Comunidad - Partnership News - Summer 2006
- In This Issue
- The BPP Convenes its Seventh Learning Community in Brownsville, Texas
- Real Time Consulting Corner
- Que pasa? News from Border Community Foundations
- Executive Director's Corner: Charo Mann - Texas Valley Communities Foundation, Stephanie Johnson-Burick - Southern New Mexico Community Foundation, Pat Graham-Casey - Frontera Women's Fund
- Philanthropic Leakage: A Four-Part Special Commentary to the Herald Review by Carla Roberts
- Help Local Response to Flooding around Cd. Juarez, Mexico
- Cochise Groups Collaborate With Counterparts In Mexico
- Community for All Ages Symposium Launches Douglas Area Community Fund
- HIPPY in Laredo: A Testament to Collaboration
- ICF Releases Report on Critical Health Risks Faced Across the San Diego-Baja California Border Region
- Corporate Giving Trends in the US-Mexico Border Region Report Released
- The BPP's New Home and Faces
- Upcoming Events and Professional Opportunities
- About the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership
- Improving the organizational capacity of border community foundations;
- Strengthening the peer learning, advocacy and communications network;
- Engaging additional corporate, government and foundation partners in the partnership; and
- Creating a community philanthropy capacity building support infrastructure.
- CONALEP: CONASEP represents a model of community collaboration by offering computer training to non profits in the community, offering skill development training to local residents such as welding classes, and elder care giving. All of these resources are made available to the larger community thanks in large part to the work of FESAC in ensuring extensive local media coverage of the work of CONALEP. FESAC also was instrumental in brokering a donation of equipment from the University of UTAH to CONALEP for the realization of a study on the ill effects of dust in the region of Nogales.
- Centro Comunitario Guadalupano: FESAC has supported the Guadalupano community center which has been a critical hub of convening local non profits that provide services in the area of community health particualalry in diabetes education and prevention and cervical cancer. The center also provides services to migrants by collecting and redistributing clothing and personal care items to migrants who wish to stay in the region and look for work.
- TOM (Transformadora de México): FESAC transfers donations from donors to TOM, an organization that provides education and advocacy to schools, rehabilitation centers, grassroots organizations on the importance and proper recycling methods.
- Santa Cruz Community Foundation: FESAC provides support to CERESO a non profit that offers parenting skills training and psychiatric services to low income community residents. In September of 2006, in collaboration with its sister border community foundation, the Santa Cruz Community Foundation, FESAC will initiate a binational effort to support local efforts around youth education of HIV/AIDS and Diabetes. Two, conditions which are equaling increasing in them Ambos Nogales region.
- Limitations in staff or other capability that prevent local grassroots organizations from engaging in cost effective activities to encourage local giving.
- Competition from larger nonprofit agencies - often from outside the area - that are better equipped to capture local giving.
- Limitations in planned giving opportunities, such as options in estate planning that appeal to local residents.
- Arizona nonprofits employ more people (105,500) than the mining industry (12,900), wholesale trade (93,600), and a combination of transportation, communications and utilities industries (92,700).
- The nonprofit sector payroll in Arizona totals $2.6 billion.
- The sector imports money into Arizona through public and private grants.
- The work force is improved through experiences and job training provided to nonprofit employees and volunteers.
- Additional jobs are generated through the purchase of real property and supplies used in the course of business, as well as the renovation and construction of buildings.
- Have I given where I feel most concerned?
- Where is my donation going?
- Where and how will it be used?
- How much will be used to cover the cost of the fund-raising and administration?
- Do I want to invest in organizational capacity to deliver services?
- How will this make my community a better place to live?
- The prospect of Medicare accessibility for American retirees in Mexico
- Improvements in the use of technology, particularly tele-medicine
- Expansion of cross-border health services
- Formalization of cross-border anti-trafficking teams
- Re-designing disease-specific programs; and
- Moving beyond crisis to prevention so as to expand the financing of cross-border health services.
- While there are notable exceptions of corporations setting the standard through their philanthropic leadership (Mattel, Johnson & Johnson, Sony, Sanyo, Medtronic, Kyocera and GM), for the vast majority of companies operating maquiladoras along Mexico's northern border, charitable giving is substantially lower in Mexican border communities when compared to contributions made to comparable nonprofits in the United States.
- Of the companies surveyed, 65.5% contributed $10,000 or less in cash donations to charitable causes annually, and 25.5% contributed nothing to charities along the border where they operated. A mere 9.1% gave over $10,000 annually.
- Limited funding authority at plant manager level. Only 10% of maquila managers have funding authority above $10,000. 66% can fund up to $1,000. Lesss than 25% can authorize funding up to $10,000.
- In-kind assistance is preferred over cash donations. Among maquiladora operations, the preferred form of charitable assistance is on an in-kind basis. 68.2% of maquiladoras surveyed made in-kind gifts, with the majority valuded at less than $10,000 annually. While the most common justification by maquila operators for preferring inkind donations over monetary contributions is an apparent absence of reliable charitable institutions to effectively manage their donated funds, there are, in fact, a growing number of community foundations along the border as well as United Way affiliates (Fondo Unido) that are well positioned to assume this role. Here there appears to be a need for greater collaboration between maquiladora operators and public charities operating in the border region.
- Companies cited their desire to be a good corporate citizen and to build employee morale as the two primary reasons that they give to nonprofits in the border region.
- A strong internal champion is a key determinant to giving: The single biggest determinant for charitable giving by companies operating in the border region is the presence of a strong champion(s) within a given company for a specific nonprofit or public charity. More often than not, key funding decisions are not taken by headquarters but rather based on the recommendations of plant managers.
- The proximity of corporate headquarters to the border is a factor. Companies with headquarters or regional office locations within close proximity to their border operations are more inclined to have senior managers actively involved with border area charities on a voluntary basis, and subsequently, are more inclined to be strong advocates for specific charitable causes.
- A nonprofit's track record, brand, size and programmatic focus are key factors in funding. Companies have a preference toward funding larger, more established charities with a strong board and brand identity and/or those with an existing U.S. 501(c)(3) counterpart organization. Maquilas are also more inclined to fund education and health care related nonprofits as opposed to environmental and human rights/justice related groups. Smaller, less established nonprofits are less likely to receive maquila funding. Many of their parent companies are more inclined to fund nonprofits that are able to fulfill grant requirements in English and online (proposal and reporting). The vast majority of maquilas will only grant to nonprofits that are registered as authorized public charities (donatarios authorizadas) under the Mexican tax code. This limits funding to only the larger Mexican border area nonprofits, increasing the gap between "have" and "have not" among nonprofits.
- Impediments to corporate giving exist, such as: maquilas being cost centers not profit centers; fiscal disincentives in the Mexican tax code that discriminate against those maquila operations that want to give; regulatory controls in the U.S. resulting from the U.S. Patriot Act that have had a chilling effect on U.S. corporate giving to overseas nonprofits including those in Mexico; and weak communication channels between maquila plant managers and their corporate-giving programs or foundations.
- Strategic positioning on the border is a factor: U.S. companies and multinationals with the intent to remain in the border region, because of its unique competitive advantages (proximity to U.S. market, relative labor cost, productivity) are more inclined to give charitably in the communities where they operate (to promote employee retention and good community relations) than those companies and/or industrial sectors facing pressures to relocate offshore.
- Size of community matters. The level of corporate giving varies from community to community along the U.S.-Mexico border. Border corporate giving represents a larger share of charitable gifts among nonprofits located in major maquiladora centers (e.g.Tijuana and Juarez).
- Some maquilas are collaborating to have a bigger social impact. Given the limited resources currently available by many maquiladoras for charitable giving, companies are partnering through their active involvement with local Rotary Club chapters, Fondo Unido (United Way) and maquila associations.
- Mexico's tax code must be reformed so maquilas can have the same tax incentives to give as other Mexican national companies.
- Procedures must also be streamlined to facilitate charitable tax deductibility for Mexican NGOs. Right now those registered that have tax-deductibility status are very limited---a mere 172 in the border area (See Appendix 5).
