National Lottery Good Causes has awarded €190,000 over 2 years and shines a light on wonderful work impacting communities
Overview of the Programme
The Good Causes Awards were set up in 2018, aimed at honoring the inspiring work being done in communities all over Ireland thanks to National Lottery Good Cause funding, while also raising visibility of the Good Causes themselves and informing the public about the vital contribution this funding is making to Irish society.
The Awards involve Regional & National finals, culminating in a gala event in November. The programme is central to our community strategy as it takes a dynamic, fresh and innovative approach, putting the voluntary and charity groups front and centre, highlighting how they are making an impact in their communities. There are seven category winners across Sport, Health, Arts/Culture, Heritage, Community, Youth and Irish Language and one overall winner. A total prize fund of €95,000 is available.The awards, now in their third year, have grown in terms of public awareness with 32% of All Adults claiming to be aware of the Good Causes Awards (up 8% vs 2018).
Implementation
This programme has Good Causes beneficiaries at its heart. Once the 36 regional finalists are chosen, we engage with each one individually and in conjunction with our social and marketing team, we create a 60 second video content piece for each organisation, that showcases the impact of the amazing work carried out. This content is theirs to own and share with their own followers and stakeholders. We also provide them with a social media toolkit advising them of how to maximise publicity for their own organisation. This programme is now in its third year and we have a long-term commitment to it.
Impact of the Programme
With over 450 applications received each year, 36 lucky finalists are chosen across each of the 6 categories. The National Lottery collaborate closely with each of the finalists in the run up to the Award event to create shareable content, photography, while also providing them national exposure on mainstream TV (The Afternoon Show on RTÉ One) and Ireland AM on Virgin Media, as well as PR and Local Radio opportunities.
The exposure from this activity is invaluable to the beneficiaries as it gives them a platform to tell their story.
The event is organised by National Lottery staff and a number of employee’s volunteer on the night, helping out where possible and ensuring our beneficiaries receive the warmest welcome. Over 15 staff are closely involved with the event.
National Lottery Impact in 2019
The National Lottery provided €165,455 given in cash donations and €7,598 was raised through employee fundraising. Employees also volunteered 76 hours to local groups and projects during the year.
