Fund-raisers told to let donors in

LOCAL ORGANISATIONS seeking philanthropic assistance have been advised to engage and involve potential donors in their projects.
This, according to two leading British philanthropists, is a more likely way to get the attention of, and attract funding from people who derive satisfaction from giving through personal involvement.
Britain’s Ambassador for Philanthropy Dame Stephanie Shirley and millionaire businessman James Caan shared the advice as they addressed several women from various organisations at a luncheon hosted by British High Commissioner Paul Brummel at his official residence yesterday.
“I think one of the things that organisations are not doing very well is communicating what is in it for them [the philanthropists],” Caan told the luncheon guests.
He suggested: “The key message from a philanthropist’s perspective is to make sure that you engage the people you are talking to, in part of that journey.”
Referring to personal experience, both speakers expressed the belief that “the more you give, the richer you become because it truly makes you feel that what you do is worthwhile”.
Meanwhile Permament Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Theresa Marshall, disclosed that a Government-commissioned study on philanthropy had been completed.
It is the first step in Government’s plan to create a Centre for Philanthropy and a philanthropic foundation.
Marshall told the SUNDAY SUN: “In 2008 in his Budget Speech the Prime Minister talked about the ways in which we could encourage more philanthropic giving from Barbadians in the diaspora and from friends of Barbados who reside overseas.
“He commissioned a study so that we could see how we could streamline the whole aspect of philanthropy.”
The study done by a consultant has been presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Marshall said the ideas would now be “put to the Economic and Social Policy Committee and then to the Cabinet”.
Though she could not disclose details of the study, the permanent secretary said however that work was still being done “on other aspects such as how we want to tie in what we want to do here with the legislative framework of the countries where donors reside”. (GC)