- Corporations can do more to take a leadership role at the corporate and plant manager level. Here, parent companies and their corresponding corporate foundations and/or corporate giving programs need to do a better job of working with their maqiladora plant managers to become more engaged in the border communities where they operate. In this age of expanding globalization and greater accountability for a company's corporate social responsibility (CSR), maquila plant managers need to be empowered to act more like community based "corporate ambassadors," becoming more directly involved and empowered to get involved in their own company's philanthropic endeavors in the places where they live and do business including the U.S.- Mexico border region. Here it should be noted that companies need to expand the level of authority granted to plant managers for charitable giving at the community level as presently that discretionary spending authority is quite limited.
- Intermediary charitable organizations (e.g. border area community foundations and the United Way) and service organizations (e.g. Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Optimists) should increase their outreach to corporations in order to expand their options for giving across the border as well as to serve as a clearinghouse for less well known nonprofits, thereby reducing the risk to corporate funders. Right now, there are few doing that job--El Paso Community Foundation, ICF, la Fundacion Internacional de la Comunidad in Baja California & FECHAC are exceptions. BPP has an obvious leadership role to play.
- Nonprofits could do more to build strategic alliances/partnerships with companies forging long term, win-win relationships. This includes more active participation of senior level maquila management (Mexican national and expatriates) on nonprofit boards. Here, FEMAP in Cd. Juarez and Hospital Infantil de las Californias in Tijuana are showing the way for other nonprofits.
- Become a member! For a fee, your community foundation can benefit from a membership to an affinity group such as ProNet, ADnet, Comma, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Neighborhood Funders Group, Grantmakers Concerned about Immigrants and Refugees, CEMEFI or WINGS
- Get a subscription! Keep informed by receiving regular issues of important publications such as the Legal Compendium for Community Foundations, Chronicles of Philanthropy, Nonprofit Times, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Alliance Magazine.
BPP CONVENES ITS SEVENTH LEARNING COMMUNITY IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS
The US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership's Seventh Learning Community was held on June 27-29, 2006 in Brownsville, Texas. Border Community Foundations: Sustainability for Community Impact drew the participation of over 80 border community foundation board and staff members, BPP funders, Synergos staff, as well as expert speakers and presenters. The BPP community used this opportunity to learn and share knowledge but more importantly to renew commitment to the partnership and its mission, improved quality of life for low income families and communities. A newly named Director of the BPP, Ann Tartre and newly constituted governing committees infused the meeting with fresh energy.
In addition to the introduction of new leadership for the BPP, as the first learning community of Phase II, the meeting also served as the formal launch of the partnership's second phase of work, which focuses on a central theme of sustainability and four key objectives:
To help BPP partners consider the future of community philanthropy in the border region, Lucy Bernholz, co-author of On the Brink of New Promise: the Future of US Community Foundation, led participants through a provocative exercise in which they were asked to considere two widely divergent potential realities for the region in 2025. Participants were asked to contemplate what current trends could ultimately result in these two contrary realities and what these consequently meant for the vision of border community foundations. Keynote speakers, Caroline Milne, Executive Director of the Hamilton Community Foundation, Karen Yarza, Executive Director of the Fundación Comunitaria de la Frontera Norte and John Davies, Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation shared with participants their experience in shaping the vision of leadership for their respective foundations.
Targeted simultaneous workshops highlighting the 'building blocks' of sustainability for community impact: Future of Philanthropy's Toolkit, Border Community Foundations Sustainability: The Role of the Board, and Executive Leadership Track: What Keeps You Up At Night as an Executive Director of a Border Community Foundation? provided tailored opportunities for practical learning. Innovative learning technologies such as the Real Time Consulting session underscored the wealth of knowledge and experience that resides within the partnership. Timely roundtable dialogues on immigration and the role of border community foundations and potential post Phase II scenarios provided a unique opportunity for BPP members to discuss pressing topics.
Social evenings including a dinner hosted by our local border community foundation, the Brownsville Community Foundation, allowed BPP friends to meet new friends or reconnect with old ones. A press conference and campaign succeeded in securing regional media coverage (television, print and radio) of the BPP, the Texas Endowment Challenge Grant Program, and the work of the Brownsville Community Foundation.
Post-meeting evaluations and verbal feedback overwhelmingly indicate that participants were highly satisfied with the overall event and thought the meeting provided an exceptional learning experience. While individual participants carried back personal learning with them to their respective communities, the Seventh Learning Community revealed or reinforced a select number of broad but critical insights on border philanthropy and the partnership as a whole.
The relationship between leadership, vision and sustainability - Carolyn Milne and John Davies shared remarkable stories with participants of the instance when foundation board and staff together made a decision to take a stand at a critical moment and mold a vision for leadership and change in their communities. In Hamilton, Milne launched an anti-poverty initiative and in Baton Rouge, Davies drove a collaborative response effort to the Katrina disaster. Instead of the backlash that is often fearfully associated with a community foundation taking a strong and visible stance, the foundation's vision and leadership proved in both cases to be a significant demonstration of the foundation's critical impact on community well being. This message was echoed by the Lucy Bernholz presentation which pointed to a shift from managing financial assets to long term leadership as a critical new model for ensuring community foundation sustainability.
BPP partners are committed to building bridges not triple fences. At several instances during the three days in Brownsville, the idea that border community foundations are committed to working collaboratively along and across the border to improve quality of life for border communities was reinforced. Exercises such as Expressing Our Commitment to Growing Philanthropy in the Border Region helped participants reconnect with the fundamental motivations that drive their commitment to growing philanthropy in the region. Committee meetings and Immigration and Post Phase II roundtable discussions emphasized the desire of BPP partners to work collaboratively on a variety of mutual interest themes.
Partnership members want to see the BPP Continue beyond Phase II. The Post Phase II Roundtable Discussion session revealed the overwhelming desire of border community foundations to see the BPP continue beyond the end of Phase II. Border community foundations, in particular Executive Committee members, are committed to working collectively to determine the most successful path towards ensuring that an entity continues to support border community foundation growth and network strengthening endures. BPP governing committees and Synergos Institute staff are committed to applying the ideas and energy generated at the Seventh Learning Community toward a successful BPP Phase II, and beyond.
The Synergos Institute extends a special thanks to all those who helped make the meeting such a success, in particular our local host, the Brownsville Community Foundation, our honored speakers and presenters, the BPP Program Committee and all BPP funders, in particular JP Morgan Chase, corporate sponsor of the BPP Seventh Learning Community.
Full meeting proceedings, as well as an Executive Summary, are available on the BPP website.
Co-chair: Mariano Diaz, The San Diego Foundation
As a Senior Vice President, Mariano oversees the operations, strategic planning and competitive initiatives of the Community Partnerships Department. This department is responsible for the research and trend identification of major issues across established subject areas and to develop sustained community solutions delivered through Working Groups composed of regional volunteers. Mariano has extensive experience with nonprofit organizations, including serving as Director of The California Endowment's Community Health Investment Program and as Executive Director of California HealthCare Partnerships for Blue Cross of California. His most recent position was as Global Director of the Nike Foundation, Global Community Affairs in Beaverton, Oregon, where he oversaw execution of US and global employee community involvement programs, Foundation grantmaking, corporate contributions and product donations totaling $29 million annually. Mariano received his B.A. in Combined Social Sciences at UC Santa Barbara and a Masters of Education - Administration, Planning & Social Policy at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. A native of Los Angeles, he has been very involved in serving the various communities of Southern California. His community involvement has included serving on the Boards of the California Association of Non-Profits, the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, the East Los Angeles YMCA, New Economics for Women, Southern California Association of Philanthropy, and Association of Mexican American Educators.
Co-chair: Antonieta Beguerisse, Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad
Toñe has served as the Director of the Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad, A.C. in Baja California since May 2004. From 1995 to 2003, she was the Co-founder and Director of Operations of Alfa Omega de Tijuana (Centro Psicopedagógico y atención clínica). She was also Co-founder of Pasitos Pre-Escolar (Center for Autism) where she worked from 1998 until 2003. For eight years she was Director of Share in Mexico - a nonprofit organization that runs food programs based on exchanges for community work. This program reached over two-hundred thousand families in thirteen states of the Mexican Republic. Toñe has worked in the field of education for 20 years, helping families set goals and pursue and reach their dreams.
