Dóchas
Dóchas is a Dublin-based non-profit membership network founded in 1974, representing 56 Irish international development and humanitarian organisations. It funds a 28-person secretariat through membership fees, an Irish Aid grant, and project-specific grants, delivering policy advocacy, the Worldview public attitudes research, and EU Presidency programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dóchas does
Dóchas is the Irish membership network for organisations working in international development and humanitarian action. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Dublin, it connects 47 full members and 9 associate members (56 total) — including organisations such as Trócaire, Concern Worldwide, GOAL, Oxfam Ireland, Plan International Ireland, and World Vision Ireland — that collectively operate in more than 100 countries. The organisation is structured as a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, governed by a Board drawn from member organisations and external directors, with a 28-person secretariat led by CEO Jane-Ann McKenna.
Dóchas's product surface is non-software but content- and advocacy-led. Core offerings include the Worldview public attitudes research programme (a nationally representative annual tracker of Irish attitudes to overseas development aid, run with Ipsos B&A), the Global Solidarity Hub for mass-audience public engagement at Irish festivals, the Guide to Ethical Communications and Safeguarding Charter as sector standards, policy papers for Ireland's 2026 EU Council Presidency, The Development Brief podcast, and a weekly newsletter. Underlying technology is limited to a Salesforce-based member portal, the website, and a research dashboard — the organisation is explicitly a network, not a technology company.
The revenue model combines three streams: recurring membership fees from member organisations (scaled to total income for full members, or to international-development spend for associates), a primary institutional grant from Irish Aid (the Irish Government's overseas development assistance programme), and smaller project-specific grants including EU funding tied to the 2026 Presidency programme. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed. Member acquisition is community-led, with eligibility criteria (headquartered in Ireland or Northern Ireland, minimum two years established, primary focus on international development) gating full-membership access.
Dóchas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dóchas
- Legal name
- Dóchas
- Website
- https://dochas.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dóchas is a Dublin-based non-profit membership network founded in 1974, representing 56 Irish international development and humanitarian organisations. It funds a 28-person secretariat through membership fees, an Irish Aid grant, and project-specific grants, delivering policy advocacy, the Worldview public attitudes research, and EU Presidency programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dóchas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development Advocacy and NGO Network Services
- NAICS
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)
Keywords
Where Dóchas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dóchas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Full and associate members pay membership fees based on their total income (full members) or income spent on international development programmes (associate members). Fee structure is designed to be transparent, fair, and sustainable for both the network and members.
- Irish Aid Grant: Primary institutional funding received from Irish Aid, the Irish Government's overseas development assistance programme.
- Project-Specific Grants: Smaller grants received for specific projects or pieces of work, including EU-funded programmes such as the EU Presidency activities (2026).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full Membership for international development NGOs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Dóchas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dóchas operates as Ireland's membership network for international development and humanitarian organisations, offering coordination, policy advocacy, shared standards, public engagement research, and capacity-building resources to its 56 member organisations. It sells access to its network, advocacy platforms, and sector resources in exchange for annual membership fees, and supplements this with funded programmes such as the EU Presidency 2026 initiative.
Product overview
Dóchas is Ireland's network of international development and humanitarian organisations, operating as a membership-based association rather than a software product company. The organisation's offerings include the Worldview public engagement research programme tracking Irish attitudes to overseas development aid, the Global Solidarity Hub for public outreach, the Guide to Ethical Communications and Safeguarding Charter as standards documents for member organisations, the EU Presidency Programme supporting Ireland's 2026 Council Presidency, The Development Brief podcast for sector communication, the weekly Wednesday News newsletter, policy papers on development cooperation, an interactive Network Map, and a Members Handbook. These products and services work together to connect, strengthen, and represent Dóchas's 56 member organisations working in international development and humanitarian action.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Worldview: A nationally representative public engagement research project tracking Irish attitudes towards international development cooperation and overseas development aid, launched in 2020.
- Global Solidarity Hub
- The Development Brief
Products and services
- Worldview Public Attitudes Research Programme A nationally representative annual public engagement research programme (conducted with Ipsos B&A) that tracks Irish attitudes towards overseas development aid, global poverty, equality and justice, and identifies audience segments, communication drivers and levers for changing public attitudes. Available to members and the public via an interactive dashboard.
- Global Solidarity Hub A collaborative initiative led by Dóchas member organisations that engages the Irish public on global development issues and Ireland's overseas development aid programme at festivals and public events such as the National Ploughing Championships, Beyond the Pale, and All Together Now.
- Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications An established standards resource for international humanitarian and development NGOs providing guidelines on ethical communications, covering authentic representation, contributor-led stories, informed consent, and upholding standards. Available in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish.
- Dóchas Safeguarding Charter A sector-wide charter aiming to build and strengthen a robust safeguarding culture for the development and humanitarian sector in Ireland, including Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment (PSEAH).
- Dóchas EU Presidency 2026 Programme A programme of capacity-building, public awareness and policy dialogue activities supporting Ireland's Presidency of the European Council (July-December 2026), focusing on civil society in international cooperation, financing for sustainable development, and climate and food security.
- The Development Brief Podcast A podcast series examining Development and Ireland's EU Presidency, featuring interviews with Government Ministers, Brussels insiders, and sector experts on topics including the MFF, Global Gateway, Global Europe, and the Worldview Project.
- Wednesday News Newsletter A weekly newsletter sharing information, updates, and opportunities relating to the Irish international development and humanitarian sector, including events, jobs, trainings, and resources.
