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Strategic Philanthropy in Ireland: A Conversation With Community Foundation Ireland's CEO

July 20, 2026

Paddy Delaney

Most people spend decades building wealth and never quite get to the second question: not how do I protect this, but what do I actually want it to do? On this episode, Paddy Delaney talks to Denise Charlton, CEO of Community Foundation Ireland, about strategic philanthropy in Ireland. How it actually works, and where to start.

What you'll learn:

• How a Donor Advised Fund works in Ireland, and why the entry point is lower than most assume (€25,000–€50,000)

• The difference between ad-hoc giving and strategic philanthropy

• How tax relief and Capital Acquisitions Tax exemptions apply to charitable giving in Ireland

• How families bring the next generation into a giving conversation, and how endowments work in perpetuity

If you've built significant wealth and you're starting to ask what it's actually for, this conversation is worth your time.

About the Guest

Denise Charlton is Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland, the country's leading philanthropic foundation. Her career spans senior leadership at the Immigrant Council of Ireland and Women's Aid; she was a founder of Marriage Equality, and she currently sits on the board of Cuan, the State's statutory agency for sexual and gender-based violence. You can find Community Foundation Ireland at communityfoundation.ie.

🎙️ Full podcast episode and 📖 Blog:  www.informeddecisions.ie/post/strategic-philanthropy-ireland

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