European and Irish sector links

European networks

EU liaison

• European Regional Information for UK You probably need to know something about EU structure to get the best from this site.
• European Commission Representation in the UK 8 Storey’s Gate, London, SW1P 3AT, phone 020 7973 1992.
• Europa is the EU information site. See Civil Society section on consulting with, and lobbying by, sector bodies.
• Scotland Europa – intelligence, policy analysis and strategic funding information about the European Union, for Scottish organisations.

General networks

• EU Civil Society Contact Group brings together eight large rights and value based NGO sectors: culture, environment, education, development, human rights, public health, social and women.
• Euclid Network “exists to develop, connect and support third sector leaders across Europe in order to make the sector more innovative and professional, at heart of European civil society”. Also see Euclid under funding below, which is a separate body.
• European Charities’ Committee on Value-Added Tax.
• European Council for Non-Profit Organisations (CEDAG). “Towards the recognition of non-profit organisations in the European Union.” A network of regional and national umbrella bodies from across the EU member states.
• European Citizen Action Service aims to enable NGOs and individuals to make their voice heard with the EU.
• Cooperatives Europe. The voice of cooperative enterprises in Europe.
• European Foundation Centre.
• European Volunteer Centre. Network of over 80 national, regional and local volunteer centres and volunteer support agencies across Europe.
• European Alliance for Volunteering “acts as a collaborative and supportive hub for European, national and regional organisations involving volunteers or who support or promote volunteering to advocate for positive change in the volunteering sector”.
• Volonteurope international network promoting the values and principles of volunteering, active citizenship and social justice.
• European Fundraising Association.
• Platform – The Platform of European Social NGOs, campaigns for a socially just Europe for all. Many of the following are members.
• Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations represents national organisations which promote intercultural education, understanding and peace through (youth) voluntary service.
• Federation of International Associations established in Belgium. Includes trade and scientific bodies as well as others.
• European Society of Association Executives.

Areas of Concern

• AGE AGE Platform Europe, for older people’s organisations.
• Amateo European network for active participation in cultural activities.
• CECODHAS Housing Europe The federation of public, cooperative and social housing.
• CEFEC Confederation of European Social Firms, represents organisations which share the aim of creating work for people with disabilities in social firms.
• Concord European confederation for (overseas) relief and development.
• Culture Action Europe (previously European Forum for the Arts and Heritage).
• ERYICA – European Youth Information and Counselling Agency.
• European Anti-Poverty Network An independent coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and groups involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion in the Member States of the European Union.
• European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (was Euforic.org).
• European Community Development Network (previously Combined European Bureau for Social Development) promotes social and community development.
• European Council on Refugees and Exiles.
• European Disability Forum Umbrella organisation with NGOs and National Councils from all of the EU and EEA as members.
• European Environmental Bureau.
• European Network for Social Policy Analysis (Espanet) has a helpful links page.
• European Network of Credit Unions.
• European Network of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry.
• European Public Health Alliance NGO network.
• European Women’s Lobby The largest co-ordinating body of national and European non-governmental women’s organisations in the EU, with over 2,700 member associations.
• FEANTSA European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. 1 rue Defacqz, 1000 BRUSSELS, Belgium.
• Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).
• Solidar A human rights and trade union network.
• WAVE A network of European women’s non-governmental organisations working in the field of combating violence against women and children.
• Youth Forum The voice of young people in Europe.

Funding related

• European Social Fund, part of European Structural and Investment Funds – 2014/20 latest programme, focus on helping people to become more employable and enter the labour market. Try this link or government info for England.
• EUCLID for the UK cultural sector. (This is not the same as Euclid Network, for voluntary sector leaders, above.)
• EuropeanGrants.com Ltd (EGL) ‘provides a wide range of European Union grant information products to organisations throughout the world’.

Regional

Regional sources of information and advice on European funding.

• Network for Europe (taken over from North West Network).
• EUgrants – Northern Ireland initiatives.

Further Resources

Dod’s guide to the EU institutions – check Dod’s bookshop.

Politico Europe. EU related news.

EurActiv.com is an independent media portal dedicated to European Union affairs.

Irish Republic

Additional links sourced October 2015 from Whitebarn Consulting.

• Active Link “The online network for Irish non profit organisations”.
• Boardmatch Ireland – finding skilled board members.
• Care Alliance Ireland.
• Carmichael Centre “shared services centre for the community and voluntary sector”.
• Fundraising Ireland and Irish Charities Tax Reform have merged to create Charities Institute Ireland.
• Community Finance Ireland.
• Community Worker Ireland (was CW Co-operative) – Promoting and supporting community work as a means of intervention for radical social change.
• Disability Federation of Ireland.
• Irish Charity Shops Association.
• Irish Rural Link.
• Irish Social Enterprise Network.
• Volunteer Ireland Promoting, supporting and facilitating voluntary action in the Republic of Ireland. Training course details and volunteer management advice are on the site.
• The Wheel aims to “assist the Community and Voluntary Sector to become for itself a powerful voice for change”.
• Whitebarn Consulting posts various useful material online.
• National Youth Council of Ireland.

• GalwayCity.org – news and links for non-profit and voluntary organisations and groups in the city.