Thank You and Good Luck, Helena!
Dear colleagues,
For the past six years, my job as WINGS Executive Director has been my highest priority, and received the best of my time and attention. It was my privilege and honour to develop a network I believe in and build an organization I am proud of.
When I started on October 2010, I could never have guessed at how challenging and rewarding this role would be. Despite many challenges, during my tenure WINGS income more than tripled, sound governance practices were implemented, new programmes were developed, and the network gained and credibility. Today, I am extremely happy with the organization I am leaving behind when I step down at the end of the month.
I would like to thank all of you, directors, members, funders, partners and staff, for your support and commitment. Together we have enabled WINGS to evolve from an informal, volunteer operation into an established non-profit with an ambitious vision for a strong, global philanthropic community that strives to build more equitable and just societies around the world.
This has been a very challenging and enlightening experience, one that I will treasure forever.
As for me, I will continue working in the sector and hope we will keep in touch. You can find me on LinkedIn and reach me via email.
WINGS On The Road
We want to thank everyone who submitted proposals for WINGSForum 2017! We have received an outstanding number of submissions for the concurrent sessions, and we will reach out to those who submitted in the coming weeks with additional information. For more information on the Forum please visit our official website!
Media Impact Funders and Foundation Center Announce New Mapping Tool for Media and Philanthropy
Media Impact Funders (MIF) and Foundation Center are pleased to announce the launch of Foundation Maps for Media Funding, a free, interactive mapping and research tool that shows the full scope of philanthropically-funded media projects worldwide since 2009. Developed by Foundation Center and available on the Media Impact Funders’ website, this new tool enables users to see, understand, and dig deep into the numbers, networks, and trends surrounding media and philanthropy.
GIFE’s members improve their transparency due to its transparency platform
50 GIFE members, institutions and foundations, have joined the GIFE Transparency Panel. The initiative – launched in late March at GIFE Congress – is an online tool. It gathers, organizes and provides relevant institutional information about GIFE member from a group of indicators, and shows whether an organization publishes relevant information on its website. Read more about it here (article in Portuguese).
AFE Forum: What’s New for Colombia’s future?
On September 7 and 8, 2016, over 200 business leaders and foundations representatives came together at Forum “A Future for Colombia”- organized by the Association of Corporate and Family Foundations (AFE), Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), UBS AG, Atlantic Council and the Swedish Embassy in Colombia. The Forum took place in Cartagena, Colombia with the purpose of providing a space for dialogue and reflection on peace-building and the role of the business sector and foundations as social transformation agents in a historic moment for the country. Read more about what happened, and was discussed, here.
Philanthropy and Government Join Forces to Overcome Authoritarian Past
The first installment in The Working Group on Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace and GrantCraft’s blog series focuses on Indonesia for Humanity’s experience of connecting activists with government officials as an effective way to create change with small grants. The blog series publishes stories describing philanthropic interventions against injustice at a local, national or global scale. Each story addresses key questions grantmakers wrestle with in order to effect systemic social change. Through this series, the partners hope to raise awareness of some of the most effective examples from philanthropy in tackling injustice and achieving lasting structural change. By sharing knowledge in philanthropy and being willing to learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives, we can improve our practice together. Read the latest post here.
#NGODigitalSpaces: How an Effective Digital Presence Can Help Build a Stronger Civil Society
It’s a crowded digital world for nonprofits and philanthropists which is why it’s more important than ever for organizations to cut through the noise by being effective online. Click here to read some ways your organisation can do this.
A New Era for African Philanthropy
There has never been a greater time for African philanthropy and philanthropy in general than today. The momentum and interest around philanthropy have grown – at times surprisingly so, given that not so long ago philanthropy was accorded no role in formal and intergovernmental processes. Not many governments considered philanthropy in their policy processes; if they did, they would do so in disparaging or suspecting ways. African governments viewed philanthropy (particularly international foundations) as part of a western agenda to influence regime change. Read the latest post from Alliance Magazine.
