# New Consensus Group

> group promoting a devolved government in Northern Ireland

**Wikidata**: [Q105737593](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105737593)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/new-consensus-group

## Summary
New Consensus Group is a political party based in Northern Ireland that promotes devolved government and adheres to unionist ideology. Founded around 1989, the organization operates under the aliases NCG and New Consensus, and received $500,000 in general support funding from the Open Society Foundations in 2020.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: New Consensus Group is a political party, defined as an organization that seeks to influence government policy and actions and be elected to directly take part in government or legislation.
- **Alternative Names**: The organization is also known as NCG and New Consensus.
- **Geographic Base**: Operates in Northern Ireland.
- **Founding Date**: Established circa 1989, according to the Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) at Ulster University.
- **Political Ideology**: Subscribes to unionism in Ireland, as reported by *The Irish Times*.
- **Core Mission**: Functions as a group promoting a devolved government in Northern Ireland.
- **Major Funding**: Received $500,000 from Open Society Foundations in 2020 to provide general support.
- **Primary Documentation**: Detailed in CAIN at https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/organ/norgan.htm (accessed March 2, 2021).
- **Funding Source**: Open Society Foundations grant record available at https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-75890 (accessed January 21, 2025).

## FAQs
**What is New Consensus Group?**  
New Consensus Group is a Northern Ireland-based political party that advocates for devolved government while maintaining a unionist ideological stance. It was founded around 1989 and also operates under the abbreviations NCG and New Consensus.

**When was New Consensus Group established?**  
The organization was founded circa 1989, though the exact date is not precisely documented in available sources.

**What political ideology does New Consensus Group follow?**  
New Consensus Group adheres to unionism in Ireland, positioning itself within the unionist political tradition while specifically promoting devolved government structures for Northern Ireland.

**Who provides financial support to New Consensus Group?**  
Open Society Foundations granted $500,000 to New Consensus Group in 2020 for general support purposes, representing a significant funding relationship with the international grantmaking organization.

**What is the primary mission of New Consensus Group?**  
The group explicitly promotes the establishment and maintenance of a devolved government in Northern Ireland, distinguishing its focus on regional autonomy within the broader context of unionist politics.

**Where can I find official information about New Consensus Group?**  
The Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) at Ulster University hosts organizational details at https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/organ/norgan.htm, while funding information appears in Open Society Foundations' grant records.

## Why It Matters
New Consensus Group occupies a specific niche in Northern Ireland's complex political landscape by bridging unionist ideology with active promotion of devolved government. This combination is significant because it represents a unionist voice that explicitly champions the power-sharing institutions established by the Good Friday Agreement, rather than opposing them. The organization's existence since 1989 indicates long-term engagement with Northern Ireland's political evolution through decades of conflict, peace negotiations, and subsequent governance challenges. Its receipt of $500,000 from Open Society Foundations in 2020 demonstrates international recognition and support for its approach to conflict resolution and democratic development. The funding from a major international philanthropic organization suggests the group's activities align with broader peacebuilding and civil society strengthening efforts in post-conflict regions. As a documented entity in the CAIN archive—a authoritative academic resource on the Troubles and subsequent peace process—New Consensus Group's historical trajectory provides researchers with a case study of how political parties navigate identity-based politics while advocating for institutional solutions. The group's dual identity as both a unionist party and a devolution advocate makes it relevant to understanding contemporary Northern Irish politics, particularly as debates continue over the stability and future of devolved institutions.

## Notable For
- **Ideological Synthesis**: Combines unionist political identity with active advocacy for devolved government, a potentially nuanced position within Northern Ireland's traditionally binary political landscape.
- **Significant International Funding**: Secured $500,000 from Open Society Foundations in 2020, indicating substantial external support for its peace and governance initiatives.
- **Longevity**: Maintained organizational presence since approximately 1989, spanning the pre-ceasefire, peace process, and post-Agreement periods.
- **Academic Documentation**: Recorded in the Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN), a premier academic repository for organizations involved in Northern Ireland's conflict and peace process.
- **Distinctive Mission**: Specifically focuses on promoting devolved government rather than broader unionist or nationalist objectives, giving it a specialized organizational purpose.
- **Multiple Identifiers**: Known interchangeably as New Consensus Group, New Consensus, and NCG, providing flexibility in branding and communication.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
New Consensus Group operates as a political party within Northern Ireland's specialized political system. As an organization seeking to influence government policy and actions through electoral participation, it fits the formal definition of a political party. The entity maintains two recognized aliases—NCG and New Consensus—allowing it to present itself with varying formality depending on context. Its documented presence in Northern Ireland positions it within the region's unique power-sharing political architecture.

### Historical Origins
The organization emerged circa 1989, a period preceding the formal peace process that would begin in the early 1990s. This founding date places New Consensus Group among entities that existed during the final decade of the Troubles, giving it historical continuity through the 1994 ceasefires, the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, and the subsequent devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The approximate nature of the 1989 founding date, indicated by sourcing circumstances, suggests limited public documentation of its exact formation moment.

### Ideological Framework
New Consensus Group's political ideology centers on unionism in Ireland, aligning it with political traditions supporting Northern Ireland's constitutional position within the United Kingdom. However, its specific mission to promote devolved government creates a functional distinction from unionist parties that have historically opposed or been ambivalent about power-sharing institutions. This positions the group as advocating for robust local governance within the unionist constitutional framework. The Irish Times has documented this ideological stance, confirming its unionist orientation while noting its peace group functions.

### Funding and Institutional Support
In 2020, Open Society Foundations provided New Consensus Group with a substantial grant of $500,000 designated for general support. This funding relationship connects the organization to one of the world's largest private philanthropic networks, which focuses on building tolerant societies and supporting democratic governance. The grant's "general support" designation indicates flexible funding for core operations rather than project-specific activities, suggesting trust in the organization's overall mission and capacity. The transaction is publicly recorded in Open Society Foundations' grant database, providing transparency for researchers and policymakers.

### Documentation and Verification
Three primary sources verify New Consensus Group's existence and characteristics. The Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN), hosted by Ulster University, maintains an organizational profile at https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/organ/norgan.htm, last accessed on March 2, 2021. This academic archive serves as the authoritative source for its 1989 founding date. *The Irish Times* provides ideological clarification in a profile accessed on the same date. Funding details derive directly from Open Society Foundations' official grant records, accessed on January 21, 2025, confirming the 2020 financial support. These multiple independent sources establish the organization's credibility and track record across political, academic, and philanthropic domains.

## References

1. [Source](https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/organ/norgan.htm)
2. [Source](https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/founder-member-of-new-consensus-peace-group-1.574776)
3. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-75890)