The Co. Monaghan Social Enterprise Network successfully held its second quarterly meeting on April 24th, 2026. Bringing together a diverse group of local leaders and stakeholders via MS Teams, the session focused on formalizing the network’s structure and identifying new growth opportunities for social enterprises across the county.
Formalizing Our Terms of Reference
Francis McCarron facilitated a review of the draft Terms of Reference (ToR), which were established to foster collaboration, peer learning, and capacity building within the county. He highlighted that the current version incorporates valuable feedback received from the inaugural meeting in January. The members present agreed to these revised terms and committed to signing and returning the documents to MID to formalize their participation in the network.
Guest Speaker from Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Monaghan
A highlight of the session was a guest presentation by Pamela Kerr, Head of Enterprise at Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Monaghan. Pamela provided a comprehensive overview of the various products and services LEO offers, specifically tailoring the discussion to how social enterprises can access these supports to scale their operations and benefit from LEO resources.
For more information, please see the guidance note from LEO Monaghan regarding available supports.
Strategic Roadmap for 2026
Jeyald Rasaratnam (MID) outlined an ambitious plan for the remainder of the year. Key upcoming projects include:
- Organizing Business Planning Workshops to strengthen organizational models.
- Developing a Co. Monaghan Social Enterprise Directory.
- Drafting a new Co. Monaghan Social Enterprise Strategy.
- Mapping local, national, and EU funding opportunities to support member growth.
Member Insights and Collaborative Growth
The open discussion focused on the sustainability of trading models and the power of collaborative growth.
- Gareth Conlon (Síolta Chroí) suggested pursuing joint applications for funding to increase success rates.
- Mark Lappin (Let’s Give Back Monaghan) shared his organization’s successful experience with a joint proposal for the New Solution Pilot Grant as a model for others.
- Kilian Cawley (CEO, MID) emphasized that MID is actively developing an ecosystem to support these joint applications and training to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Marianne McEneaney (MID) outlined the extensive support available through the LEADER programme, including funding for capital infrastructure, equipment, training, and technical support. She encouraged members to get in touch regarding currently available funds.
- Member Challenges: The group also discussed experiences with the Community Services Programme (CSP) and the Community Centre Fund. It was noted that many grant applications remain a challenge due to the exclusion of human resource (staffing) costs.
Looking Ahead: Governance and Leadership
To ensure the network is member-led, Francis McCarron explained the proposal to form a dedicated committee, including roles for a Chairperson, Secretary, PRO, and potentially a Treasurer. While MID will provide secretarial and coordination support during this two-year establishment phase, the formal election of this committee will take place at our next meeting.
Agreed Action Plan: Next Steps for 2026
Following the discussions, a strategic roadmap was agreed upon for the remainder of the year. The network committed to the following actions:
- Finalizing Membership: All members are to sign and return the Terms of Reference (ToR).
- Capacity Building: MID will share details on an upcoming Business Planning Workshop and begin developing a Co. Monaghan Social Enterprise Directory.
- Governance: The formal election of the Network Committee (Chairperson, Secretary, PRO, and Treasurer) will take place at the next meeting.
- Advocacy: The next meeting agenda will specifically address the complexity of grant applications and the issue of staffing costs.
Next Meeting
The network will meet again in person on August 21st, 2026, at the MID office in Castleblayney. We look forward to seeing all members there as we continue to drive social innovation in our community.