Wal-Mart Foundation and CARE Team Up to Empower Young Women Around the World

The Wal-Mart Foundation recently announced a $1 million grant to CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Projects funded by this grant will focus on empowering impoverished young women around the world through education, job-training and entrepreneurial support programs.
The announcement was made at CARE's National Conference and Celebration, an annual gathering that raises awareness and voices of the issues that keep millions in poverty around the world. The funding from the Wal-Mart Foundation represents the first step toward a long-term partnership that will improve the lives of women and girls in the developing world. Over the next year, the Wal-Mart Foundation and CARE will focus on young women in Peru, Bangladesh and India.
According to Margaret McKenna, Wal-Mart Foundation president, "CARE is at the forefront of a global effort to create better lives for millions of young women around the world. For many of these women, education, training and entrepreneurship are critical to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty - and with CARE, women around the world will benefit from the Wal-Mart Foundation's commitment to creating opportunities so people can live better."
Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE, said, "We firmly believe that global poverty can be defeated by collaborating with corporations, governments, individuals and others sharing this common goal. The Wal-Mart Foundation's contribution will help empower women and uplift communities, which is a proven way to strike at the roots of poverty. We look forward to working together on this effort."
According to the United Nations Population Fund, three fifths of the world's one billion poorest people are women and girls. Of the nearly 1 billion adults in the world who cannot read, two thirds are women.
The Wal-Mart Foundation awards grants that seek to address the educational needs of underserved young people ages 12 to 25. This year on International Women's Day, Wal-Mart donated $25,000 to CARE's "Power Within" program. This program focuses on girls' education and leadership, helping more than 10 million girls complete primary school and develop leadership skills in 20 countries around the world. Press Release

Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation opens plant
Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation has unveiled its new 9,000-square-foot vaccine manufacturing facility, which it said is able to produce enough tuberculosis vaccines to cover worldwide demand.
The nonprofit has opened the second floor of its Research Boulevard building to new manufacturing space that can produce 200 million doses of a new tuberculosis vaccine, a disease that kills 1.8 million people worldwide each year.
The new facility, which cost $12 million with the new equipment, allows Aeras to purify its vaccine products at a higher level and convert them into either injectable or inhalable forms in up to 5,000 vials worth with each run. Aeras will use the space not only to produce vaccines for its four clinical trials underway, including one launched last month to treat South African infants with Dutch partner Crucell NV, but also to distribute around the world.
“This is not just pilot production,†said Jerald Sadoff, president and CEO of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. “We can make things that can be actually sold.â€
Planned for the past four years, this new space is an expansion of an existing 6,500-square-foot manufacturing facility at the nonprofit. As a result, Aeras said it expects to hire more than 25 more people in the next two years to help run the new facility, a nearly 20 percent jump from its 138-person staff now. Press Release
Aeras, and this new manufacturing space, are largely funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Ford Foundation Announces New Grantmaking Strategies

The Ford Foundation has announced a number of organizational changes and a comprehensive set of new strategies aimed at creating fairness and equity for people around the globe.
The changes were determined after a year-long evaluation process spearheaded by Ford’s president, Luis A. Ubiñas, during which the foundation gathered input from some two thousand individuals and organizations across the many regions it serves. Under the new plan, Ford now will focus its grantmaking in eight areas: access to education; democratic, accountable government; economic fairness and opportunity; freedom of expression; human rights; natural resources and sustainable development; sexuality and reproductive health and rights; and social-justice philanthropy. The new priorities are scheduled to go into full effect in October, when the foundation begins its 2010 fiscal year.
According to the New York Times, thirty-five projects within each area will be implemented collaboratively by teams of Ford Foundation staff, marking a shift from individually directed initiatives that once numbered more than two hundred. The foundation anticipates that each regional office will focus on four to six of the new programs.
In a statement on the foundation’s Web site, Ubiñas said Ford’s recent efforts have resulted in a profound recommitment to the mission and values that have long defined the foundation. “This recommitment is expressed in a comprehensive set of new strategies aimed at creating fairness and equity for people everywhere,†said Ubiñas. “It is our intention to make certain that the objectives of our programs are clear, that our grantmaking approaches are oriented to a changing world and that our contributions help bring about real and lasting change in people’s lives.â€

Britain's New Charity 'Ambassador' Says Wealthy Don't Give Enough
Dame Stephanie Shirley (pictured left), who was recently appointed Britain’s philanthropy “ambassador,†told The Sunday Times that she is approaching financial advisers about pressuring wealthy people to give more.
“We have to take the concept of philanthropy far, far wider,†said Ms. Shirley, an information-technology magnate who to date has donated $80.4-million, much of it to autism-related causes in honor of her late son. She said philanthropy should become part of school curricula and scolded “high-net-worth people†who give “trivial amounts†or nothing at all.
Ms. Shirley, who was named to the post last week by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, plans to assemble a team of charity “emissaries†to target British regions and business fields.