Other committee members:
Jose Antonio del Pozo - Board Member, Fundación Comunitaria de Matamoros
Judy Gresser - Executive Director, Yuma Community Foundation
Pati Guajardo - Executive Director, Laredo Community Foundation
Richard Kiy - President & CEO, International Community Foundation
Karen Yarza - Executive Director, Fundación Comunitaria de la Frontera Norte
Jorge Contreras - Board Member, Fundación Comunitaria de la Frontera Norte
Pablo Farias - Vice-President for the Asset Building and Community Development Program, Ford Foundation
George Grainger - Grant Officer, Houston Endowment
Mike McCoy - Senior Program Officer, Meadows Foundation
Russell Jones - Advisory Committee Member, Yuma Community Foundation
Program Committee
Barbara Brown - Senior Program Officer, Community Foundation of Southern Arizona
Stephanie Burick-Johnson - Executive Director, Community Foundation for Southern New Mexico
Miroslava de la Garza - Executive Director, Fundación Comunitaria de Matamoros
Linetta Gilbert - Program Officer, Ford Foundation
Marcy Kelley - Deputy Vice President for Programs, Inter-American Foundation
Robert Stark - Executive Director, New Mexico Community Foundation
Eusebio Martin Alonso Cisneros - Board Member, FECHAC, Cd. Juarez
Carla Roberts - Vice-President of Affiliates, Arizona Community Foundation
Yolanda Walther-Meade - Board Member, Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad
Communications Committee
Chair: Claudia Basurto - Board Member, Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad
Claudia's professional experience includes Public Relations and Media, Fundraising, and Training. She is elementary school teacher from Colegio de la Paz, Vizcaínas and has a Bachelor's Degree in Communication from Universidad Intercontinental. She completed graduate studies in Education and Cultural Integration from Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. Nowadays she is Tijuana's Image Committee Director, and is the Former Educational Department Manager at Tijuana Cultural Center, Former Executive Coordinator of the Museo de las Californias and also Exhibition's Hall Manager in CECUT. She was in charge of Teaching Updating in Alfaguara and Santillana Publishers in Northwest Mexico . Some civic and philanthropic activities include art instructor at San Diego Museum of Art and Museum of Photographic Arts and has volunteered with teachers and migrant students and at YMCA's shelter for migrant children. She's a member of the Bi-national Committee in Border Pedagogy; board member of the Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad; former member of Advisory Committee of the California's Museum; Insite 97's Educational Committee and Board Member; and Bi-national Committee in Education and Culture in San Diego.
Other committee members:
Alma Cota de Yañez - Executive Director, Fundación Empresariado Sonorense A.C. Nogales
Antje Lear - Program Officer, Santa Cruz Community Foundation
Elvira Ramos - Executive Director, Brownsville Community Foundation
Maria Quezada - Border Philanthropy Partnership Fellow, Yuma Community Foundation
Julieta Mendez - Executive Coordinator, International Community Foundation
THE REAL TIME CONSULTING CORNER
The BPP's Seventh Learning Community agenda included a session on Real Time Consulting (RTC). For some time now, the Synergos Institute team has employed this innovative methodology to help peer groups uncover the existing knowledge and experience found within the network and to collectively brainstorm solutions to common challenges. In Brownsville, seven border community foundation representatives presented cases studies of situations their respective institutions were grappling with. Cases studies were presented to a group of 'peer consultants' strategically pre-selected based on their experience with the subject matter. Case presenters spent a few minutes providing an overview of the challenge and then posed targeted questions that they wanted the group to help resolve.
The methodology proved to be very popular among border community foundation participants as it provided a space for BCF colleagues to share past and current experiences and learn from the collective wisdom of their group. Two RTC case studies and the recommendations that were generated by the discussion are summarized here.
Challenges Faced by Border Community Foundation Executive Directors - Case Presented by the Fundacion Comunitaria de Matamoros (FCMAT) - Miroslava de la Garza, Executive Director of the FCMAT, shared with colleagues the challenges of engaging local donors. The foundation is presently struggling with how to make donors understand the value added of the community foundation in a setting where the community foundation model is new and not well understood. Peers, including border community foundation practitioners from along the Mexican side of the border, a funder representative and Synergos staff, all helped de la Garza think through ideas to increase local donor understanding and appreciation of the work of the foundation. Peers advised that the foundation take advantage of the partnerships and relationships they had helped to create by focusing potential donor attention on this unique aspect of a community foundation's contribution. Related strategies to approach donors should include inviting the donor to hear a presentation about the foundation - not at the foundation's office but rather at the site of a local group the foundation is helping to support. Del Cabarga from the Cochise Community Foundation suggested engaging a donor first through a particular issue. It is necessary first to know and address the donors' particular interests so that they can begin to understand the value of the community foundation in relation to a topic that is close to their own heart. Have patience, and follow up, follow up, follow up. The involvement of the board for the formulation and execution of a donor strategy is particularly essential if the strategy includes special events. Special events should be planned and put on by board members. Events should be highly strategic and used as a way to map who and why given individuals may be interested in the foundation. The value of information that a special event can generate can often surpass the financial benefit.
Keeping it Together: Great Record Keeping for Community Foundations - Case Study Presented by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) - Barbara Brown, Senior Program Officer for the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, presented the CFSA's case study which described how recent questions have arisen around the subject of knowledge management and record keeping. Community foundations contend with staff changes, changes in regulations, office relocation, changes in technology, all of which conspire against keeping hard copies and/or updating computer records, resulting in historical and institutional knowledge gaps. How then does a community foundation decide what, how, and where to keep information? The peer discussion that followed paid particular attention to CFSA's role as a parent organization to its affiliate the Santa Cruz Community Foundation. In the case of affiliate systems it is especially important to establish a specific and widely known set of practices and policies around information capture and storage. This policy should be documented in a single statement that is made available to all, in particular new employees. This statement should outline, who is keeping which records, and what pieces are being sent to the parent, or, conversely sent to the affiliate. Bring in the interns! The contributions of students/interns can be exceptional in the realm of knowledge management. Beware of customizing software programs too much. In the case of CFSA over-customization of data management software, FIMS, led to complications when data had to be transferred to other systems or reports generated. Over-customization can also prove to be expensive and complicated because obtaining desk support from the software company could necessitate more extensive agent support or special consulting versus standard troubleshooting. For Barbara however, over and above the good ideas generated by the exercise, was the value borne of knowing that CFSA was not alone. Community foundations everywhere, of all shapes and sizes struggle with the question of knowledge management - what, how much and how? Additionally, Barbara appreciated the exercise because of its strategic human resources arrangement. She noted the value of having someone (Synergos staff member) who knew the individual members of the network well enough to assign seating based on interest and specific experience in the topic matter, ultimately providing a very rich discussion.
Full notes from the Real Time Consulting sessions are available on the BPP website. If you would like to arrange a tele-peer learning exchange with any of the foundations that presented a specific topic please contact a Synergos staff member.
QUE PASA? NEWS FROM BORDER COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
Arizona Community Foundation (ACF)
ACF's Campaign for Working Families complements the efforts of the Border Philanthropy Partnership to increase the quality of life on the US-Mexico Border. The Campaign has enabled Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona (CCS) and the Assets for Arizona Institute to use tax preparation sites as vehicles to provide financial education and communicate asset building programs to low-income Hispanic families. Working with the IRS, CCS has established a Task Force in each of the border counties to collaborate with local nonprofits, recruit volunteers and develop strategies to promote Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). Low-income border families now are generating income and savings that are being reinvested in education, homeownership and professional skills development.
In partnership with the Arizona Rural Development Commission (AZRDC) a coalition has been formed to adapt this successful model of community and economic development for small communities in Arizona. The border community of Douglas, Arizona is the first pilot site for implementation. The research component of the AZHTC was conducted by Northern Arizona University. The Arizona Philanthropy Indicators combine measurements of social capital as well as financial capital to assist small communities to link local philanthropy to community and economic development.