- Dóchas Policy Papers Policy papers produced by Dóchas on international development cooperation, including 'The Future of Development Cooperation: Civil Society's Ambition for Ireland's EU Presidency' and papers on the future funding of sustainable development for fragile and conflict-affected states.
- Dóchas Network Map An interactive map showing Dóchas members' network across Ireland and internationally.
- Dóchas Members Handbook A comprehensive handbook for Dóchas members covering network operations, principles of engagement, member portal usage, governance, accountability, and membership fees.
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% of Irish public support Government providing ODA to developing countries (Worldview research)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dóchas
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dóchas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dóchas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CONCORDcoreCONCORD is the European Confederation of NGOs working on sustainable development and international cooperation. Dóchas participates as a member, connecting the Irish development sector to European advocacy and policy influence through CONCORD's network of 57 member organisations representing over 2,600 NGOs.
- ForuscoreForus is an innovative global network representing over 24,000 civil society organisations. Dóchas connects Irish CSOs to this global platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and international advocacy.
- ICVA (Interagency Standing Committee for Voluntary Organisations)coreICVA is a global network of NGOs focused on making humanitarian action more principled and effective. Dóchas connects Irish humanitarian organisations to this global humanitarian coordination network.
- CIVICUScoreCIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists working to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world. Dóchas provides a national voice within this international civil society alliance.
- WeActminorWeAct is a campaign to celebrate Ireland's charities and community groups. Dóchas participates in this Irish civil society celebration and awareness campaign.
- Ipsos Behaviour & AttitudescoreIpsos B&A conducts the nationally representative Worldview public attitudes research study each year via their online panel. The research partner provides methodological expertise and data collection for tracking Irish attitudes to overseas development aid.
- TrócairecoreTrócaire is a founding member of the Global Solidarity Hub, collaborating with other Dóchas members to engage the Irish public on global justice and human rights issues at festivals and events.
- Sightsavers IrelandcoreSightsavers Ireland is a founding member of the Global Solidarity Hub, working with other Dóchas members to promote disability inclusion and global development through public engagement activities.
- Global Cooperation InstituteminorPartnered with Dóchas on thought leadership for the 'Ireland as a Model Power' foreign policy vision document.
- Seek DevelopmentminorProvided input into the 'Ireland as a Model Power' foreign policy vision document developed by Dóchas and the Global Cooperation Institute.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dóchas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Forus: Global network of national NGO platforms representing 24,000+ civil society organisations. Forus is both a partner of Dóchas and a structural peer — each national platform (Dóchas, Bond, etc.) is a Forus member performing similar convening roles at country level.
- VENRO: German umbrella association of development and humanitarian NGOs with ~140 members. VENRO is the closest German analogue to Dóchas, providing collective advocacy, member services, and policy representation to German INGOs.
- Partos: Dutch umbrella association of organisations active in international development. Partos mirrors Dóchas's role in convening Dutch INGOs, setting sector standards, and engaging with Dutch government and EU policymakers.
- Coordination SUD: French national coordination platform for international development and humanitarian NGOs. Directly comparable to Dóchas in role and structure, representing French INGOs in policy dialogue with the French government and EU institutions.
- InterAction: Largest US-based alliance of international NGOs and partners, with 200+ members. Comparable to Dóchas in that it convenes US INGOs for collective advocacy, policy representation, and sector standards, but at much larger scale.
- Bond: UK membership network for organisations working in international development. Bond is Dóchas's closest structural peer in the British/Irish NGO ecosystem, performing the same convening, advocacy, and standards-setting role for ~300 UK-based INGOs.
Broad incumbents
- CONCORD: European confederation of NGO platforms for sustainable development and international cooperation. CONCORD is both a Dóchas partner and a 'super-platform' — Dóchas sits beneath it, similar to how Bond sits beneath CONCORD for the UK.
Regional players
- ACFID: Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for Australian NGOs working in international development. Functionally identical to Dóchas but operating in Australia rather than Ireland, with similar code-of-conduct and advocacy roles.
Emerging players
- ICVA: Global network of NGOs focused on principled and effective humanitarian action. ICVA overlaps with Dóchas on the humanitarian side of its membership and is an active partner; overlap is partial because ICVA focuses on humanitarian coordination rather than development advocacy.
Others
- Irish Aid: Irish Government's official overseas development assistance programme. Irish Aid is Dóchas's primary institutional funder and a key counterpart in policy dialogue; not a peer in the convening sense, but the most important ecosystem relationship for Dóchas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dóchas social profiles
Digital presenceDóchas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dóchas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Dóchas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dóchas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dóchas
What does Dóchas do?
Dóchas operates as Ireland's membership network for international development and humanitarian organisations, offering coordination, policy advocacy, shared standards, public engagement research, and capacity-building resources to its 56 member organisations. It sells access to its network, advocacy platforms, and sector resources in exchange for annual membership fees, and supplements this with funded programmes such as the EU Presidency 2026 initiative.
Is Dóchas a public or private company?
Dóchas is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Dóchas founded?
Dóchas was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dóchas based?
Dóchas is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Dóchas make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are irish Aid Grant and project-Specific Grants.
Who are Dóchas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Forus, VENRO, Partos, Coordination SUD, InterAction and Bond. CONCORD is listed as a broad incumbent. ACFID is listed as a regional player. ICVA is listed as an emerging player. Irish Aid is listed as an others.
Does Dóchas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dóchas.
What industry is Dóchas in?
Dóchas's product category is International Development Advocacy and NGO Network Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAI, Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs, with a secondary code of BPADAEAH, Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance. Its NAICS code is 8139 and its SIC code is 8600.