Contact: Talaya Grimes
Communications and Programs Manager
Tel: 240-755-4323
tgrimes@agag.org
www.africagrantmakers.org
Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group Releases New Report
“Making the Right Fit: Supporting NGOs in Africa Using Direct and Indirect Funding”
Washington, DC – The Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group (AGAG) has released the summary report of their recent study that asked a critical question often left unexamined in making grants to NGOs in Africa:
“Does how funders provide money to the organizations they support matter as much as what is funded?”
REPORT FINDS HOW NGOs IN AFRICA RECEIVE FUNDING DOES MATTER!
An important recommendation from the report is the need for more frank and direct discussion between foundations, intermediary organizations and African NGOs about the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches in reaching common funding goals. Communication is key when working at a distance for both foundations and African NGOs so each can gain a better understanding of constraints that may affect the funding partnership.
The report is based on interviews with staff members from a sample of 30 foundations, 11 intermediary organizations and five African NGOs that asked:
How all three types of organizations view and define organizational capacity.
How and why foundations use direct or indirect funding.
How African NGOs view the benefits of each approach.
Indirect funding describes support given through an international or local intermediary organization. In turn, these organizations subcontract work or re-grant funding to local NGOs to carry out specific projects. Direct funding describes when organizations receive funding directly from foundations rather than through an intermediary organization.
Of the foundations interviewed:
86 percent of foundations used one method (either direct or indirect funding) for 90 percent of their grants and 14 percent used a mixture of methods.
43 percent of foundations made part or all of their funding indirectly through intermediaries
57 percent of foundations used direct funding for part or all of their funding to NGOs in Africa.
The report found that African NGOs noted each method had different benefits in building organizational capacity:
Direct funding enables them to build a direct and valuable relationship with foundations.
Direct funding provided an opportunity to negotiate support for core and indirect costs.
Indirect funding through intermediary organizations often brings more relevant issue-area technical assistance and peer learning opportunities.
Indirect funding through intermediary organizations often has an integrated hands-on approach with more subject expertise about the local context.
Why foundations choose one method or the other:
Foundations stated that funding philosophy, legal requirements and budget constraints are some of the main reasons for choosing one approach over another.
Foundations that chose direct funding said that it provided a level of local engagement that cannot be achieved by funding an intermediary.
For foundations unable to fund directly, funding through intermediary organizations gave them an opportunity to support African NGOs.
The report’s findings and recommendations can serve as starting points for a dialogue between all stakeholders about the choice of funding method and the implications of that choice for all. These discussions can help foundations to ensure their grantmaking strategies are “Making the Right Fit” when seeking to support NGOs in Africa.
Download a copy of the report via www.africagrantmakers.org
The full report, Making the Right Fit: Supporting NGOs in Africa Using Direct and Indirect Funding report will be released later in 2011. The full report will give more details and analysis of the findings and recommendations.
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ABOUT THE AFRICA GRANTMAKERS AFFINITY GROUP (AGAG)
Our mission is to promote increased and more effective funding in Africa though building and sharing knowledge about grantmaking in Africa. AGAG has a diverse membership of grantmakers and is the only philanthropy organization focusing on Africa. As part of its learning agenda AGAG conducts research and organizes learning calls and meetings to capture and disseminate information about funding practices and strategies. To view our publications and learn about our activities, visit www.africagrantmakers.org
Ref: Introduction / Partnership.
We are taking this golden opportunity to officially introduce a Non- Profit Making Organization, working in one part of our Country Kenya, in Molo, for the purpose of collaboration / partnership and networking with Africa Grantmakers Association Group (AGAG) in the future in sharing skills and minimizing poverty in our project area. This will be achieved by incorporating peace building programs in the area because peace in the said area was affected by the post election violence of 2007- 2008. Peace in the project areas i.e. Molo, Njoro, and Kuresoi Districts, is peace in Kenya and its neighboring countries.
INTRODUCTION
Hope Creator Foundation (HCF) is a Non – Profit Making Organization and Registered under Community Based Organization (CBO) by the Government of Kenya Certificate Number 29921.