Brownsville Community Foundation (BCF)
The Brownsville Community Foundation hosted the BPP's 7th Learning Community from June 27-29, 2006. The event brought together representatives from community foundations stretching all the way from Brownsville and Matamoros, to San Diego and Tijuana. As part of the event, the Foundation hosted a reception for local philanthropists and a dinner for all attendees of the conference. Patrick M. Burchfield, Ed. D., M.Sc., Deputy Director-Zoologist of Brownsville's Gladys Porter Zoo, was the featured speaker at the dinner. Dr. Burchfield discussed his project, a masterpiece of bi-national collaboration, to save the near extinct Kemps Ridley sea turtle.
BCF is pleased to announce that two new community leaders have joined its Board of Trustees, Diane Garza and Dr. Asim Zamir. In addition, BCF has received two gifts to kick off its endowment building campaign. The gifts, both from Foundation founders, will more than double, thanks to the Texas Endowment Challenge Grant Program. As BCFs endowment grows so to does the opportunity to support local non-profits such as Proyecto Digna, an after-school tutorial program that supports children from low income communities with special academia attention.
Cochise Community Foundation (CCF)
Douglas, Arizona community leaders have recently established the Douglas Area Community Fund (DACF). DACF was set up in response to a challenge from CCF which will match every dollar raised in Douglas with another dollar, up to $50,000.
Last year CCF, in collaboration with ACF, completed a feasibility study with input from parents and service providers in the border communities of Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Sonora. Findings from the study revealed social and economic needs for disadvantaged young children in both communities. In this first opportunity to do research-based, strategic grantmaking, CCF will select proposals from Douglas and Agua Prieta nonprofit organizations that address these identified needs: child development opportunities and resources; programs that train parents, caregivers and service providers; and opportunities for cross-border agencies to collaborate and discuss practical issues in providing services (see related article).
BPP Fellow Del Cabarga provides staffing for both of these initiatives with support from CCF and ACF staff.
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (CFSNM)
Besides the everyday operations of foundation work, the CFSNM is busy working on its November annual Estate Planning Institute - an event that attracts presenters and attendees from all over New Mexico and even regions of Texas.
The foundation is also involved in a series of meetings with other agencies and individuals to address the needs of those whose lives were impacted by the recent Texas/New Mexico floods. Stephanie Johnson-Burick, the foundation's executive director, has also been able to make a trip to Silver City and meet with individuals of the community to address any immediate needs they might have.
CFSNM is also assisting with the City of Las Cruces Veterans Affairs Advisory Board to build the Veterans Walk of Honor within the city's Veterans Park, finalizing their grantmaking policy and application, awarding the remaining scholarships from their scholarship endowments, trying to secure four newly established endowments, and various other projects. Lastly, the executive director is also planning to visit the foundation's sister foundation - in Juarez - in the next month or so.
Frontera Women's Foundation
FWF is currently implementing its Branding Campaign with a brand new look!! FWF has also just moved their offices to the downtown area for wider exposure, and involvement in community activities. They can be found @ 501 N. Kansas Street Suite 203, El Paso TX 79901. The foundation's website is now up and running www.FronteraWomensFoundation.org and they are currently translating the site into Spanish to better serve the border community. FWF's Third Cycle of Grants will be distributed early this November bringing their total funding allocation to $145,850.00.
In May of this year, FWF hired a new Executive Director: Pat Graham-Casey. Pat is a previous FWF Board Member and was asked to step in when Chris Worley resigned due to health concerns. FWF also has a new Donor Development person, Ms Siria Rocha who brings lots of positive energy and community contacts to the Foundation.
On August 18 and 19 FWF convened their Donor Development Training with Dottie Reynolds - bringing new and current Board Members up to date on the latest techniques in Donor Development.
Fundación Comunitaria de Matamoros
FCMAT recently unveiled the first ever directory of local civil society organizations serving the city of Matamoros. This step reinforces the foundation's role as a vehicle for representing the interests and addressing the needs of organizations serving community residents.
FCMAT has recently achieved many milestones as a convener and leader bringing private institutions together with civil society organizations that work to address the various challenges of local development and the needs of marginalized communities. The foundation has been working with a local corporate foundation, Fundacion Down, and pediatric school, Colegio de Pediatra, to provide an opportunity for 30 low-income children to receive medical care. The foundation is also presently working with a nonprofit adoption agency that helps provide medical and social care for expectant mothers, VIFAC, to mobilize financial and human resources for the establishment of a VIFAC center in Matamoros. To date, the FCMAT has successfully helped VIFAC identify a board, secure in-kind office space and secured in-kind professional training for VIFAC employees.
The FCMAT has also helped connect three university students from the Universidad Iberoamericana de Leon Gto with Caritas Matamoros for the execution of the NUTRIS program that will evaluate the nutritional well being of beneficiaries of Caritas nutritional programs. Additionally, the foundation worked in coordination with nine other organizations dedicated to the promotion of family integration to present a collective proposal for support of locally generated solutions to family disintegration - resulting in the establishment of a fund for support of this work with the community foundation.
Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad
 Above: Miel de Abeja, Golosina Nutritiv Below: Tortillería la Buena  |
In an effort to improve the quality of life for the local community, FIC has been supporting two important income-generation projects: Golosina Nutritiv and Tortilleria la Buena.
The honey project (Golosina Nutritiv) is based in Colonia Irapuato, in the valley of Mexicali. The group comprises seven women and one man. At this time, they are harvesting the honey - for which the demand largely exceeds current production. The honey is put in jars or used to make soaps, candles, ointments, creams, granolas, and more. The project encompasses communities in Baja California as well as others in the US.
The tortilla project (Tortillería la Buena) is based in Colonia Chulavista in San Quintín Baja California. This project has been developed over the past two months by a group of four women. In this short time, they have succeeded in meeting the demands of fourteen stores. They produce more than one hundred dozens of tortillas daily. Their next goal is to be registered, contar con algunas sucursales, as well as to have a vehicle to facilitate deliveries.
FESAC
The Fundacion del Empresariado Sonorense A.C. (FESAC) has had a very productive first half of the year supporting the growth and success of local non profits through convening, grants, and professional development. Just a few examples of the critical support FESAC is providing to local non-profits and its ultimate include:
International Community Foundation (ICF)
The International Community Foundation has been busy planning for its binational Gala, researching cross-border health issues, and distributing $3.5 million dollars in grants for FY2006.
The International Community Foundation along with its sister foundation Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad co-hosted its first bi-national fundraising gala San Diego-Baja California: One Region Toward a Brighter Future The event on September 8, 2006 celebrated efforts to expand regional cross-border philanthropy in the San Diego-Baja California border region. (More details)
On June 30th, 2006 ICF released Shared Destiny: Shaping a Binational Agenda for Health Priorities in the San Diego-Baja California Border Region.
Last year, ICF granted 3.5 million dollars to nonprofits working internationally. Approximately one third of the grants ($1,038,000) supported nonprofits working in the US/Mexico border region. A total of 71% of all ICF grants went to Mexico.
Laredo Area Community Foundation
The Laredo Area Community Foundation is pleased to have established 10 permanent endowment funds so far in 2006. The effort to build these endowments was propelled by the matching endowment challenge grant made possible by Houston Endowment. In addition, the foundation's first major collaboration was finalized and a new educational program will be implemented in one of area's rural colonia communities. Thanks to the inspiration of one donor, the board of directors accepted the challenge to locate matching funds in order to make the implementation of a HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program a reality this coming school year.
In addition, the foundation staff has been working with a local marketing firm to develop professional brochures along with an annual report for distribution to potential donors, existing donors and professional advisors.
New Mexico Community Foundation
The NMCF border advisory committee is preparing for the Eighth Learning Community to be held in Las Cruces on April 18-20, 2007. The committee has been focusing on five key quality of life areas that they hope to highlight locally during the BBP's national convening: Youth Development, Health Care, Family Economic Security, Immigration, and Arts in Community. The BPP convening will coincide with April 20-22 International Border Book Festival which attracts authors, poets, film-makers from all along the both sides of the border to Las Cruces area. The committee is already helping BPP with local lodging and other logistics.
