Welcome
Welcome to Dóchas, the Irish Network of international development and humanitarian organisations. In becoming a member you join over 55 organisations based in Ireland and working in more than 100 countries, ranging from small specialist nonprofits to large international NGOs with a worldwide presence. At Dóchas we provide a platform for you to connect, coordinate and collaborate with others, with the aim of amplifying our collective impact. Together, we work towards a world where poverty and inequality are eradicated, and human rights and sustainable development are realised for all.
This handbook outlines the key benefits of your membership, opportunities for engagement, and structures that support and govern your Network.
Our Principles
Independence
We believe strongly in the freedom, voice and legitimacy of civil society and we act independently of the state, political parties and business interests.
Integrity
Honesty, fairness and transparency will guide everything we do.
Inclusivity
We value equality and diversity and are non-discriminatory in all our actions.
Accountability
We commit to upholding the highest professional and ethical standards in all we do, and will always seek to be held to account by our stakeholders.
Dóchas Network Map
For an overview of your Network, including individual member profiles, areas of expertise, operations and interests, we invite you to explore the Dóchas Network Map.
As a member, if your organisation is not featured please contact programmesupport@dochas.ie.
For a full list of other members and their logos please click here.
Benefits of being a Dóchas member
Your membership offers a range of tangible and strategic benefits designed to strengthen your organisation, promote collaboration and maximise impact in our shared sector.
We ask that you keep us informed of who your focal points are for the main thematics in your organisation, and update us when there are changes. Please also nominate a main point of contact, and let us know who we should speak to regarding the status of membership, fees and information related to governance matters.
As part of the Dóchas Network, you will be either a Full Member, with your primary focus and spend on international development or Global Citizenship Education (GCE), or an Associate Member, with your international focus and spend making up less than 50% of overall activities.
While the full complement of benefits is open to both in terms of collaboration and representation, as a Full Member you will also contribute to Network governance, holding voting rights on issues such as new Board Directors and constitutional changes.
For a recap on types of membership and criteria, visit our Becoming A Member page and the Dóchas Constitution.
Getting Involved in the Network
Connect, Coordinate, Collaborate.
The primary aim of the Dóchas Network is to Connect, Coordinate and Collaborate to maximise impact for the sector. As a member you are eligible to take part in our wide selection of fora and events. Join thematic working groups, capacity-building initiatives and peer learning events, where members share best practices, build new partnerships, and explore innovative solutions together.
Our regular and ad hoc groups remain the most active and formal spaces for both shared learning and influencing policy. They offer spaces to:
- Share, learn and create solutions to common challenges
- Develop models of best practice and innovation
- Identify and represent the needs of the sector with stakeholders such as donors, the Charities Regulator, etc. in relation to specific thematic issues.
To see how you can get involved, visit our Members’ Portal for more information on the groups and spaces we offer.
Working Groups and Ad Hoc Fora on Dóchas Member Portal
As an employee of a Full or Associate member, working groups are open to your participation. Dóchas generally has at least ten active groups at any one time. We also create spaces for more informal, ad hoc collaboration as the need arises. These are generally for a shorter period of time, and may be aimed at facilitating collaboration on a specific campaign, policy development for a specific thematic, or in advance of a particular event. On occasion, non-members who have a role in the sector and can constructively contribute may be invited to join groups for a period, in consultation with the Secretariat, to achieve a specific objective.
Groups Communicate in a variety of ways
How frequently groups meet or interact, and in what format, is driven by their objectives and varies according to need, based on requirements for the sector. The Working Groups generally meet three to four times a year, though some meet more often. Groups also interact online through the Dóchas Member Portal on a regular basis, where relevant discussions and documents are accessible in a dedicated, secure space.
Groups are Member-led: Chairing a Group or Forum
While the way in which a group operates is driven by what it sets out to achieve, groups often choose to appoint Co-Chairs to help facilitate engagement. As a Co-Chair, you can play a valuable role in:
- Overseeing, supporting and leading the work of the group
- Setting the tone for the group’s work
- Convening meetings, coordinating follow up with members and liaising with wider stakeholders
- Ensuring that group members have the information needed to fulfil their aims
- Working closely with Dóchas staff to ensure the smooth running of the group
We ask that you keep us informed of who your focal points are for the main thematics in your organisation, and update us when there are changes. Please also nominate a main point of contact, and let us know who we should speak to regarding the status of membership, fees and information related to governance matters.