WINGS Annual Report
The latest WINGS Annual Report has been published – be sure to download it from the WINGS Website here.
Events
2016 African Philanthropy Forum
Rabat, Morocco, 17th – 18th October 2016
The 2016 African Philanthropy Forum, to be held in Morocco just a few weeks before the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC, presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the required bold steps and big bets, especially in response to the agricultural, climate, energy, governance and urbanization challenges facing the African Continent. It also provides philanthropists and social investors on the Continent with the opportunity to consider the critical and strategic roles that they have to play individually and collectively in this journey of transformation.
2016 Annual Symposium – Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa (IPASA)
Johannesburg, South Africa, 25 – 26 October 2016
The theme of the 2016 IPASA symposium is Disruptive Philanthropy: New Ideas, Reshaping Philanthropy. This symposium will focus on the key disruptive elements in society, both global and local. These include technology, corruption, climate change and the environment, migration and the role of ‘creatives’ in disrupting society. We will explore how philanthropy can creatively engage with these disruptors.
Latin American Indigenous Funder’s Conference
Lima, Peru, 25th – 27th October 2016
IFIP is hosting its first Latin America Indigenous Funders Conference in Lima, Peru, from October 25-27. Following its predecessors, this event will serve as a catalyst for vital conversations and new collaboration between donors and Indigenous communities on the frontlines. The Conference Planning Committee has decided to dedicate the event to Berta Cáceres, who had participated in an IFIP event on the security of Indigenous human rights defenders following her receipt of the Goldman Environmental Prize last year.
The Theme is: Buen Vivir: Supporting the Role of Indigenous Peoples in Bio-Cultural Diversity, Human Rights and Sustainable Economic Models.
Vancouver, Canada, 1st – 3rd November 2016
The 6th biennial PFC Conference in Vancouver is focusing on ‘Looking Outward: New Horizons for Canadian Philanthropy’.
London, UK, 3rd November 2016
ACF’s annual conference for staff and trustees of foundations and grant-making charities from across the UK will be on Thursday 03 November 2016 at BMA House, central London on the theme of ‘trust’.
Paris, France, 3rd – 4th November 2016
Are you interested in building sustainable non-profits and social enterprises? Are you curious about cross-border philanthropy and investment, scalable societal impact or green bonds? Would you like to work with government or corporations to find effective solutions to persistent societal problems? In that case, you will be interested in this year’s EVPA annual conference.
Themed “Moving beyond Boundaries,” the event will be a platform to think about how to build and grow the European Venture Philanthropy and Social Investment sector, but also to learn about the latest in innovative financing models, impact measurement and capacity building.
Cemefi’s 8th World Youth Volunteer Conference
Puebla, Mexico, 3rd – 5th November 2016
The IAVE World Youth Volunteer Conference (WYVC) is a unique opportunity for young volunteers, up to age 29, to meet together, volunteer together, learn and reflect together and begin relationships that can last for many years.
Cemefi’s 24th World Volunteer Conference
Mexico City, 7th – 10th November 2016
The theme, Volunteering for Social Change – recognizes that volunteering is a powerful way in which individual and collective actions can bring needed change to our communities, our countries and our rapidly globalizing world.
Maputo, Mozambique, 15th -17th November 2016
Centro Portugues de Fundacoes will be hosting their meeting in Maputo, focusing on ‘Foundations and the Global Agenda 2030’.
Global Summit on Community Philanthropy
Johannesburg, South Africa, 1st – 2nd December 2016
Registration is now open for Global Summit on Community Philanthropy that will take place in Johannesburg, 1-2 December 2016!
Membership Update
To learn more about membership, email Sarah.
Alliance Magazine
Did you know that WINGS members are eligible for a free or discounted subscription to Alliance Magazine? Be sure to reach out for more information.
Philanthropy in Focus 