NMCF has provided $515,814 in grant-making to the border region during the first year of BPP's Phase II and hopes to increase that during Year II along with leveraging other substantial state and national funding into the New Mexico border region. NMCF has also been able to establish and provide incentive grant matches for building field-of-interest permanent funds and agency endowments along the border.
NMCF has also initiated a special stakeholders meeting series called Conociendo y Mejorando Tu Comunidad/Knowing and Improving Your Community. One of the first focus topics chosen from initial meetings was the pressing concern about rapidly growing teen pregnancies in New Mexico's border communities. So far there have been six meetings and one result is the forming a Teen Pregnancy Prevention coalition working on Public Awareness Education and Systems Change around this quality of life issue.
Santa Cruz Community Foundation (SCCF)
In the spring of 2006, a group of 12 high school girls learned some of the complexities of philanthropy through a project sponsored by SCCF, in collaboration with Zonta Club of Nogales and the Ford Foundation. The girls participated in the Zonta Girls Leadership Training Program - through which they learnt the basics of philanthropy and grant making. Through the generosity of the Ford Foundation, $7,500 was made available to grant to worthy organizations. The students had to determine a type of program on which to focus and then put out a call for proposals. The Girl Scouts received $5,000 and The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County received $2,528.
In 2005-2006, donors contributed more than $550,000 to more than 40 existing funds and created two new ones, including the foundation's first bequest. Through the Spring Grant Round, SCCF distributed $50,890 in grants among 12 nonprofit agencies and awarded 67 scholarships totaling $184,450 to area colleges and college-bound students.
Looking towards the future, SCCF is taking steps to shape the next generation of success for the foundation, including working on strategies to strengthen the community served by deepening its knowledge of the population; remaining financially viable; increasing its grant-making capacity; increasing visibility and awareness; and continuing to work on achieving an active, diverse, and effective board of directors.
Texas Valley Communities Foundation
 (click image for larger view) |
Texas Valley Communities Foundation presented a check in the amount of $25,000.00 as part of their 2006 first initial grant cycle to five local non-profit organizations. Each organization was awarded a grant in the amount of $5,000.00 to benefit ongoing projects within the Rio Grande Valley. Pictured are from left to right, Jeff Weller, Chairman, The Ronald McDonald House Charities, Charo Mann Executive Director Texas Valley Communities Foundation, Dale Winter, Grant Committee Member, Patricia Rosenlund Executive Director Easter Seals, Gerald Gathright Executive Director Boys & Girls Club of Harlingen, Sabrina Walker-Hernandez Executive Director Edinburg Boys & Girls Club, Heather Margain, Executive Director VAMOS and Grant Committee Member, Joe Phillips Chairman of the TVCOF Grants Committee, Alfredo Mata, Jr., Director of Operations, Boys & Girls Club of Edinburg. Not pictured Laura Reagan, McAllen Boys & Girls Club.
The San Diego Foundation
The staff, volunteers, and board of directors are very pleased and excited to continue their participation in the important work of the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership. Their participation in the recent 7th Learning Community event in Brownsville, Texas, was their most important to date. Judge Rafael Arreola, Chair, Community Partnerships Committee and member of The San Diego Foundation's Board of Governors, again attended the event officially representing The San Diego Foundation. Judge Arreola will report directly to the board on progress to achieve the objectives to improve the quality of life for residents of the border region.
As it begins the 2006-2007 program year, The San Diego Foundation will focus on three program areas and their supporting initiatives that impact our border region. They are: Health & Human Services and the Financial Education Initiative; Environment and the Clean Environments, Healthy Communities Initiative; and Civil Society and the New Consensus for Housing Initiative. Their work will include research, community forums, and creation of practical action plans that will inform and guide The Foundation and its donors in supporting key opportunities in their neighborhoods. The foundation looks forward to sharing their information, experience and lessons learned with the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership to bring new resources to the border region for long-term improvements.
Yuma Community Foundation
Maria Quezada, the Yuma Community Foundation's BPP Fellow, left her position to pursue her Masters degree. She is missed. Monday, August 21, Cristina Gonzales took over her position. In the interest of a smooth transition, Maria prepared Cristina for this undertaking by reviewing the responsibilities of the position and by introducing her to key Latino-led nonprofits in Yuma's South County.
Cristina has a BSW from Northern Arizona University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She is currently working on her masters degree on a part-time basis. She has worked for Campesinos Sin Fronteras since 2004, serving as the HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator, the Steps Program Cordinator and, most recently, as Assistant Program Director. She brings energy, enthusiasm and passion to the important work we do.
In other news, the Yuma Community Foundation is a member of the Hispanics in Philanthropy funders collaborative. Three Latino-led agencies submitted grant applications for capacity building grants. Two of those agencies, Comite de Bienstar and the Regional Center for Border Health, have recently been invited to submit formal proposals.
THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S CORNER
 Charo Mann |
Charo Mann is the new Executive Director of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. Charo was born and raised in Lima, Peru where she lived until the age of 22. During her teenage years, she became an exchange student with the American Field Service International. This experience created a big impact on her perspective of global community.
Since March 2006, Charo has served as the Executive Director of Texas Valley Communities Foundation, in McAllen, Texas. From 2001 to 2005 she worked as a representative for various high technology manufacturing corporations - positioning their components in the maquiladoras along the US - Mexico border from El Paso to Brownsville, Texas. Prior to moving to Texas earlier this year, she lived in Arizona were she was very involved with the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC), a non profit organization helping to raise funds for autism research. Her youngest child is autistic and she says "my heart goes out to those parents and children with autism".
Charro reflects on the question: 'What drew you to work for the Texas Valley Communities Foundation?'
"It was the opportunity to give back to the community and to make a lasting impact in communities on both sides of our US - Mexican border. My goal is to help develop a more philanthropic community in the Rio Grande Valley by helping donors and nonprofit organizations to ensure a higher quality of life."
 Stephanie Johnson-Burick |
Stephanie Johnson-Burick is the new Executive Director of the Southern New Mexico Community Foundation. Stephanie is a sixth-generation from Mesilla, New Mexico. Her great-great-great-grandfather was Colonel Albert Jennings Fountain, a pioneer in the Mesilla Valley and a very instrumental figure in the town of Mesilla, as well as in the founding of New Mexico State University, then known as Las Cruces College. Her great-grandfather was the first mayor of Mesilla and her great-grandmother was the first postmistress of Mesilla.
While growing up and going to school, Stephanie had the opportunity to travel but has now returned to Las Cruces and Mesilla, where her roots are. She is committed to serving the residents of the community and of Southern New Mexico, she was a human resources specialist at New Mexico State University, where she also served in admissions, and was a human resources administrator/training coordinator. Stephanie earned bachelor degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from New Mexico State University and has a Master of Education along with her teaching license. She is also very active in community and civic organizations.
Stephanie shared with Comunidad what drew her to community philanthropy:
"I love helping others and the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico allows me to do just that. I take great pride in knowing that what I am doing will serve the community for years to come and that I will be making a positive impact on the lives of others. I learned from both sides of my family to be compassionate, caring and to serve others. Through this position, I am able to do just that."
 Pat Graham-Casey |
PHILANTHROPIC LEAKAGE: A FOUR-PART SPECIAL COMMENTARY TO THE HERALD REVIEW BY CARLA ROBERTS
| In her role as vice president of affiliates for the Arizona Community Foundation, Carla Roberts works closely with the Cochise Community Foundation and 10 other affiliated foundations in small towns, rural and tribal communities across the state. She can be contacted at croberts@azfoundation.org or +1 602-682-2017. |
PART I - Philanthropic leakage drains impact of local nonprofits
When we think about the nonprofit sector, most of us think charity and consider groups that operate on donations as economic drains rather than economic engines.
In fact, the nonprofit sector is a major economic force in Sierra Vista and Cochise County. Consequently, the potential impact on the entire community is worthy of consideration whenever making a tax deductible donation. As local residents, we can ensure that our charitable gifts not only satisfy our personal concerns, but also provide maximum benefit for the places where we live and work.
This means being aware of our options for supporting charitable causes that most benefit our communities, and guarding against what I term philanthropic leakage - the diversion of philanthropic resources away from those organizations whose programs bring immediate benefit to the local community.