Convening Spaces - Stay Up to Date with Sector Developments
Participate in Dóchas convenings, webinars, and briefings, access research, and stay informed about national and global trends.
Convening Spaces
Throughout the year the Dóchas Secretariat convenes spaces for members through webinars, online and face-to-face meetings on particular topics or with key stakeholders in the development, humanitarian and Global Citizenship Education (GCE) spaces.
It also helps to bring together civil society representation for meetings of the wider sector, where government, intergovernmental, UN agencies or other stakeholders form part of convenings. We encourage you to participate in as many spaces as you can.
Events and Convening Spaces on Dóchas Member Portal
Dóchas AGM and Conferences
Dóchas brings all members together through our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and conferences. Civil society, government representatives, academia and a diverse range of internationally-regarded speakers and experts come together to discuss challenges, celebrate successes and inspire greater collaboration. Themes for our annual event(s) are drawn from the prevailing context within the development and humanitarian sector and are an exceptional opportunity for you to network with other members and exchange with peers and experts in the international arena.
Dóchas-Led Training and Expert-Led Learning
From time to time Dóchas offers structured training to members, such as the 2025 Leadership and Innovation Training Course run in conjunction with the UCD Innovation Academy. In addition, regular webinars bring invited speakers to engage on themes relevant to the membership, ranging from artificial intelligence and data protection to safeguarding, disability inclusion and human resource planning for the sector.
We ask that you keep us informed of who your focal points are for the main thematics in your organisation, and update us when there are changes. Please also nominate a main point of contact, and let us know who we should speak to regarding the status of membership, fees and information related to governance matters.
Help Represent Your Sector
As a national voice for the International Development and Humanitarian Sector in Ireland, being part of the Dóchas Network allows you to influence policies and behaviours for a better world. We encourage you to take part in forming the Dóchas voice and contributing to collective advocacy and policy dialogue. Our strength lies in combining policy and advocacy expertise and the experience of our members with our convening power, to exert collective influence.
Dóchas also supports you as a member to strengthen your ability to advocate on particular niche issues via channels such as the Working Groups and other peer collaboration and learning fora.
What does this mean in practice?
We develop coordinated policy positions and messaging and bring members together for collective action and joint advocacy initiatives on key issues of relevance to the sector. The Network takes a lead on analysing key trends in the sector, monitoring relevant national Government policies and developing strategies to influence policy and decision-makers. It also monitors developments at an EU and international level, primarily through alliances and global networks of which it maintains membership, such as CONCORD1, CIVICUS2 and Forus3, as well as with key stakeholders such as the Charities Regulatory Authority. We do this either through the Secretariat or by nominating representatives from amongst the membership.
For more detail on how we approach representation, please see the Principles of Engagement in the Network section of this Handbook.
- European Confederation of Relief and Development NGOs. https://concordeurope.org/
- Global alliance of civil society organisations and activists working to strengthen citizen action and civil society https://www.civicus.org/
- Global network of Civil Society Platforms http://forus-international.org/
Examples of Collective Action
We encourage you as a member to contribute to forming joint policy positions, where feasible, and to developing key messaging. The strength of the Network remains in the active participation and contribution of all our members.
The Dóchas Secretariat is available to support the creation, development and growth of collaboration between our members, in whatever format this may take. We are happy to facilitate meetings virtually or physically, as well as to maintain the digital systems that facilitate collaboration across the Network.
Principles of engagement
Engage in collective NGO advocacy and influencing
A major benefit of Dóchas membership is having increased access to high-level decision-makers. Dóchas convenes strategic meetings between members and senior leaders to discuss pressing development, humanitarian, and Global Citizenship Education (GCE) policy and operational issues. Being part of the Network offers you a unique platform to shape and deliver joint advocacy messages to Parliamentarians, Government Departments, UN agencies and other key actors. These messages are often developed through the Dóchas member-led Policy Group which defines objectives, tactics, and priorities collaboratively.
Our approach to advocacy
Our advocacy is grounded in humanitarian and development principles. It is guided by the diverse perspectives of our members. We strive to ensure member voices are reflected in all messaging. When views diverge, Dóchas Secretariat aims to highlight the range of perspectives rather than forcing consensus, offering a representative and nuanced voice for the sector. For example, where relevant we may put forward members holding differing perspectives on a theme in a panel discussion.