Charity Official to Lead Obama's Global AIDS Effort

Eric Goosby, chief executive and chief medical officer at the nonprofit Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation, has been tapped by President Obama to coordinate American efforts to fight the disease worldwide, Reuters reports.
If confirmed, Dr. Goosby will direct the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, charged with disbursing billions of dollars allocated by Congress for overseas AIDS efforts.
A professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, he was a leading AIDS-policy official during the Clinton administration and has helped China, Rwanda, and South Africa develop treatment plans.

GRANTS -
This section links you to funders who invite you to submit grant applications, if you qualify, identifies funders who make cross border grants and gives examples of actual funding.
If you are interested in the full story or to access infomation on similar funding then follow the links.

81 unusual projects get $100K in Gates grants

A tomato that delivers antiviral drugs when eaten? How about a fungus that acts like a head cold for malaria-carrying mosquitoes?
These are among 81 projects awarded $100,000 grants by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support innovative, unconventional global health research.
The foundation also announced plans to spend $73 million over the next five years to help small farmers in impoverished countries. That program was outlined by foundation CEO Jeff Raikes at a water conference held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Raikes, a former Microsoft executive, said the foundation sees agriculture as a "compelling solution" to poverty. He said government spending on agriculture in poor countries such as those in sub-Sahara Africa declined from 1985 to 2005.
The five-year health research grants are designed to encourage scientists to pursue bold ideas that could lead to breakthroughs.
The Seattle-based foundation said those funds are going to researchers in 17 countries as the second round of the Grand Challenges Explorations program, which the foundation launched in 2008. Press Release
On the Net:

* Gates Foundation: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/
* Grand Challenges: http://www.gcgh.org/explorations

NIH Awards New Grants to Fund International Research Collaborations

The Fogarty International Center, part of the National Institutes of Health, announced it will award approximately $537,000 over three years to fund international research collaboration at five universities. Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award (FIRCA) grants are given jointly to an NIH-supported investigator and an overseas collaborator in a low- and middle-income country, with the financial support going to the foreign collaborator. The FIRCA program is intended to benefit the research interests of both collaborators while increasing research capacity at the foreign site.
Each institution will receive between $33,000 and $41,000 annually over three years. The new grants aim to increase access to emerging research techniques and capabilities, and unique populations and environments. Four of the new grants are going to U.S. institutions, while a fifth will go directly to a foreign institution, the University of Chile. The five new grants will support research on a wide range of public health issues including obesity, chronic mountain sickness, dengue fever and central nervous system injuries.

2009 Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award Grantees:

* University of California, San Diego and Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
* University of Chile, Santiago, Chile and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
* University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina
* University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana and University of Pune, Maharashtra, India
* Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. and Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia

For more information, see the Web site for the FIRCA Program at: http://www.fic.nih.gov/programs/research_grants/firca/index.htm

Partners Pledge $30 Million to Strengthen African Think Tanks
The International Development Research Centre, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced $30 million in grants to support twenty-four think tanks in East and West Africa as part of the recently launched Think Tank Initiative.
The initiative, to which the three donors have committed a total of $90 million to date, is designed to provide at least a decade of support for independent policy think tanks in developing countries, enabling them to provide sound research that informs and influences national policy. IDRC has committed $10 million for the first five years of the initiative, while Hewlett and Gates have committed $40 million each.
The initiative will provide core funding to local think tanks, helping them produce high-quality research that leads to better policies and, ultimately, more equitable and prosperous societies. The grant recipients include think tanks in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda. Later this year, IDRC will issue a call for proposals from groups in Latin America and South Asia.
"The value of providing think tanks with enduring, long-term support cannot be overstated," said Rohinton Medhora, IDRC's vice president for programs. "Predictable core funding gives institutions the certainty and continuity they need to build skills that can lead to path-breaking work and constructive public policy influence."

