The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle - Stanford Social Innovation Review

The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle - Stanford Social Innovation Review

A vicious cycle is leaving nonprofits so hungry for decent infrastructure that they can barely function as organizations—let alone serve their beneficiaries. The cycle starts with funders’ unrealistic expectations about how much running a nonprofit costs, and results in nonprofits’ misrepresenting their costs while skimping on vital systems—acts that feed funders’ skewed beliefs. To break the nonprofit starvation cycle, funders must take the lead.

To read the full article click on the link above.

Built in or bolted-on?

A very exciting and interesting research project was recently completed on CSR in six sub-Saharan countries in Africa on behalf of GTZ and the British High Commission. You may be interested in the outcomes. The official report was launched at the end of June and is being viewed alongside the CSR Navigator.

The low resolution report can be viewed on line at the Imani Development website on www.imanidevelopment.com under the project news and updates

Of interest nine core themes were identified namely:
· Leadership and governance:
· Policy framework:
· Project management:
· Monitoring, evaluation and reporting:
· Stakeholder engagement:
· Staff engagement:
· Government: .
· Beneficiation:
· Funding:
Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Corporate Social Responsibility in South Africa - More questions than answers??

Where does the time go……? We are already into the first week of March 2009, and the holiday break is a long-long-long and distant memory. So much is happening on the Global scene, especially around the financial markets, new Presidents being sworn in, agreements being reached in a neighbouring country, Heads of States and Ministers of all COMESA, EAC & SADC meeting to develop a joint Free Trade Area which will benefit trade and all of their people in Southern and Eastern Africa, to mention just a few.

Now back to this most interesting and exciting third sector in South Africa, what is happening on our local landscape around CSR and the relevance to King III? Is the debate still raging around the definition of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Social Investment? Who are the role players, stakeholders, partners, service providers, enablers, social auditors, funders, benefactors, social enterprise, social entrepreneurs, and beneficiaries?

Do CSR and CSI form a distinct and clear strategic component of the corporates thinking, how does this fit with the international experience and best practice, especially in the light of the BEE requirements?

What influence do countries like the United Kingdom, Unites States of America, Australia have on the South Africa and Africa way of thinking, plus policy and strategy in this area?
How do we cooperatively fashion an environment which is capacitated, resourced and focused on what needs to be done and mobilise to “to make it happen”?

Anyway, all questions that excite me in moving towards being able to answer them.

I would appreciate your comments, thoughts and insight into this?

CSR2008: The Revolution of Corporate Social Responsibility

This pioneering conference is the key that will show you how to ensure the effective alignment of your business objectives with your CSR initiatives, enhancing your corporate image and improving employee morale.
Organisations have been called to task by Government to make a contribution to Social Economic Development. Hear from Keynote Speaker Professor Mervyn King on the King 2 Report on Corporate Governance as a component of CSR. Acquire the most topical, relevant, unbiased and comprehensive information on CSR from the most forward thinking CSR experts in South Africa, while utilising this unique opportunity to explore viable and ergonomic solutions to your individual concerns.

For a full agenda visit the following link:
http://www.frontfoot.co.za/mailers/csr2008/agenda.html

I hope to see you there and engage in discussing the exciting progress in the field of CSR. Maybe some of my questions will be answered and many new ones will be formed.