Our advocacy and supporting media is focused on issues and themes on which our members are operational. This includes international development, humanitarian action, climate mitigation and adaptation, and Global Citizenship Education (GCE). Our decision to speak out is driven by our members and/or by external events.
For issues that require a rapid or reactive response, Dóchas publishes statements in its own capacity as the Dóchas Network (e.g. Press releases / Opinion pieces / Letters / Social Media). These are rooted in member experiences and positions. While the Secretariat strives to consult members in advance, it is not always possible to circulate statements widely before publication.
For issues that relate to a specific country or region, we endeavour to consult first with members who are operational in these regions in developing our advocacy and supporting media.
We encourage members to lead on the development of public statements and letters on behalf of the Network. We are open to ideas and suggestions on which key issues we should advocate for, and how best to deliver this for optimum impact. Members are encouraged to raise this through the Working Groups they engage with, or directly with the Head of Policy and Advocacy.
Representation
Dóchas engages in many external platforms to influence policy and practice, and we rely on our members to support with representation.
Ad hoc representation
Representation at parliamentary committees, high level ministerial meetings, stakeholder meetings and Dóchas-led events is decided by the Dóchas Secretariat based on criteria relevant to the specific meeting or event. This is context-dependent, but generally includes a balance of:
- Engagement by member(s) on a particular topic or policy area
- Knowledge and experience on a particular theme or topic (i.e. subject matter experts)
- Diversity of perspective, location and background
- Public speaking/representation experience
The overarching aim of all representation is to have the highest level of impact for the Network, and final decisions on representation will always be driven by this criterion.
Formal representation:
We encourage you as a Dóchas member to collaborate, where relevant, with other external networks on behalf of Dóchas. If you wish to represent Dóchas please engage with our Head of Membership Engagement. Representatives are chosen through a selection process, for a defined period and bound by specific terms of reference. Members representing Dóchas must commit to regularly reporting back to the wider group and consulting on key positions and messages.
Members interacting with external bodies or networks are doing so on behalf of the Dóchas Network and not on behalf of an individual member agency.
Representation on official delegations:
Dóchas will continue to request CSO representation at high-level events, such as the United Nations General Assembly, ECO-SOC or other similar international fora. All requests for Dóchas representation are channelled through the Dóchas Secretariat. Your organisation can request to attend events under Dóchas representation.
Using the Dóchas Member Portal
Digital Transformation for Sectoral Impact
The Dóchas Members’ Portal is your digital gateway to Dóchas resources, events and sectoral updates. Visit the Portal now to see what Dóchas-led activities are coming up for the quarter ahead. To join most elements of the platform you will need a login. If you do not yet have one, get in touch by emailing programmesupport(at)dochas.ie.
Guidance Video
Our quick video will guide you through how to make the best use of the portal. You’ll also find answers to some of the most common questions in our FAQs section.
Staying informed
Staying Informed - Communication Channels
To stay up to date on what’s happening in the Network and the wider sector, choose from a range of communications. Follow our Social Media channels, sign up for the Wednesday News and the Monthly Member Catch Up, or browse our digital platforms.
Governance and team
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Dóchas is guided by the Dóchas Charter and Constitution (see also Key Documents section of this Handbook). The Network is governed by its members, through the AGM, which elects a Board to oversee the organisation on behalf of its members. Further details on the Governance Structure are outlined in the Dóchas Governance Manual.
Board
Dóchas is governed by a Board elected from among the Full Members. It oversees strategy, compliance, and fiduciary responsibilities, and is composed of a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine Directors. The Board can co-opt up to three External Directors, who are not associated with any member organisation. To be selected, External Directors need the support of the majority (75%) of members at an AGM.
Board members are elected to serve for a term of three years, at the end of which they will be deemed to have retired. They can serve up to three terms of three years as Director.
Member organisations will be notified of Board vacancies approximately three months in advance of the AGM. A Full Member can nominate anyone within their organisation, with the required skills, to stand for election to the Board.
See the current Dóchas Board here.
Board Committees
To support its governance and strategic oversight, the Dóchas Board has established three committees:
- Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
- Governance Committee
- HR & Remuneration Committee
Secretariat - The Dóchas Team
The Dóchas membership and Board are supported by the Secretariat, a small, dynamic team who bring a diverse range of skills and knowledge to the organisation. The team works to develop and implement Dóchas’ Strategy and promote the work of the Network. It implements strategic goals, promotes collaboration, coordinates member engagement, organises events and communications, and manages external relations and advocacy.