“Partners Pledge US $30 Million to Strengthen African Think Tanks to Inform Development Policy.†International Development Research Centre Press Release

INTERNATIONAL GRANT RESOURCES -
Helpful websites for the International Grant seeker

International Funding An interactive map covering all regions of the world GO >>>
GuideStar - Connecting People with Nonproft information Encourages nonprofits to share information about their organizations openly and completely. Any nonprofit in the database can update its report with information about its mission, programs, leaders, goals, accomplishments, and needs—for free. GO>>>
Foundation Search FoundationSearch is a leading source of fundraising information for non-profits and charities. This online resource includes more than 120,000 foundations, representing billions of dollars in annual granting, and includes tools to locate grants by type, value, year, recipient, donor and historical giving trends, and much more. GO>>>
Charity Commission Database The Charity Commission for England and Wales is established by law as the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales. Their aim is to provide the best possible regulation of these charities in order to increase charities’ efficiency and effectiveness and public confidence and trust in them. GO>>>
Directory of Social Change Trustfunding Database

Trustfunding details all trusts included within Directory of Social Change (DSC) and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) publications and is updated regularly throughout the year.
It includes information on over 4,200 grant-making trusts with a total of over £3.1 billion a year. GO>>>
A similar database for government funding GO>>>

AWARDS, COMPETITIONS, PROGRAMS & FELLOWSHIPS

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Receives 2009 Gates Award for Global Health
The Global Health Council has announced the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as the recipient of the 2009 Gates Award for Global Health.
Established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the $1 million prize recognizes organizations that have made outstanding contributions to improving global health, especially in resource-poor settings.
The London School — the first academic institution to win the annual prize and the first British winner — was chosen by a jury of international health leaders from a pool of roughly one hundred nominees for its efforts to build health systems and train health personnel in low-income and post-conflict countries while researching diseases that particularly affect disadvantaged people, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. According to London School director Sir Andrew Haines, the prize money will be used to develop new courses and provide scholarships for the school's distance learning program.
"For more than a century, the London School has trained the some of the world's most outstanding public health leaders," said Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation's global health program. "The school's commitment to leadership and cutting-edge research has made an immeasurable contribution to health in developing countries."
“London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Wins 2009 Annual Gates Award for Global Health.†Global Health Council Press Release

MacArthur Foundation Announces Winners of 2009 Digital Media and Learning Competition
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced grants totaling $2 million to the nineteen winning projects in its 2009 Digital Media and Learning Competition, which included two categories: Innovation in Participatory Learning, open to individuals from the United States and ten other countries; and Young Innovators, open only to individuals in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 25.
Part of MacArthur's five-year, $50 million digital media and learning initiative, the global competition supports innovative projects that explore digital media's ability to help people learn and participate in civic life. The competition is funded by a MacArthur grant to the University of California, Irvine and Duke University and administered by HASTAC (the Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory), a virtual network of learning institutions.
Fifteen of the 2009 awardees are from the U.S., and one each is from Canada, India, Mexico, and South Africa. The winning projects, which received awards ranging from $9,000 to $211,000, include a $12 TV-computer, a video blogging site for young women in Mumbai, and a cutting-edge mobile phone application that lets school children perform collaborative science observations. Successful projects will promote learning and participation through games, mobile phone applications, virtual worlds, social networks, wikis, video blogs, and other media.
One of the winners was Women Aloud: Videoblogging for Empowerment (WAVE). They offer an unprecedented online presence for low-income women from across India with a unique digital platform for Indian women aged 18-25 (pictured above)
For a list of all the 2009 award recipients, visit the MacArthur Foundation Web site.
“Global Competition Selects 19 Innovative Digital Media and Learning Projects to Share $2 Million.†John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Press Release

2009 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Announced
The 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize has been awarded to seven grassroots activists from around the world who are challenging government and corporate interests and working to improve the environment and living conditions for people in their communities.
The recipients of this year's $150,000 prize are Maria Gunnoe (United States), who fights mountaintop removal mining and valley fill operations in West Virginia; Marc Ona Essangui (Gabon), who has led efforts to expose the unlawful agreements behind a mining development project that threatens rainforest ecosystems; Rizwana Hasan (Bangladesh), who works to increase government regulation and heighten public awareness about the dangers of ship breaking; Olga Speranskaya (Russia), who works to identify and eliminate the Soviet legacy of toxic chemicals in the environment; Yuyun Ismawati (Indonesia), who has led efforts to provide employment opportunities to low-income people and empower them to improve the environment; and Wanze Eduards and Hugo Jabini (Suriname), who successfully organized their communities against logging on traditional lands, ultimately leading to a landmark ruling that will help indigenous and tribal peoples throughout the Americas fight resource exploitation.
“Seven Grassroots Leaders Win World-Renowned Goldman Environmental Prize.†Goldman Environmental Prize Press Release

