“Behind every great charity is a team of passionate, focused, committed individuals making a real difference. These awards recognise their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence.”
– Áine Myler, Chief Executive Officer at Cii
Charities Institute Ireland (Cii), the representative body for Ireland’s leading and high-impact fundraising charities, is now accepting applications for the 2025 Charity Excellence Awards, sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance.
Shortlisted finalists will be eligible for 13 awards, honouring high achievement in several categories. Winners will be announced at the Awards Gala on the 3rd of October 2025, at The Round Room, Mansion House, Dublin.
Cii’s 325 member charities employ approximately 35,000 people nationwide. Through leadership, resources, and advocacy, Cii strives to empower charities to maximise their impact and foster greater public trust.
Áine Myler, Chief Executive Officer at Cii, believes the Charity Excellence Awards serve as an opportunity to shine a light on efforts of well-organised, accountable, and effective charities to ensure their vital work gets the recognition it deserves.
“The Charity Excellence Awards celebrate the extraordinary impact of Ireland’s charities. Every day, charities and their people work tirelessly to support communities, tackle urgent challenges, and create positive change,” says Áine. “Behind every great charity is a team of passionate, focused, committed individuals making a real difference. These awards recognise their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence.”
Anton Savage, radio and television presenter of The Anton Savage Show, will be hosting this year’s awards gala. Last year, at the 2024 Charity Excellence Awards the ‘Charity of the Year’ title went to Ruhama, an NGO that provides support to women affected by prostitution, sex trafficking, and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation, while the Jack and Jill’s Children’s Foundation won the ‘Charity Board of the Year Award’.
Deirdre Walsh, CEO of The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, notes: “The Board of the Year award we received was a great acknowledgement of our commitment to good governance practices and a wonderful boost for our team. We were so delighted to see our dynamic, dedicated and hard-working Board recognised. I cannot overstate the benefits of entering such prestigious awards and Jack and Jill are looking forward to entering again in 2025!”
Deirdre Walsh, CEO of Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation holding Charity Excellence Awards logo
Other winners in 2024 included Galway Simon Community, Barretstown, Mater Hospital Foundation, GOAL & AIB and The Hope Foundation & Specsavers, Friends of the Elderly, Tara Clarke, FoodCloud, James Sullivan, Mater Hospital Foundation, Women’s Aid, Tanya Ward – Children’s Rights Alliance, World Vision Ireland, and Dog’s Trust.
Kathleen O’Meara, Chair of the Judging Panel, adds that she is excited and inspired to be part of the judging panel again this year. Under her leadership, the evaluation process is handled with exceptional care and transparency.
“I always look for the charity, individual or leader who is going above and beyond, to have a real and tangible impact. The judges are looking at a lot of entries,” says Kathleen. “The entry needs to stand out with a strong and compelling story of impact – the difference you, your charity or your leader is making, in a real, relevant way to the challenges we are facing today.”
Kathleen continues, “I look forward to seeing all the entries because they give me such a great picture of the inspiring work being carried out by charities big and small across the country, and the phenomenal impact they are having.”
The Charity Excellence Awards will again be proudly sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance. “We’re proud to support the Charity Excellence Awards once again, a celebration of the dedication, innovation, and impact of Ireland’s charity sector. As part of the Benefact Group, a specialist financial services group owned by a charity, we understand the challenges these organisations face. In 2025, their role is more vital than ever, meeting growing community needs, embracing digital change, and strengthening public trust. These awards recognise excellence, and the evolving role of charities in building a fairer, more resilient society. We’re honoured to support that mission alongside Charities Institute Ireland,” said Graham Hohn, Strategic Account Manager, Ecclesiastical Insurance.
For information on how to apply, visit https://charitiesinstitute.ie/
