Grants Managers Network 2014 Conference

Editor's Notes

• #3: Talk about intro – global philanthropy
• #4: I’m excited by the Council’s new network approach because just as we all come into philanthropy from various disciplines and training, so the network that values philanthropy also cuts across sectors and industries. We are in a strategic position to connect people and ideas and bring greater value to our members and the philanthropic sector.
• #7: An organization must be true to cultural sensitivity both in its outside activities and in its internal operations. Regarding the latter, it might be useful to mention the importance of a diverse board.
• #8: A second story has to do with the response of donors around the world to the tsunami in Southeast Asia. Political scientist Daniel Aldrich recently described to NPR his findings about how communities recover from disaster—a topic he has been exploring since experiencing it firsthand in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. His conclusion: it is not outside aid that determines survival but the knowledge of local actors, connections among community, and the interventions of neighbors. Conversely, with the best of intentions but lacking an understanding of community dynamics, outside aid can be counterproductive or even destructive.The example given was the compassionate response of global NGOs to the tsunami’s destruction of fishing boats. Hoping to help communities get back on their feet, donors gave new fishing boats to individual fishermen. They did not understand that, as Aldrich described it, fishing was “a very social activity . . . organized in a network. . . . If each person is given their own boat, you’ve gone from five people working together to each individual working by themselves. Fishermen who used to work together now became competitors. Trust broke down. Fights broke out. . . . Some of the activists I talked to called it ‘the second tsunami.’” 
• #10: Don’t assume you know the answers. However thoroughly you prepare, you don’t. Even if you enter a new community with experts at your elbow, they are technical experts only. The real experts are the people who live there, and you must be open to what they can teach you if you are to have the impact you hope for. Communication, transparency, and candor are key to the process. You will want to give the grantee a sense of your process and timing, and be respectful of their time as well, particularly if there is not a strong likelihood that the applicant will meet your guidelines.
• #11: Don’t assume you know the answers. However thoroughly you prepare, you don’t. Even if you enter a new community with experts at your elbow, they are technical experts only. The real experts are the people who live there, and you must be open to what they can teach you if you are to have the impact you hope for. Consult experts and map the stakeholders in the community you are entering. Take your time in consulting experts and knowledgeable colleagues. If possible, hire a consultant to map the geography and the issue into which you may be entering; if not, do as much research as you can to understand the mission, program, and goals of other funders, NGOs, multilateral aid agencies, and multinational corporations that are active in the same area. Understand money flows—if substantial resources are flowing into your region or around your issue from whatever source, it creates a power dynamic you need to understand. It is also important to understand the role of government agencies—if your goal is to improve educational attainment for girls in Kenya, it would be helpful to understand what UNICEF and the Kenyan government are doing toward the same goal, and to meet their program officers. Moreover, this kind of knowledge can protect you from unwittingly working at cross purposes to another donor. If you wanted to establish a program selling bednets for a modest price in Mali, for example, it would be helpful to know if there is another program nearby that distributes them free. Visit and listen. Even if ultimately your grants will flow through an intermediary, it is important to spend time on the ground checking your assumptions and listening to people there. This is part of due diligence, and you will want to revisit at intervals, to see how things are changing and to verify what you are learning from reports with the truth of what’s happening on the ground.In the example of the SC’s Positive Deviance work, information came forth slowly and iteratively. Their ability to ask open-ended questions and listen was essential to getting the information they needed to make progress. Trust was built and the villages learned their own process of discovery, which would not have happened without face-to-face dialogue. Be aware of cultural sensitivities• Is it more respectful to call on someone at the person’s office rather than asking him or her to call on you?• Are there gender sensitivities you should be aware of?• What kind of dress is appropriate and respectful?
• #12: Show respect by considering the grantee’s convenience. Understand that the grantor-grantee dynamic may not allow them to say that the time or place you have selected presents a conflict. State the purpose of the visit in advance—don’t make the grantee guess what you hope to learn and what documents you will need to see or people you will need to talk to. Plan ahead to deal with language barriers, if needed. Be aware of cultural sensitivities Is it more respectful to call on someone at their office rather than asking them to call on you? Are there gender sensitivities you should be aware of? What kind of dress is appropriate and respectful? Make time and space for all voices to be heard Listen to all stakeholders and meet all relevant staff. Meet board members if possible and appropriate. If the purpose is a financial audit Make sure the grantee has plenty of time to prepare and understands documents needed. Understand the difference between local customs and IRS rules. If needed, explain these differences to the grantee in terms that are not accusatory—e.g., I must follow these rules or my government will not allow me to provide grants in the future.
• #13: Laos – Buddhist traditions, a patient and accepting people. Bolivia – Friendship an important value. Deadlines are not considered important. Malawi – generally talkative, but can be guarded and suspicious. Presentation is important. Myanmar – adopt realistic expectations, be patient, carefully nurtured relationships over time. Don’t take yes to mean agreement or action. They find it nearly impossible to say no to anything – saving face. China Nigeria – handshaking is very important, long, lingering handshakes with everybody you meet. Agreeing w/ people is a sign of respect. India Israel
• #15: State Dept Global Philanthropy Working Group Communities of Democracies Working Group - The Community of Democracies is a global intergovernmental coalition of democratic countries, with the goal of promoting democratic rules and strengthening democratic norms and institutions around the world. It is an important global platform for exchange of experiences and consultations toward building and strengthening of democratic order inside the countries as well as in the international system. "Progress in the 21st century depends on the ability of individuals to coalesce around shared goals, and harness the power of their convictions. But when governments crack down on the right of citizens to work together, as they have throughout history, societies fall into stagnation and decay." —US Secretary of State H.R. Clinton, at the 10th Anniversary of the Community of Democracies, July 3, 2010