CHAPEL & YORK: WHAT'S ON

Chapel & York Seminars and Workshops

American Foundation Research Workshop

A one day workshop for fundraisers wanting to test the multi-million dollar funding opportunities of US Grantmaking Foundations

When: Wed 1st July 2009

Time: 9.30am to 4.30pm

Place: InTuition House, 210 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1JX (view map)
(nearest Tube Station: Borough and only 10 minutes walk from London Bridge Station)

Cost: 148.75 GBP if you book before June 8th 2009

(inc. all course materials, refreshments, and a buffet Lunch)
Normal price: 175.00 GBPplus VAT

The aims of the Workshop are to give participants:

An understanding of why American Foundations are important within an overall fundraising strategy;
A brief guide to the technical and legal aspects involved;
An understanding of the research process;
3-hours of hands-on research at a dedicated keyboard/screen for each participant using the most up-to-date and comprehensive US foundation database; the very best database for international fundraisers; and with continuous supervision by an experienced professional international fundraiser & grant writer. Your research can be on your organization as a whole, or a specific project - please bring appropriate information. At the end of this period you will have a list of potential funders from which more detailed research can be carried out after the workshop;
An understanding of the Application procedure and what constitutes a winning proposal

Reserve your place

please contact research@chapel-york.com | call 01342 871914
or visit www.chapel-york.com

Terms & Conditions: Full refund if cancelled up to one week before the date of the Seminar / Workshop. 50% refund or transfer to another Workshop if cancelled less than one week before the date of the Seminar.

CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, & WEBINARS

This month's additions:
Institute of Fundraising Scotland Scottish Conference 2009

Institute of Fundraising Scotland Scottish Conference 2009 Hilton Glasgow, 1 William Street
Wednesday 11th – Thursday 12th November
Scottish Conference 2009 Opens for Bookings
The Institute of Fundraising Scotland annual conference launches today with early bookers receiving a 10% early bird discount on all passes. And our basic rates have been frozen at 2008 levels!
This year's programme reflects a theme of innovation and creativity in fundraising, with the widest range of speakers yet, and some exciting plenary sessions lined up.
Last year over 400 attended the biggest gathering of fundraisers in Scotland. Book now to take advantage of a 10% discount and- for Institute members only- further significant discounts of up to 33%! [More]
Investing, Monitoring and reporting on human rights

Dates: 23rd March to 7th August ‘09 13th July to 27th November ‘09
This course aims to develop the skills of conducting and reporting impartial and accurate research into human rights abuses.
Course Length – 5 weeks face to face /Distance learning – 20 weeks
Deadline for application: 9th March 2009/29th June 2009. More info
Source: Pambazuka
Giving & Volunteering Research Conference 2009

The event will be held on 9 July, 2009, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
At this one-day research conference, scholars present their most recent research on giving and volunteering. The conference aims to foster cooperation and exchange of ideas between academics from various disciplinary backgrounds and practitioners from the philanthropic sector.
Registration, paper proposals and further information: r.bekkers@fsw.vu.nl
Introduction to Human Rights

This short introductory course provides grounding in the basic principles of human rights and human rights based approaches to development. It also introduces participants to the international and regional conventions and instruments, which encode human rights.
Dates: Ongoing throughout the year – available on request. More info
Source: Pambazuka

BLOGS & WEBSITES

MacArthur Foundation Launches Virtual Island in Second Life
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced the launch of MacArthur Island within Second Life, a popular online virtual world.
In partnership with the University of Southern California and Global Kids, the foundation will use the "island" as a laboratory for its two-year exploration of how virtual spaces can be used for social good, educate grantees and others about the potential for philanthropy in virtual worlds, and allow grantees and foundation partners to showcase their work and connect with new audiences.
The exploration of virtual worlds is part of the foundation's $50 million digital media and learning initiative, which aims to learn more about how digital technologies are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life. Virtual worlds such as Second Life are user-created 3-D communities that allow users to connect with real people from around the globe. Participants in Second Life engage each through avatars — simulated representations of their physical selves — that can move from location to location within Second Life, talk with others, and even show emotion.
“MacArthur Island Opens in Virtual World of Second Life.†John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Press Release

