The Fund In Your Area

The Fermanagh Trust, Co Fermanagh

The Fermanagh Trust is an independent community foundation established in 1995 that supports social and community developments in the county and hinterland of Fermanagh. The Trust was established because many areas of the county have suffered from a lack of community-based activity.

To help the development of voluntary and community groups in the region, the Trust provides grant aid, usually in the form of small grant awards, totalling approximately £50,000 / €73,000 per annum.

In addition to grant assistance, the Trust has also developed a number of specific supports for local action in community development within Fermanagh. These include the provision of advice, the development of a mentoring service, the creation and sustaining of a number of local networks, and a community leadership/citizen programme.

In 1999 financial assistance of £84,080 / €122,756 was awarded to the Trust by the Community Bridges Programme for the extension and development of its mentoring service. This is designed to bring distant and excluded community organisations together to build partnership projects. The Trust’s work on the Community Bridges Programme has been used by the International Fund to develop other such initiatives throughout Northern Ireland and the border counties.

In addition to this work, the Trust has helped local groups to deal with high tension situations and conflicts in their communities through the provision of support and facilities.

The Trust also recently commissioned a report, following wide consultation with local organisations and representatives, on how to address the issue of the use of flags and emblems in Enniskillen. 

The Trust’s most ambitious project is its development of a networking centre in Enniskillen that will provide space for community based organisations to meet, interact and to plan collaborative projects. It is estimated that around at least 10,000 people will use the facility each year. The International Fund for Ireland has provided £300,000 / €438,000 towards the cost of the centre, which opened in April 2007.

For more information on the Fermanagh Trust visit www.fermanaghtrust.org.