Find out more about our team here.
Data Protection
Dóchas complies with the requirements of relevant Irish legislation, including the Data Protection Act (1988), the Data Protection (Amendment) Act (2003), the Data Protection Act (2018) and the General Data Protection Regulation (2018). The Dóchas Data Protection Policy applies to all Personal Data collected, processed and stored by Dóchas in relation to its employees, service providers, members and others (e.g. event participants) in the course of its activities. Dóchas makes no distinction between the rights of Data Subjects who are employees and those who are not. Dóchas will never share member or personal data with third parties for their own marketing or other purposes, though they may share data if legally required, to complete a service requested by the user, or with trusted service providers who are bound by confidentiality agreements. For a full Data Protection Statement see here.
Key documents
As a Network member you are a signatory to the following Charters and Dóchas-led sectoral standards:
- The Dóchas Constitution
-
The Dóchas Charter:
A declaration of the Network's values and commitments. -
The Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications:
Outlines principles for representing communities and individuals with dignity. -
The Dóchas Leadership Safeguarding Charter:
Sets expectations for safeguarding practices across member organisations.
In becoming a member of the Dóchas Network, you commit to upholding the principles and standards set out in the various documents above. In the case of the Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications and the Dóchas Safeguarding Charter, we aim to provide support to members on how they can be implemented. We do this in a variety of ways, including periodic webinars and peer learning sessions. If you would like additional support on how to work with these standards, get in touch and we will be pleased to advise on how we can support you.
Membership fees
Membership fees are a primary source of income for Dóchas, alongside support from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and additional project-specific grants. Fees are scaled according to organisation size and are reviewed periodically.
Our fee structure is based on four key principles:
- A transparent and fair fee system that respects and encourages a diverse and inclusive network committed to international development and humanitarian action.
- A structure that allows appropriate and sustainable income growth for the Dóchas Secretariat so that it remains fit for purpose to meet the needs of its members.
- A structure that maintains the members’ ownership and independence of the Network by ensuring an appropriate balance between membership funding and institutional grants.
- A system that is efficient and clear in order to minimise administrative costs, and allow multi-annual planning for both members and the Secretariat.
How do we calculate member fees?
Fees for Full Membership are calculated based on an organisation’s total income in the previous financial year. For the purpose of calculating fees, Full Members must submit Annual Audited Accounts that clearly show the organisation’s total income figure for the previous financial year, by 30th June each year.
Fees for Associate Membership are based on an organisation’s income spent on their international development programmes in the previous financial year. Associate Members are required to provide Dóchas with a copy of their most recent financial statement or operational budget, clearly showing their international programme spend, by 30th June each year, in order to calculate the fee. Associate Members must also submit their audited accounts or budgets for the previous financial year to Dóchas by 30th June each year.
Full Member fees are based on the following band system:
| Band | Total Income | Membership Fee € | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min Income | Max Income (<) | ||
| 1 | €0 | €100,000 | €250 |
| 2 | €100,000 | €500,000 | €500 |
| 3 | €500,000 | €1,000,000 | €800 |
| 4 | €1,000,000 | €1,500,000 | €1,800 |
| 5 | €1,500,000 | €2,000,000 | €2,500 |
| 6 | €2,000,000 | €5,000,000 | €3,000 |
| 7 | €5,000,000 | €10,000,000 | €4,500 |
| 8 | €10,000,000 | €20,000,000 | €5,500 |
| 9 | €20,000,000 | €40,000,000 | €8,500 |
| 10 | €40,000,000 | €60,000,000 | €15,000 |
| 11 | €60,000,000 | Upwards | €20k + 0.25% of Unrestricted Income. Fee capped at €30,000 |
Valid October 2025, fees may be subject to change.
For Associate Members, the same bands and fees apply, but income levels are based on international programme spend rather than on total income.
Fee payment
Members are asked to submit relevant information, on request, to enable Dóchas to calculate the appropriate membership fee for the current financial year. All members are expected to pay their Annual Membership Fee within 30 days of receiving the invoice, and adhere to the Dóchas’ Debt Collection Policy. Where disputes arise, a process is in place for addressing the situation – see Membership Accountability, Disputes and Complaints Section of this Handbook.