YouTube Launches video for change

YouTube just launched the Video for Change program to highlight the most pressing social causes the YouTube community cares about. The new programs hopes to foster the connections between individual activists on the site and nonprofits.
The first Video for Change program features the Enough Project which calls attention to issues that don't get much coverage in the mainstream media. The first contest is "Come Clean 4 Congo" where Enough is asking the community to create a compelling video about the "conflict minerals" used in cell phones and the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo –- the deadliest war since World War II.
YouTube plans to launch the Video for Change campaigns four times a year.
Members of the YouTube Nonprofit Program can email for an application to the program.

Blogging 101

Twitter is all the rage but blogging is still a very powerful tool for communicating instantly, sharing big ideas and connecting with others in your field. New to blogging or need a refresher? Check it out.

Blogs G&R read
Frog Loop
A non-profit online marketing blog

CharityChannel
Connecting nonprofit professionals worldwide

Getting Attention
Helping nonprofits succeed through effective
marketing

Marketing for Nonprofits
Jocelyn Harmon shows us how to use the Internet for change.

Nonprofit Technology Blog
Covers blogging, marketing, communications, strategy and just about everything else!

Online Community Report
A site for online community professionals edited by Bill Johnston

About.com
Nonprofit Charitable Orgs Blog

What should a non-profit organization have on its website?

Kivi Leroux Miller, a nonprofit communications consultant, has some great tips about what nonprofits should have on their websites, how to handle domain names, how to make sure donors know how to donate, and more.

RESEARCH & REPORTS

International Grantmaking Expected to Increase Despite Economic Woes

In February 2009, the Foundation Center released an encouraging analysis of international grantmaking for 2009 and beyond. International Grantmaking IV: An Update on U.S. Foundation Trends analyzes current and future trends of foundation giving to NGOs supporting international projects and programs. According to the report, despite the global economic downturn, the "prospects for international giving in the near term are less pessimistic" than many had anticipated. This makes removal of barriers to philanthropy caused by counterterrorism measures more important than ever.
Record contributions from large foundations (e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation) and generous donations in response to worldwide catastrophes (e.g. the Indian Ocean tsunami, earthquake in Pakistan) led to the highest levels of international giving during the last five years. The report also conducted a survey of 78 public and private foundations finding almost half expect to increase their giving and only 7 percent will reduce total giving in 2009.
The entire report is available for purchase on Foundation Center's website.

Earned Media: How to Stay Relevant and Track It

Allyson Kapin of Frogloop.com - Care2's nonprofit online marketing blog - recently posted a very interesting article on Earned Media. An extract of the article is featured below:

“If you don't brand yourself, Google will brand you,†says branding expert Sherry Beck Paprocki. Yes, it’s true and that’s why it’s important for all nonprofits that are advocating for causes to start becoming a part of the conversation publicly and not just behind closed doors or on “the hill.â€
Think about it. When the NYT writes about climate change is your environmental group quoted? When the Washington Post writes about health care reform or corporate accountability is your campaign mentioned?
How can your organization effectively brand itself and get on the radar? While paid advertising is a very effective way to increase your list of supporters and help brand your organization to target audiences, earned media is another key tactic to deploy in your overall online communications strategy.

What is Earned Media?
Earned media is media you don't “buy†but earn the old-fashioned way - by taking the time to properly engage reporters, bloggers, and influentials about your issue. Earned media is comprised of coverage through:

* Blogs

* Media outlets both online and offline

* Podcasts

* Photo sharing sites like Flickr

* Tweets on Twitter

* Links shared on Facebook

* Tagging on social bookmarking sites like delicious, Digg, etc.

* Word of mouth, etc.

Listen and Build Relationships
Some of the best ways to build relationships with reporters and bloggers who cover your issues is to examine their “byline profiles†, start listening and begin a dialogue. Share important news, feed them useful stats and resources that relates to your cause and the issues they have been writing about. Also, when appropriate tailor your pitches to broader topics that are generating news and frame your story in a similar context. As you begin to build your relationships, it’s also important that you be strategic in your communications. Make sure that the stories you are sharing or pitching are:
Read the rest of Allyson Kapin's article here