th.
For more information on the board vacancy or Carmichael, please contact the CEO, Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí, at diarmaid@carmichaelireland.ie.
Carmichael particularly welcomes applications from those who may bring a different perspective to the board in terms of race, age, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics. We recruit, train, and support Board members based on their experience, qualifications and abilities, fostering an inclusive culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging and we respect individuals’ dignity and worth. For assistance or accommodation inquiries, please reach out to diarmaid@carmichaelireland.ie.
Free Webinar: Creating inclusive spaces: Making Your Nonprofit More Dementia Inclusive
September 17th 10.00am-11.30am.
Carmichael, in collaboration with Development Trusts Northern Ireland (DTNI) is happy to offer an opportunity to attend this upcoming webinar hosted by Plunkett UK.
Carmichael/DTNI will cover the attendee fee (£15) of the first 20 organisations to email derekoreilly@carmichaelireland.ie.
This webinar will provide you with practical advice about making your nonprofit more dementia friendly. It will show you how to develop really impactful initiatives such as;
- hosting dementia cafes or support groups
- encouraging involvement from volunteers with dementia
- facilitating customers with dementia to live and shop independently
- providing respite to those caring for dementia sufferers
Your nonprofit could become a caring, inclusive place that ensures that those with dementia don’t feel excluded or marginalised, but can remain embedded and active in their communities.
Carmichael’s website was created for us in 2018, and while there have been some changes since, we feel that the website requires a comprehensive upgrade to enhance its functionality, design, and user experience.
We are inviting suitable companies to submit tender.
No indicative budget figure is available.
Link to tender brief here.
Questions regarding this tender should be sent to:
Maeve Withington, Communications Officer, communications@carmichaelireland.ie no later than 5pm 27/08/24.
Responses to this tender should include:
- Comprehensive outline of recommended approach, timeline and detailed budget
- Description of relevant expertise and experience
- Identification of any conflicts of interest
Submissions should be sent to Maeve Withington, Communications Officer, communications@carmichaelireland.ie no later than 5pm 12/09/24.
If you would like to join the mailing list, sign up here.
Read the latest July 2024 dilemma here.
For an example of a previous Governance Dilemma, see below:
Governance Dilemma
Maria is the newly appointed chair of the governance and nominations committee of a mid-sized charity whose board had been stagnant for many years. When she joined last year, she was the first new director since 2014. The directors were thrilled to have her and created the committee with a view to revitalising the board. Maria’s committee undertook a major piece of work to reach out to the members of the organisation and seek nominations for the board. The Board has 12 seats, and 4 of the current Directors wish to retire from the Board which creates 4 vacancies Maria hopes to fill with new people.
Six great members have put their names forward. Maria is now worried because she hears that all six are thinking they will be elected and they can’t, it would exceed the maximum board size in the constitution.
What can Maria do to avoid alienating any enthusiastic volunteers and to get access to the inspiration and energy that all the candidates offer?
Fiona Coyle’s Response:
The composition of a board influences an organisation’s ability to thrive. Within the charity’s governance code, there is a clear emphasis on cultivating a diverse and skilled board, encompassing individuals with a broad range of backgrounds, skills, and expertise relevant to the charity’s mission and activities. This current dilemma provides an opportune moment not only to manage the influx of enthusiastic candidates but also to strategically align the organisation’s needs with the skillsets and priorities of potential board members.
If not yet undertaken, this is an opportunity for the board to consider the mix of skills, knowledge, and experience required to meet its strategic goals and address current challenges. Identifying the specific skillsets and expertise required to address these priorities.
As the person responsible, Maria should set up a formal process with the candidates, exploring their individual strengths, experiences, and areas of expertise. Through open conversations about the organisation’s needs and priorities, Maria could encourage candidates to reflect on how their skills align with the board’s objectives. Best practice dictates recruitment should not rest solely on one individual; active participation from other members of the governance and nomination committee would be recommended.
In parallel, Maria could also ask the board to explore the possibility of creating specialised roles or subcommittees that address specific organisational needs. This way, even if the board size remains constrained by the constitution, individuals with relevant skills can contribute to focused initiatives without overwhelming the existing structure. This not only retains their enthusiasm but also builds a pipeline of qualified individuals for future board positions.
This dual strategy approach would not only ensure effective governance but also makes the best use of new skillsets to move the organisation forward.
Fiona Coyle has been CEO of Mental Health Reform since 2020. She brings diverse board experience from Ireland and globally, offering valuable insights into various cultures and governance models.
Peter O’Brien’s Response:
I think in many way this is a situation which a Board Trustees would like to find themselves in. In a world of increased governance and understanding of Trustee responsibilities, it can be difficult to get people to apply to join charity boards.
The best thing Maria can do in this situation is to have put in place a clear and rigorous process for Trustee selection. I would suggest that:
- Maria carry out a Skills Audit of the existing Board and clearly identify gaps where Trustee expertise would be very helpful to her organisation. The Audit is a simple template completed by each Trustee to put together a clear picture of where the Board is strong and what new skills it needs from newly appointed Trustees;
- The advertisement seeking applications to become Trustees would have highlighted the specific skillsets which this organisation was looking for. Even in a strong member organisation, I would advise advertising to attract new Trustees from outside the immediate member group;
- Each potential applicant be offered an informed chat with Maria in advance of completing the application process where the skills which were required on the Board would be clearly outlined;
- The interview Board agree in advance the questions which would best allow the prospective Trustees to outline how they meet the skills requirements of the Board;
- Maria ask a Trustee from another unrelated organisation to join the Interview Board and provide an external perspective on the various candidates.
The major advantage of such a rigorous process is that most of the candidates themselves will understand where they might not meet the specific requirements of the Board at this time. Maria might consider asking the unsuccessful members if they would like to join a sub- committee of the Board to use their expertise and understand more about running the organisation. They will also have a roadmap for the type of skills which the organisation will be looking for at the next trustee selection cycle.
Peter is the Chair of the Cancer Fund for Children and a Mentor on the Carmichael Programme.
Amanda O’Sullivan’s Response:
What a fantastic position to be in regarding nominations for the positions, and it is great to have a selection of candidates with an expectation of new and varied skills and strengths that they are bringing. Maria and her committee have obviously engaged well in getting these nominations.
To progress this further and manage the expectations of the candidates a detailed job spec clearly identifying the skill set for that board whether this is business management, finance, HR, governance, risk and compliance or the industry insight.
Maria should link directly with each of the candidates so that they feel valued, and the relationship building process commences. This is an important strategy to support working with the successful and the non-successful candidates, so that their enthusiasm and skills can be harnessed. During this time the nominees should then be asked to submit a CV to assist with the selection process, encouraging them to identify the particular skills that they will bring to the Board. During this direct link Maria should clearly remind the nominees of the fact that there are a maximum of four positions available and that no other positions will be filled at this time and clarify the voting process for the candidates. This process being clearly outlined is essential to manage the candidate expectations. Maria with the Board should review and highlight the other fantastic opportunities that are available to support the work of the Board in order that the non-successful nominees could be encouraged to take up a vital position on a sub committee using their specific skill set. Following the completion of the voting process Maria should link in with the non-successful candidates to maintain that sense of value and worth and to keep open communication channels for future vacancies and opportunities.
Amanda O’Sullivan is the Chief Commissioner of Irish Girl Guides which is a non-formal education youth organisation. She is chair of the Irish Girl Guides Board and has been in this position for three years.