National award for Kilkenny Volunteer Centre

Kilkenny Volunteer Centre has once again been recognised nationally for excellence in governance, transparency and accountability, winning the top prize in their category at the 2025 Good Governance Awards, held on Wednesday, November 19, at Chartered Accountants House in Dublin.

The Centre was named the Overall Winner of Category 2, which celebrates non-profits with an annual turnover of €100,000–€250,000.   This is the organisation’s second major governance achievement, having previously secured the same award in 2023.

The Good Governance Awards — now in their 10th year — were established by Carmichael to honour charities and community organisations that demonstrate outstanding leadership and best practice in their annual reporting.   More than 120 organisations from across Ireland entered the 2025 awards, with their reports assessed by a panel of experts from the nonprofit, legal, financial and academic sectors.

Other charitable organisations honoured on the night included Chronic Pain Ireland, IDEA, Belong To, Women’s Aid, Oxfam and the Rehab Group. 

Announcing the winners, the judging panel praised Kilkenny Volunteer Centre for continuing to strengthen and refine its governance structures.   They noted that the organisation’s recent annual report “showed further maturity and clarity” and commended the report for the “honest discussion of challenges, the robust financial statements” and for “demonstrating an exceptional commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.”

Salena Grace, Manager of Kilkenny Volunteer Centre, said the team was thrilled to be recognised once again: “Winning a Good Governance Award for the second time is a tremendous honour for our organisation. It reflects the hard work and dedication of our board, staff and volunteers who strive every day to ensure that Kilkenny Volunteer Centre operates to the highest standards. Governance isn’t something you achieve once — it is something you build, maintain and constantly strengthen. We are proud that our efforts have been acknowledged at a national level.”

Newly appointed Chairperson Alan Curtis highlighted the organisation’s commitment to ongoing development: “This award is a testament to our belief in always striving to do better. Good governance is not a static goal — it’s an evolving process that requires reflection, learning and improvement.   As a board, we are continually working to enhance our practices so that we can be the strongest organisation possible for the people and communities we serve. Being recognised again this year confirms that we are moving in the right direction.”

The achievement comes during a period of continued growth for Kilkenny Volunteer Centre, which supports volunteering and community engagement throughout County Kilkenny.  

Further details on the Good Governance Awards can be found at goodgovernanceawards.ie. To learn more about Kilkenny Volunteer Centre, visit volunteerkilkenny.ie.