Atlantic Philanthropies’ Legacy in Northern Ireland

Abstract

The final chapter of the book moves from a specific focus on peacebuilding activities funded by Atlantic Philanthropies in Northern Ireland to the breadth of their work in areas such as human rights, ageing and children and youth work. Using a typology developed by Fleishman (The foundation: A great American secret—How private wealth is changing the world. New York: Public Affairs, 2009), we consider the different roles played by Atlantic Philanthropies across a range of interventions in these areas. This allows for a more strategic examination of how Atlantic acted variously as a driver, partner and catalyst for social change. We then consider the all-important question of impact in the area of peacebuilding. We examine what Atlantic’s overall contribution to peacebuilding has been through the longitudinal lens of two key attitudinal variables: do we have a more inclusive/mixed society in Northern Ireland, and have better relationships developed between the two major communities? Finally, we consider Atlantic’s most notable achievements and its plans for sustaining changes beyond the lifetime of funded projects through its ongoing partnership work with government departments.