Shortlist Announced for 2009 National Fundraising Awards

The Wheel and Fundraising Ireland today announced the shortlist for the 2009 National Fundraising Awards, Ireland’s top accolade for charitable fundraisers.

This year’s shortlist includes 16 nominees in four categories: Fundraiser of the Year, Campaign of the Year and Community/Voluntary Fundraiser of the Year (more than €100,000) and Community/Voluntary Fundraiser of the Year (less than €100,000).The nominees represent a cross-section of Ireland’s community and voluntary sector, from large non-governmental organisations to small community-based charities.

The Awards were established in 2008 by The Wheel, a national support and representative body for charities, and Fundraising Ireland, a network for fundraisers, with generous support from the Vodafone Ireland Foundation. The purpose of the Awards is to recognise, celebrate and promote excellence in the profession of fundraising, which too often is on the receiving end of criticism from the media, the public and also within charitable organisations themselves.

“We believe that fundraising is a very honourable profession and fundraisers enable support to be provided to people in poverty, those with disabilities and people at risk of social exclusion,” said Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel.

A panel of independent judges will now select a winner in each category, and the winners will be announced a special awards ceremony, hosted by RTÈ presenter, Mary Kennedy, at Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel on Tuesday, 20 October. The full shortlist and nomination forms can be viewed at: www.tinyurl.com/lpub73

Note to the Editor:

The CEO of The Wheel, Deirdre Garvey, is available for interview. Please contact Gert Ackermann on 086 176 9287 or e-mail gert@wheel.ie.

About the organisers:

The Wheel is a national support and representative body for community, voluntary and charitable organisations. We provide a wide range of information and support services, advice and training to individuals and organisations involved in community and voluntary activity. We are also a representative organisation promoting both our members’ and the wider sector’s interests. For further information visit www.wheel.ie.

Fundraising Ireland is a network for fundraisers in Ireland. Established in 2007 it came about as a result of a number of ad-hoc meetings of fundraisers towards the end of 2006. During the first part of 2007 that initial group, plus others with an interest in establishing a network met more formally and set up a new network - now called Fundraising Ireland. For further information visit www.fundraisingireland.ie.

Vodafone Ireland Foundation (VIF) was established in 2003 and is the first Foundation of its kind in Ireland. It is among 24 Vodafone Foundations around the world (www.vodafonefoundation.org) and is part of the company’s commitment to be a responsible global citizen and member of society.