Economic leakage in the nonprofit sector
Philanthropic leakage occurs whenever potential resources for the nonprofit sector leave the local community.
The primary forces creating philanthropic leakage are:
Why is it important for communities to stop philanthropic leakage? Let us take the example of retail trade to demonstrate the point. Until recently economic development efforts had little concern with retail activity, focusing instead on manufacturing. That has changed with projects such as the Sierra Vista Mall that have proven that retail development is not only an enhancement to the area, but also creates significant economic benefits. Prior to the creation of the Sierra Vista Mall - the largest retail complex in Southeastern Arizona outside of a major metropolitan area - it was obvious that retail dollars were leaving Cochise County.
With a local source to meet the demand for goods and services, not only has trade leakage been reduced, but the mall also attracts new money to the area. Shoppers are drawn into the community, be they tourists, seasonal residents, retirees, or residents of nearby communities. With Sierra Vista's enhanced reputation as a shopping area, the mall itself has become an engine for expanded retail activity. In addition, the Mall created more than 450 jobs by the end of 2000, according to a report produced for the Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation.
This example of the Sierra Vista Mall is easily understood. It is obvious that the quality of life in the local community is improved when we can keep customers from leaving, attract trade from outside, and create jobs.
What is less readily understood is that the nonprofit sector serves a similar role in building community and enhancing quality of life for Sierra Vista and Cochise County.
In Part II, we will examine the economic impact of the local nonprofit sector to see why philanthropic leakage is important to Sierra Vista and Cochise County.
PART II - Nonprofit sector: Economic engine in rural communities
A recent report, "The Spirit of Arizona," published by the Arizona Community Foundation and The Center for Leadership, Ethics and Public Service, highlights the economic impact of the nonprofit sector and demonstrates that nonprofits are major players in the state's economy.
Author Tim Delaney cites several statistics from 1997 Economic Census: Comparative Statistics which is the most recently published Standard Industry Classification census data report quantifying tax-exempt employment. Among the findings:
Harder to measure - but no less tangible - outcomes of the nonprofit sector allow parents to work because their children have safe care alternatives outside of the family, reduce future expenses when youth are mentored and channeled into activities that contribute to society, and create innovations that have the potential for positive impact on all sectors.
Cochise County and Sierra Vista nonprofits are therefore important contributors to the local economy and drivers of the local economic engine that deserve serious consideration. The most current information from The Urban Institute's National Center for Charitable Statistics indicates that there are 202 registered nonprofits in Cochise County. Of those, 48 are large enough to file a 990, which is the annual IRS reporting form filed by nonprofits.
Medical facilities, such as Southeast Arizona Medical Center, Healthcare Innovations, Northern Cochise Community Hospital and the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, are among the largest nonprofit agencies. There are also key nonprofit players in environmental concerns and economic development such as the Malpai Borderlands Group and the Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation. There are also groups with an educational mission like the Cochise College Foundation and others such as the United Way that raise funds in support of diverse community needs. The annual budgets of nonprofit agencies in Cochise County range from as small as $1,500 to over $56 million.
The tax return for nonprofits (990's) filed in Cochise County indicate gross receipts of $270 million for 2004 and assets exceeding half a million. The nonprofit sector in the County represents about 3.8 percent of Arizona's total nonprofit sector. John Eastwood, a lecturer in economics and statistics at Northern Arizona University, has calculated a multiplier effect of $1.50 for the nonprofit sector in Cochise County. Using that figure to calculate the circulation of nonprofit dollars in the local economy means that the annual receipts of the Cochise County nonprofit sector create over a $400 million impact on the local economy each and every year.
Even with these impressive numbers, local nonprofits continue to struggle. A recent survey of nonprofits by Guidestar, the national on-line service that provides public access to the annual tax filing of nonprofits, says almost half cited their greatest challenge as "finding the money to accomplish our mission."
In Part III, we will examine some of the challenges facing local nonprofit agencies in Cochise County that enable them to survive, but not to thrive.
PART III - Nonprofit sector in Cochise County: An issue of capacity
When nonprofit agencies are struggling to survive, they do not thrive. And whenever nonprofits do not thrive, they are not able to contribute their greatest potential to the local economy. This situation has been termed a lack of organizational capacity by nonprofit management experts.
A recent survey of nonprofits by Guidestar, the national online service that provides public access to the annual tax filing of nonprofits, says almost half cited their greatest challenge as "finding the money to accomplish our mission."
Valerie Lancaster of the Sierra Vista Boys & Girls Club confirms that local organizations share in this struggle. She defines local grass-roots nonprofits as those funded through local efforts - donations, grant funds and program service revenue. Most do not receive a steady stream of income from any single source.
All nonprofits seek diversified sources of support, and national agencies raise funds in local communities for broader public concerns such as research and other uses outside of local communities. These are clearly important humanitarian concerns deserving of philanthropic support.
However, these are also dollars that leave the community without creating the same economic impact as those that circulate through local nonprofits. Just a few recent examples of national campaigns in Cochise County within the last year, according to press reports, were Relay for Life, which raised $90,000, and the March of Dimes $48,000 in 2005, an increase of about 30 percent from the prior year.
National groups also attract more support from national retail chains than local agencies. For example, the March of Dimes campaign is sponsored by a national chain. And while the local branch of national supermarkets chains may have a small local allocation for donations, they often assist national campaigns. One example is a recent campaign for attacking or alleviating the problem of prostate cancer that collected $10,000 in Cochise County.
In the same period Forgach House, the local domestic violence shelter raised $30,000 from on a three-day tennis tournament - making little more than the year before and in the face of a significant loss of state funding. Certainly these national agencies are collecting donations for worthy causes. But as larger, more sophisticated agencies, they often have greater organizational capacity than local groups.
Lancaster reports a constant struggle to compete with what she calls the giant nonprofits that develop national partnerships with business chains that operate in the local community.
"The giant non-profits - whose fundraising and overhead expenses sometimes are over 30 percent of the revenue they bring in - quite literally pull money out of the local community. And their positive financial impact to the local community is virtually non-existent," she said.
Charity Navigator, a national charitable ratings agency, was cited in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal as judging "… the effectiveness of charities by using a financial formula that goes something like this: Good charities devote at least 60 percent of their budgets to programs and services, leaving no more than 40 percent to pay for fund-raising and administrative costs. For instance, a charity that spends less than 60 percent of its budget on programs and services is tying too much donor money in with fund-raising and administrative costs - not where donors tend to want to spend their hard-earned money."
And while the 60/40 ratio is an appropriate general guideline, it is important to consider the type of organization. A united fund drive, for example, might have a greater percentage for fundraising and very little for programmatic expenses, but distribute a substantial amount in grant funds to qualified agencies.
Smaller nonprofits often operate far below the 40 percent margin for fundraising and administration. Most small nonprofits in Cochise County report 20 percent to 25 percent administrative allocations.
"Given those percentages there is no way that a local grass-roots nonprofit could compete with the giants in marketing and selling the cause," Lancaster said. "But the impact to the local communities by the local grass-roots nonprofits is huge."
Certainly most, if not all, of the nonprofit endeavors that appeal to local residents and businesses are providing significant contributions to society. And with increased globalization charitable appeals come from around the world.
The problem is that organizations with greater organizational capacity overshadow the smaller, grass-roots organizations that deliver direct services. The impact of giving on the local economy may be an important consideration for those who want to contribute to the quality of life in the community where they live or work.
PART IV - Community foundations: A local solution for philanthropic leakage
This is the fourth and final in a series of articles examining the impact of the nonprofit sector on the local economy of Sierra Vista and Cochise County.
After introducing and defining the concept of philanthropic leakage as analogous to the retail trade concept of economic leakage, the series presented statistics on the economic impact of the nonprofit sector. Then we explored the organizational capacity of local organizations compared to regional, statewide or national agencies that conduct local fund-raising campaigns.
Another area where local communities experience philanthropic leakage is through wills and bequests. When communities do not have a mechanism in place to encourage bequests, potential donors may not consider charitable gifts in their will, or if they do, those legacy gifts may leave the community.
