Case Studies

Education Research & Philanthropy Strategy

Helping a philanthropist identify where funding could create the greatest impact in Irish education

A philanthropist approached The Changemakery with a broad interest in supporting education in Ireland.

Like many donors, she faced a common challenge: understanding where philanthropy could make the greatest difference within a complex landscape.

Stage One: Building Understanding

We began with a philanthropy learning session exploring:

  • The Irish education system

  • The role of philanthropy

  • Educational challenges and opportunities

  • Impact and systems change

  • Different approaches to funding social change

Through this process, two areas of particular interest emerged:

  • Student wellbeing and personal development

  • Academic support for disadvantaged students

Stage Two: Mapping the Landscape

To deepen understanding, I undertook a comprehensive mapping of Ireland's educational nonprofit ecosystem.

This involved:

  • Identifying and analysing almost 400 organisations and programmes

  • Developing a detailed sector taxonomy

  • Mapping themes, target groups and intervention types

  • Creating visual analysis tools to identify patterns and gaps

The result was a detailed overview of the Irish education nonprofit landscape and the role philanthropy might play within it.

Stage Three: Connecting Research & Evidence

To strengthen the analysis, I developed dedicated research models drawing on:

  • Irish policy and strategy documents

  • International education research

  • Best practice examples

  • Existing evidence on educational outcomes

This enabled the project to connect ecosystem mapping with evidence about what works.

Stage Four: From Learning to Action

The work helped the client move from a broad interest in education to a much clearer understanding of where philanthropy could potentially create additional value.

The next stage of the engagement involves identifying and assessing organisations aligned with these priorities.

Outcomes

  • Greater clarity on philanthropic priorities

  • Improved understanding of the education landscape

  • Identification of funding opportunities

  • Increased confidence in decision-making

  • A clear pathway from learning to action