The culture of giving is alive and well, and we have our work cut out for us. It’s important now more than ever for associations and support organisations serving philanthropy to be connected, informed and engaged with their colleagues. Because the dream will only get us so far.

That is why, over the coming months, WINGS will transform our website into a community for philanthropy exchange—to give you the resources you need to be more effective inside and outside the sector. The work and scope of your organisation matters to us, so we are asking our members to update their profiles on our website (the first step in creating a viable social network for organisations serving philanthropy), and to spread the word about what we are doing together to promote the culture of giving around the world.

Innovations in business and technology have allowed us to overcome barriers, large and small, giving us a better understanding of the global dimension of our social challenges. And we see a growing demand for international and cross-border giving, which drives home the reality that a network like WINGS is absolutely essential for delivering a formidable global philanthropic effort. We look forward to building the WINGS Network with you over the coming months, and we encourage you to continue the work.

As WINGS transitions into a full-fledged membership association, many network participants are pledging their support. And truth is, to preserve philanthropy for the future we must all find a way to contribute right now. We are pleased to say that already 45 network participants have become full WINGS members by contributing membership dues in 2012. As we build our programs and prepare for the road head, we encourage you to make the same commitment to WINGS. In return, we promise to do our best to give you the tools you need to realise your philanthropic dreams, and take flight.

Helena Monteiro
WINGS Executive Director