Local vehicles such as the Cochise Community Foundation and the Bisbee Foundation provide another mechanism to stop philanthropic leakage from the local community. The community foundation provides a vehicle to encourage charitable bequests that can be directed to particular interests or even to a specific agency. The community foundation is a way to capture legacy gifts and keep the charitable portion of wealth that was created in Cochise County in service to the community forever.
Many people think that the concept of a legacy gift is only for the wealthiest of taxpayers, with estates valued at over $2 million. Right now in the United States we are experiencing a generational transfer of wealth, and a recent study by Boston College predicts that $41 trillion will pass from one generation to the next over the next 50 years. Only about 8 percent of the general population establishes a will or bequest to ensure that their wishes are followed. Legacy gifts are a powerful way to build local community philanthropy, not only for the wealthy but also for all residents who want to give back to their community by designating a portion of their estate for charitable gifts.
Whether you give to local agencies, to special event campaigns, or decide to leave a legacy, giving makes you feel good while it helps others. So continue to give where you most feel a charitable impulse. But give thoughtfully.
Before making a donation, here are some points to consider:
A balanced giving plan is one in which you gain the most satisfaction through your giving. Local nonprofit leaders can help you to make thoughtful decisions and explain how your contributions can make a difference in the community where you live. We have the opportunity to apply our experience in stopping trade leakage to the philanthropic sector. We can mitigate philanthropic leakage through well informed investments of our charitable donations that stay in our communities for the benefit of our communities.
HELP LOCAL RESPONSE TO FLOODING AROUND JUAREZ, MEXICO
 Severe flood damage has left thousands homeless (click images for larger view).  |
Our friends of The Fundación Empresariado Chihuahuense A.C. (FECHAC) are spearheading a response effort to an environmental crisis being faced in the region. Unusually severe summer rains and flooding have caused extensive damage in the region around Cd. Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico along the US border. These floods have left thousands homeless and property damages to homes, schools and all other types of infrastructure nearing $40 million.
The Fundación Empresariado Chihuahuense AC is committed to not only responding to the immediate crisis but also providing leadership in the long-term process of reconstruction. FECHAC was founded by a group of local business leaders and is well-placed to support relief and reconstruction by calling on established partnerships and social capital built up over years of work in the community. It is searching for funding locally and from outside the region to supplement its efforts. In addition to their initial contribution of $6 million, FECHAC has established a matching fund to raise resources for the immediate response and the long term reconstruction effort.
For more information visit FECHAC's website at www.fechac.org. You can also contact Rafael Hernandez, Program and Project Coordinator at FECHAC directly to learn more about how you and/or your foundation can help. Call +52 (656) 617-22-41 or email rhernandez@fechac.org.mx
COCHISE GROUPS COLLABORATE WITH COUNTERPARTS IN MEXICO
Released on June 1, 2006
 Above: Sally Holcomb Below: Alex Boneo  |
Cochise Community Foundation (CCF) board member Sally Holcomb, of Bisbee, recently traveled to Ojinaga and Ciudad Juarez, in Chihuahua, Mexico, with Alex Boneo of Douglas, to provide a second year of community training to grassroots organizations working to improve quality of life in their communities. Holcomb and Boneo traveled as consultants to Fundacion Del Empresariado Chihuahuense (FECHAC) in collaboration with CCF and as employees of Southeast Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS).
FECHAC is one of 21 community foundations along the U.S.-Mexico border participating in the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership. CCF and Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) also participate in the partnership. Through the partnership, community foundations are encouraged to share information and learn from each other in order to become more effective in serving their communities.
Holcomb and Boneo provided training for 35 youth and adults in Spanish in Ojinaga. Training included basic leadership skills, facilitator skills, effective meetings, asset mapping and action plans, community projects, and positive adult and youth relationships. "Although we went to share what we knew, we were so impressed with what they knew and what they had accomplished," said Holcomb. "We have a lot to learn from them and look forward to any future opportunities for cross-border learning,"
In Ciudad Juarez, a city of almost 2 million people, Holcomb and Boneo worked with FECHAC and representatives from two major neighborhood community development initiatives. This year approximately 34 grassroots community leaders participated in the training held at the Universidsd de Monterey. The training built on efforts from last June with community representatives in the "barrios". FECHAC gives funds to these community groups for small projects based on action plans. Holcomb and Boneo helped community leaders with practical approaches to community action, identification of community assets and how to use them in their action plans. Participants reported that the community development training has been extremely valuable for them and for their communities.
Holcomb noted this work was difficult, due to the challenge of translating community development concepts between the two cultures, but she said, "This work is very rewarding and it's important that we work collaboratively. The border is so close and so distant. The wall keeps getting higher. It gets harder and harder to go back and forth as neighbors and build community, cross-border. As border communities we have a lot in common and we're constantly surprised at what's possible when we push the envelope."
In addition to her volunteer service on the CCF board, Holcomb serves professionally as director of community development for SEABHS. Boneo is a SEABHS community development specialist.
"CCF is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the region," said CCF Chairwoman, Carol Sanger. "Programs like this strengthen communities on both sides of the border."
The Cochise Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Arizona Community Foundation, and works to build community now and for many years to come by connecting donor interests with community needs. For more information, call +1 520-439-0595 or email jholding@azfoundation.org.
COMMUNITY FOR ALL AGES SYMPOSIUM LAUNCHES DOUGLAS AREA COMMUNITY FUND
More than 100 Douglas, AZ area residents attended the Growing a Community for All Ages Symposium at the Cochise College Douglas Campus in March, which included an introduction to the Hometown Competitiveness (HTC) concept for community development.
 Douglas High School senior Ashley Arvizu presents the youth perspective at the symposium. |
The HTC framework helps guide residents in small towns to assess their community assets and build on those resources to determine their own future.
Mike Ortega, Douglas City Manager and Cochise Community Foundation (CCF) Board Member, presented the HTC framework along with three other members of the Arizona Rural Development Council: Pat Schroeder, Charlie Thompson and Eddie Browning. Group sessions then addressed four strategic action areas: leadership, youth, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
To support residents in building local philanthropy, CCF Board Chair Carol Sanger announced an opportunity for the Douglas community to receive a $50,000 challenge matching grant to establish a community fund in Douglas. The match is provided by the Cochise Community Foundation, the Arizona Community Foundation and the Ford Foundation through the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership. The challenge was enthusiastically received by the Douglas community and a group of leaders is working to respond.
Symposium sponsors included the City of Douglas; Cochise College Center for Southwest Studies; Cochise Community Foundation; Arizona Community Foundation; U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership; Arizona Rural Development Council and Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services.
HIPPY IN LAREDO: A TESTAMENT TO COLLABORATION
The Board of Directors of Laredo Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce a collaboration to bring to Laredo a new program aimed at helping economically disadvantaged parents prepare their children for the start of their formal education. The arrival of HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) in our border area is an example of the foundation serving as a catalyst to bring together a partnership. The Laredo Area Community Foundation pursued an opportunity last year to work with Mendell Granoff, a former Laredoan, who was determined to help young children in our area with their education. The foundation helped bring this individual together with public and private not-for-profit organizations and a local charitable trust.
This project started when Mr. Granoff shared his charitable goal with his professional financial advisors who referred him to the community foundation. He then met with Richard Perez, a foundation board member, who listened to Mr. Granoff extol the success of HIPPY in Israel where he lives. Mr. Granoff was convinced that HIPPY would work in Laredo, helping families prepare their three year old children to start their formal education.
HIPPY is currently active in 25 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. Their slogan is "A love of learning begins at home." The HIPPY model (www.hippyusa.org/Model) is "a developmentally appropriate curriculum, with role play as the method of teaching, staffed by home visitors from the community, supervised by a professional coordinator and with home visits interspersed with group meetings as the delivery methods". Each of the four features of the HIPPY model was developed to encourage participation from parents who might otherwise not get involved with their children's education.
Although HIPPY is for any parent who wants educational enrichment for her child, the HIPPY model was designed to remove barriers to participation, due to a lack of education, poverty, social isolation and other factors. For the 2004-2005 school year, HIPPY served 16,271 families in the United States through 954 home visitors.
