2009 Review and the Road Ahead
to ensure that the limited resources available have maximum impact. Instead of succumbing to “HIV/AIDS fatigue,” or leaving AIDS behind to focus on other issues, all global players— multilateral and bilateral donors, governments in needy countries, and private philanthropists— should look anew at the epidemic, focusing on identifying and utilizing the most effective evidence-based solutions to rally additional resources and ensure continued progress on all fronts: human rights, prevention, social services, care, and treatment. Private philanthropy has a critical and unique role in such efforts. Advocacy activities, especially those that empower PLWHA, marginalized populations and others affected by HIV/AIDS, are key to building campaigns, movements, and networks that support leadership among these populations, a development that helps give them a stronger voice and influence in policymaking, and creating social change. For a variety of reasons, they are also activities that large multilateral and bilateral organizations and national governments are less likely to support. Many smaller funders make up the field of private philanthropy, and, compared with larger donor organizations or governments, private philanthropic funders can respond much more flexibly to targeted prevention and treatment initiatives (such as the provision of clean syringes to injecting drug users) and the particular needs of marginalized populations (such as MSM, sex workers, and migrants). These are issues and populations that many larger and more formal entities ignore, at best, or discriminate against (at worst). Collaborations among private philanthropic funders, as well as with corporations, governments, and large bilateral and multilateral organizations, are another important avenue to pursue in the near future. Funders can help each other meet mutual goals by coordinating and sharing best practices and skills, establishing successful models of service delivery, and leveraging investments to bring in additional commitments and resources. Partnerships should also be fostered with community-based organizations, thereby increasing the local capacity of constituents as a longer-term sustainable solution. The economic downturn has forced funders to take stock of their work and to streamline programs to be as critically effective as possible. This could be precisely what is needed to sustain the momentum of past years and enhance it in the future. To achieve the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care by 2010, and the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV by 2015, HIV/AIDS philanthropists must closely examine their successes and failures, join together with colleagues, and recommit to combating the epidemic with their best efforts.
10
Funders Concerned About AIDS