Accountability, Disputes and Complaints
Membership Accountability
In becoming a member of the Dóchas Network, all organisations (Full and Associate Members) have responsibilities and are expected to comply with the Rules for Membership as laid out in the Dóchas Constitution and in the criteria for membership. In paying annual fees, members reaffirm this commitment, as stated in the invoice process. Members should also ensure that the organisation’s aims, objectives and practice reflect the spirit and intention of the Dóchas Network.
Any member organisation facing a serious governance or any other related issue that could pose a reputational risk to Dóchas, its members, or the Irish international development sector, is required to notify Dóchas in a timely manner in order to help mitigate the risk. Any information will be treated in confidence.
A review of an organisation’s membership may be necessary where members fail to attend three successive AGMs, or fail to pay their Annual Membership Fee in the required 30 days from the date on which the invoice is issued.
Any member organisation that appears, in the Board’s opinion, to have ceased to comply with the requirements noted above or that by its actions, statements, activities or behaviour is considered to bring Dóchas, its members, or the Irish International development sector into disrepute, shall have its membership reviewed.
Where there are issues that cannot be resolved, and it is questioned whether a member may be in breach of its commitments in relation to membership, it may be necessary to temporarily or permanently suspend its membership status. In this case, the following policy and process will apply:
Suspension of a Member
The Board may suspend a member [Ref: Article 5(f) of Dóchas Constitution] for a period of up to twelve months (or, at the discretion of the Board, for a period exceeding twelve months), if it finds that the member:
- Is not adhering to the regulations set out in the Dóchas Constitution;
- Is not observing the values and principles of Dóchas;
- Is not complying with Dóchas policies, standards, codes of practice and such other regulations as outlined in the Membership Handbook;
- Has not paid their Annual Membership Fee in line with the requirements of the Dóchas Debt Collection Policy
- By their actions, statements, activities or behaviour is considered to bring Dóchas, its members or the Irish International development and humanitarian sector into disrepute;
- Has been removed from the Register of Charities by the Charities Regulator.
View the full process for suspension here.
Dóchas Complaints Policy and Procedure
Dóchas is committed to the highest standards of practice in all of its dealings with its members, with the public and with all stakeholders. In the event that disputes arise within the membership, it is expected that these will be resolved wherever possible proactively and through positive dialogue and engagement with the Secretariat. Complaints may also be raised via the process set out below.
If you have a complaint about any aspect of the work of Dóchas, you can contact the Head of Membership Engagement, by email or by telephone. In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by this role-holder (or another office holder with sufficient seniority to address the complaint). Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing relevant contact details.
You may however at any stage make your complaint to the Charities Regulator who oversees charities compliance. If you wish to contact them regarding a concern, you must complete their Online Concerns Form, available on their website.
How to Make a Complaint or Give Feedback to Dóchas
Phone: 01 4053801
Email: membershipengagement(at)dochas.ie, or use the Contact Form or Email Us buttons available on our website.
What Should You Include in Your Complaint?
Please include your name and relevant contact details, including telephone number and email or address, and your preferred method of communication. Briefly describe what your complaint is about, stating relevant dates and times, if applicable
Please let us know if you are acting on behalf of someone else.
What Happens Next?
If you complain in-person or over the phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. Similarly, if you complain by email or in writing we will always acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide a new deadline.
What If the Complaint is Not Resolved?
If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to the CEO of Dóchas at ceo(at)dochas.ie. The CEO will acknowledge your ongoing complaint within 5 days, review the response to your complaint and do everything possible to resolve it within 30 days.
In the case that you are not satisfied with that response you may get in touch in writing with the Chairperson of the Board, who will review the response to your complaint and do everything possible to resolve it within 30 days.
If You Have Feedback or a Complaint About a Dóchas Member Organisation
In the first instance you should address your complaint to the organisation as outlined in their complaints policy.
You may, however, at any stage make your complaint to the Charities Regulator who oversees charities compliance. If you wish to contact them regarding a concern, you must complete their online concerns form on their website.
Learning Lessons
We take your complaints seriously and try to learn from any mistakes we have made. A report on the number and type of complaints made to Dóchas is shared with the Board on a regular basis.
Our approach is rooted in fairness, respect, and adherence to our shared codes of practice. We listen and respond to the views of our members, as well as those of the general public, so that we can continue to improve. We aim to ensure that:
- It is as easy as possible to make a complaint or raise a concern
- We treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our organisation that calls for a response
- We treat it seriously whether it is made by telephone, letter, email or in person
- We deal with it quickly and politely
- We respond accordingly – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, and information on any action taken etc
- We learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at our Board