In a model HIPPY site, 180 children will be served by one coordinator and 12-18 part-time home visitors. The first site will be in El Cenizo, one of our area's first colonias that sits within yards of the Rio Grande river. The program will start with 45 children and 3-4 home visitors. Once the coordinator and home visitors return from HIPPY training, they will begin their exciting new venture assisting the families who have made a commitment to implement HIPPY in their home. Aside from the home visitor/parent sessions, each family will dedicate 20-30 minutes per day engaging in hands-on activities with their three year old child. The plan is for the program to grow each year by establishing HIPPY programs in other areas of the community. The community foundation is working to obtain the funding necessary for the program to grow.
In explaining his motivation to bring HIPPY to the Laredo area, Mr. Granoff painted a picture that many of us can relate to. "When we were young, we asked our parents why they had settled in 'hot Laredo.' Only later did I realize that I had been lucky to grow up within two cultures---the time I spent living on the border was the most enriching time of my life. Later, my studies in child psychology opened my eyes to the importance of family. I practiced child and family therapy in Israel until my recent retirement; following that I was looking for a way to give back to society. I found this program that helps children prepare for school by training their parents to be their first teachers. I spent a year observing the activities, and I witnessed the parents and children grow in knowledge together."
"The program was developed by Professor Avina Lombard at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She dedicated almost 30 years to this program and now it is taught in several countries besides Israel. Based on my experiences in Laredo, I decided that there are children who could benefit from a HIPPY program. Starting this school year, there will be three year old children preparing to go to school while sitting comfortably at home with their mothers. I look forward to witnessing the growth of the program and the addition of more partners investing in the future of our children."
Funding for the first year of HIPPY has been provided through the generosity of Mr.Granoff's contribution, along with family scholarships from the D.D. Hachar Charitable Trust, in-kind resources from Texas A&M International University's Texas Center for Border Economic Development, and grants from Americorp and IDRA (Intercultural Development Research Association) of San Antonio.
Many individuals worked together to make this project a reality. With the help of Carla Weir of Texas HIPPY, the administration of the Texas Center studied the HIPPY model and realized that HIPPY could make an important difference in the rural areas they serve. This month the program will be initiated in El Cenizo under the supervision of Jesse Olivares. The Laredo Area Community Foundation is proud to be a partner in this exciting new initiative for our border area.
ICF RELEASES REPORT ON CRITICAL HEALTH RISKS FACED ACROSS THE SAN DIEGO-BAJA CALIFORNIA BORDER REGION
On June 30th, ICF released Shared Destiny: Shaping a Binational Agenda for Health Priorities in the San Diego-Baja California Border Region - a report that seeks to engage civic leaders and elected officials about the need for urgent action in addressing critical health risks faced across the San Diego-Baja California border region.
With funding from the California Endowment and co-authored by Robert Bach, Ph.D., and Richard Kiy, ICF president, the report is a call for action to raise the scale of investment and program engagement to respond to the rising rates of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, chronic ailments and, most urgently, the risk of bioterrorism, food contamination and other sources of transnational illness.
The report observes that as the binational region becomes even more integrated through crossborder economic partnerships, commercial exchange, travel and two-way migration, public health programs that work only on one side of the border are increasingly unable to respond to cross-border health risks. According to the report, what is critically needed is an expanded emphasis on cross-border health programs and initiatives that respond to the growing public health challenges faced in the San Diego-Baja California border region - now the largest binational metroplex in North America.
The report offers a strategic agenda for improving the quality of cross-border health through regulatory reform, and other public-private partnership initiatives, including:
The report also calls for a regional health summit to engage private, public and non-governmental leaders to work together to address otherwise irresolvable cross-border health care challenges facing the binational region.
CORPORATE GIVING TRENDS IN THE U.S. - MEXICO BORDER REGION
The final report on border corporate giving trends was released early 2006. The report is the collaborative product of the International Community Foundation (ICF), The Synergos Institute, Crossborder Business Associates, the Fundación Empresarial Sonorense, A.C. (FESAC), and El Paso Community Foundation (EPCF). The report contains data from over 800 maquiladoras contacted in six Mexican Border States, the sample set represents 8.2 % of total maquila employment along Mexico's northern border. Additionally, 50 Mexican border area nonprofit leaders were surveyed to gauge their perceptions of corporate giving in the region.
The key findings were as follows:
Recommendations
Border-based companies could do more to make a difference in the communities where they operate. Yet, the responsibility for increasing the level of corporate giving does not lie solely with the individual companies operating along the border. The Mexican government could play a more prominent role by streamlining its tax code; border area community foundations and United Ways could take a stronger leadership role in encouraging and enabling maquilas to give. These charitable institutions could also assist in strengthening the overall institutional capacity of border area non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to better position nonprofits to receive corporate funding. What has become clear is that through a more cohesive and collaborative joint effort among corporations, government and civil society, more could be done to significantly increase corporate philanthropy along the border thereby improving the living conditions of the growing number of under-served people now living in the region. Without such collective action maquila oriented corporate giving along Mexico's northern border will remain inconsequential.
To expand corporate giving by maquiladoras in the border region, the following is recommended:
BPP: NEW HOME AND NEW FACES
The BPP staff has happily settled into its new home. The BPP office is now located at 121 Broadway, Suite 370, San Diego, CA, 92101. Tel (619) 234-6610 Fax (619) 234-6640
In addition to its new home, the BPP team has also welcomed new friendly faces. Christiana DeBenedict joined the BPP team in March 2006. In her position of Program Co-ordinator, Christiana is responsible for office administration as well as providing support to program development. Ann Tartre was appointed Director of the BPP in May 2006. She will be permanently moving to San Diego at the end of September from New York where she is presently wrapping up her duties as the former Deputy Director of Strengthening Bridging Organizations for the Synergos Institute. Christine Dwyer has been working as a full-time intern with the BPP since June 2006. She is supporting BPP efforts in the area of knowledge management and program development.
Dottie Reynolds will provide continued support to US BCFs throughout the Fall of 2006. Vivian Blair and Michelle Jaramillo continue in their respective roles of Coach to the Mexican BCFs and BPP Program Officer.
EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
BPP Events
September 26 and 27 - Thematic Meeting: Grassroots Community Development in Mexico and Border Community Foundations
Tijuana, BC
For more info please contact Vivian Blair.
November 16 and 17 - Thematic Meeting: Youth Leadership Initiative
Ciudad Juarez
For more info please contact Christiana DeBenedict.
April 19 - 21 (TENTATIVE) Eighth BPP Learning Community
Las Cruces, New Mexico
For more info please contact Christiana DeBenedict.
Conferences and meetings
September 18 to 20 - The 2006 Council on Foundations Fall Conference for Community Foundations will take place in Boston, MA.
October 4 - The San Diego Grantmakers Annual Conference will focus on "Grantmakers as Change Makers."
October 16 to 18 - The VIII Encuentro Iberamericano del Tercer Sector México will be held in Mexico City.
October 19 to 21 - The 58th Annual Conference of Southwest Foundations will be held in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
October 22 to 24 - The 2006 Independent Sector Annual Conference takes place in Minneapolis/St Paul, USA. The conference theme is "Many Voices, Shared Purpose: Working Together to Improve Lives."
October 26 to 28 - The 2006 National Conference of the Association of Small Foundations will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.
November 8 to 10 - The 2006 Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Council of Foundations will take place in Savannah, Georgia. The theme of the meeting is "Southern Philanthropy: Imagine!"
November 9 - Forum on Immigration & the Role of Philanthropy, hosted by ICF in collaboration with San Diego Grantmakers.
Courses
September 27 to 29 - New CEO Seminar co-hosted by the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy and Council on Foundations.
Resources
The HIP Consultant Database contains contact info for a broad collection of culturally competent consultants.
Techsoup.org connects nonprofits with donated and discounted technology products. The site also has a great Learning Center with articles, advice, and tips for all your technology queries.
Invaluable uses for BPP Technical Assistance Funds:
About the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership
Launched in 2002, the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership improves quality of life for low-income border families and communities by strengthening community foundations and promoting philanthropy in the region. The BPP consists of 22 border community foundations; 12 regional, national, and international funders; and Synergos as managing partner. For more information, visit www.borderpartnership.org.