The Organization is based in Molo where it operates from. Molo town is 50kms from Nakuru town the headquarters of Rift Valley Province and its 200kms from Nairobi City. It is in Mau Escarpment found on the Western part of Rift Valley which is within the project area. It lies 2400m above sea level and receiving an average of 760-1270mm of rain annually.
On cultural values, different communities live in Molo e.g. Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Kisii, Luhya, Luo, etc and this makes it to be a cosmopolitan area. All the said communities were affected by the post election violence (PEV) of the year 2007-2008 and previous tribal clashes in the region and this affected the said communities both socially and economically in their day to day life.
HCF is working with the said communities on Socio-Economic/ Livelihoods projects, peace building being incorporated. We are also involved in solving problems of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s), and especially the women, who have been resettled by the government of Kenya in collaboration with other international organizations.
HCF is looking for donors/ partners who will help us to meet the set objectives, and on the resources we are looking for personnel(s) i.e. resource person(s) / volunteers to work with in different departments i.e. Agriculture and Livestock development, Water, Social Welfare and Public Health (and especially on Drugs and Substance Abuse which is a big problem as a result of post election violence (PEV).
Our organization is writing inquiring if it would be possible for the Africa Grantmakers Association Group (AGAG) to work with our Foundation in sharing skills and minimizing poverty in the project area, peace building being incorporated.
WHAT TO BE DONE (MITIGATION)
1. Education on peace to all.
2. Peace building
3. Conflict management
4. Holding focus group discussions (FGD).
5. Training politicians / local leaders on peace conservation.
6. Have common activities e.g. football matches and other sports.
7. To train TOT (Training of Trainers) on peace building and conflict management, who will continue educating the area communities on the importance of peace and on how to safeguard/ maintain it. This will make the programme sustainable even after the phase out of the project.
8. To have road shows to create awareness on the importance of peace and conservation in the area. Environmental degradation has been very bad. We shall address this issue.
9. To have cultural events to address peace and conservation. This will involve a registered group of old men and women of 65 years and above who came together to preach peace and reconciliation after the PEV (Post Election Violence) in the area, together with old men and women of the same category from other areas, to strengthen the culture of the different areas.
10. To have talent shows on peace / conservation.
11. To make sure that the project is owned by the community i.e. by involving them in all stages.
12. Involving other organizations working in the project area for collaboration / networking purposes on peace / minimizing poverty.
13. Counseling of PEV victims: They were left traumatized and they will need to heal.
14. Empowering the small business women selling / buying of vegetables and fruits in small scale in the mentioned towns / centres and especially Molo and Elburgon towns which received many PEV victims. This will reduce HIV/AIDs spread / infection in the project area. Peace and harmony will be realized in most homesteads.
15. Empowering the youth economically in all mentioned towns/ centres; this will reduce youth invading forests for charcoal and timber products for a living.
ADDRESSING CONSERVATION WITH PEACE BUILDING APPROACH
To create a clear awareness of the importance of conservation. Conservation cannot be done when there is conflict. The area communities will be trained on the importance of conservation and in peace building e.g. not farming on river banks, reforestation, and conservation of the river banks to have adequate and clean water, even for the people downstream.
This will reduce conflict and improve the social and economic status of the communities in the area.
Herbal plants will be conserved. These plants are important for all communities. Each community knows some area and what it contains, and will need the other community. The communities are interdependent. Peace will make them help one another. Integration will take place.
Fodders and pastures are needed by all; hence the communities will agree to work together in their conservation.
Please visit our website: http://www.hocref.org and Email: hcf65@yahoo.com to get more information on HCF.
You may share this information with other interested parties at your pleasure.
It is our trust and hope that this sharing will bring light towards sustainable peace and development in our project area.
With thanks,
Yours faithfully,
Eliud K. Ndegwa George C. Gikonyo
Coordinator, Hope Creator Foundation (HCF) & The Project Manager (HCF)
Dear admin,
im happy with what ua doing,my name is M ussa challa from Tanzania.i have a big dream of helping my orphanage in my ward who lost their parents due to the H,I,V deseases and who are living in hard environmental.
including me I came from that group.i dream to BUILD ORPHANAGE VOCATION TRAINING CENTRE IN
TOILLERING.MASSONRY.CARPENTY.FINE ARTS,i manageded to get a 5hectres for project.will u kindly find me a charity sponsoring me?