The Facebook Community Fund recently announced that it was making a donation of $100,000 to The Community Foundation for Ireland Covid-19 Fund aimed at addressing the immediate needs of Irish community and voluntary sector organisations during the Covid-19 crisis.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Facebook Ireland has been working to keep people safe and informed. Working directly with the HSE, Facebook has provided the HSE with free advertising across its platforms as well as redirecting anyone who searches for ‘coronavirus’ on Facebook or Instagram to the HSE website. Facebook is also telling people if they’ve interacted with harmful misinformation (for example, liked or commented on it) and directing them to the W.H.O. web page where there is accurate information on debunked myths around COVID-19.
Facebook Ireland has supported a number of communities, performers, NGOs and SMBs in need throughout COVID-19. For example, Facebook partnered with Culture Ireland to launch #IrelandPerforms, creating a €100,000 fund for Irish artists with over 800,000 views of virtual performances to date. Facebook has also made a number of donations to Crumlin Hospital, Aoibheann's Pink Tie, National Ambulance Service, SpunOut.ie, Samaritans, Pieta House, Jigsaw, Aware, Alone and more.
Facebook Ireland launched a free weekly webinar series for SMBs entitled ‘Boost with Facebook’ covering essential business training to help businesses survive the Covid-19 restrictions. The company also recently launched a $100 million grant program to help 30,000 small businesses around the world, including here in Ireland. Applications for this fund will be opening soon.
Globally, Facebook is supporting safety, health and economic relief efforts. This includes matching $20 million in donations to support COVID-19 relief efforts, donating $25 million to support healthcare workers on the front line, supporting global health organisations with free ads, empowering partners with data and tools, combating COVID-19 misinformation across its platforms, investing $100 million in the news industry and supporting fact-checkers.
The Community Foundation for Ireland’s Covid-19 Community Fund is aimed at the immediate needs of organisations impacted by Covid-19 and focused on supporting people over 60, people with respiratory illnesses or cancer, people experiencing domestic abuse, Isolated vulnerable people and families, and people who are suffering with mental health issues during Covid-19.
Applications for the Covid-19 Response Fund are temporarily closed. To be notified of when applications re-open, sign up to the newsletter below.