English brochure Suma Fraternidad

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Projects Training Crowdfunding Communication www.PrintableWorldMap.net

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INDEX Presentation

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Context

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Organizations we work with

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Project formulation

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Some of our projects

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1째 Seminar

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2째 Seminar

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Crowdfunding

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Communication

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Training

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PRESENTATION Suma Fraternidad (SF), created in 2011 by initiative of the

Focolare Movement in Latin America, is a technical support office, dealing with the preparation and monitoring of socio-economic projects, and training for managers of civil society organizations.

During its three years of existence, SF has coached some 30 organizations from 15 Latin American countries in strengthening their institutional capacity, developing and monitoring projects of social inclusion and poverty reduction. SF identifies the most suitable calls for proposals (from both multilateral and bilateral sources of funding), according to the current capacity / level of institutional development of the organizations (NGOs). Then, it provides a tailored made support in drafting proposals, in order to build up local capacity within the organization itself, and support in monitoring and evaluation of the projects under implementation.

To date, SF has prepared 23 cooperation projects for its members, of which some are still waiting for funding.

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WHAT WE DO 1 3

Training in project formulation and institutional strengthening

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Technical support in drafting proposals, monitoring and evaluation of the projects under implementation

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Virtual dissemination of good practices in managing CSOs, innovative ideas for social projects and cooperation calls

Free crowdfunding platform for social and cultural projects

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Context

Most countries in Latin America have realized important progress in terms of economic growth and development over the last ten to twenty years. However, and especially after the 2008 international financial crisis, the region is still confronted with the persistent challenges of poverty, inequality and social exclusion. In particular specific groups, including indigenous people, single-parent households, women, marginalized youth, abandoned children, migrants and drug addicts continue to be among the 167 million poorest and most excluded sectors through- people still live in extreme out the region.

poverty in the In Latin America, macro-economic re- region (CEPAL).

forms have clearly not improved opportunities for the weakest in society - on the contrary, it has deepened the economic and social divide and inequality. Latin America remains one of the most unequal regions of the world. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), in its most recent survey (2013), says 167 million people still live in extreme poverty in the region.

In most countries, a small proportion of the population accumulates a large percentage of all national income, while the 6

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poorest only receive a minimal part. CEPAL indicates that, in 2012, on average, the richest 10 percent of Latin America’s population cumulates 32 percent of total income, while the poorest 40 percent benefits only from 15 percent.

Richest 10% of the population cumulates 32% of total income (CEPAL).

Against this backdrop, and the dwindling State budgets to support the civil society in Latin America (very often linked to political patronage), the NGOs in the region are facing an uphill battle to ensure the sustainability of their social and economic programs for the most needy and vulnerable sectors.

Therefore, it is imperative to improve the skills of the NGOs in terms of project preparation, budgeting, sound technical implementation, financial management, monitoring and evaluation – in It is imperaorder to increase their fund-raising capacitive to improve ty, especially with international multilateral the skills of the agencies and bilateral donors.

NGOs.

Besides, NGOs should also focus more their attention on income-generation and employment creation projects, to ensure the self-sustainability of the project beneficiaries on the long-run.

www.PrintableWorldMap.net

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Organizations

Social Organizations related with the Focolare Movement 8

31 Organizations we work with El Salvador Guatemala Mexico

Colombia

Cuba Bolivia Argentina

Chile Paraguay Uruguay

Asociación Igino Giordani Centro Educativo Fiore Colegio Santa María (Igino Giordani AC) Centro Social Aleluya Construyendo Comunidad AC Dispensario Médico Dental Refugio Urbano Brigadas sanitarias Centro Social La Merced Casa para la Mujer Embarazada Fundación Mundo Mejor Proyecto Comun-unidad Escuela Sol Naciente Movimiento de los Focolares Rincón de Luz - Fundación UNISOL Casa de los Niños Centro Maternal Clara Luz - Fundación UNISOL Fundación para Una Vida Digna APADIS (Asoc. de Padres de Ayuda al DIScapacitado) Centro Comunitario Unidad - Asoc. Civil Nuevo Sol Juntos por el Barrio - Asoc.Civil Nuevo Sol Casa del Niño - Asoci. Civil Nuevo Sol Esperando sueños - Asoc.Civil Nuevo Sol Casita Estrella Nuevos Horizontes - Asoc.Civil Nuevos Signos Fundación Lucía Escuela Aurora - PROARVA Tinku Kamayu Proyecto El Castillo Escuela y Clínica UNIPAR (UNIdad y PARticipación) CODESO - Comunión para el Desarrollo Social

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PROJECTS PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS We provide advice to our member organizations (and sometimes to other NGOs) in the different stages of the Project Cycle Management (PCM), from identifying the project, to drafting it and submit it to a potential donor, manage its implementation, including monitoring and evaluation. We involve all staff of the organization: managers, coordinators of the technical sectors and the recipients of the project.

Normally, we divide our coaching in 4 stages:

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Analysis and self- assessment of the organization and its environment - that will allow them to make sound and credible proposals. We heavily emphasize the centrality of the target population in the project, in order to ensure success and sustainability. In every project we encourage networking, drawing support from companies, other NGOs, and state actors, whenever feasible.

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Identify appropriate funding opportunities (calls for proposals) that fully match the size and goals of the target organization. We raise awareness about the need to gradually improve the management capacity to implement those projects. We perform a careful analysis, together with the NGO, on how to seek funding and from which donor.

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In project preparation, we provide technical assistance for the stakeholders analysis, the problem and objectives tree, the general and specific goals, the concrete and measurable results to be achieved, and the activities to be carried out. Then we describe the indicators to measure the impact and success of the project, and the risks and assumptions underlying the proposal. All these steps are performed by the NGO itself (learning by doing), so that gradually we are leaving behind the necessary skills for project development, without creating a continuous dependency from our office.

Emphasize the centrality of the target population in the project to sustainability.

Improve the management capacity to implement those projects.

04 Once approved, we also support the NGOs in project management, and more specifically in Monitoring and final evaluation of the project.

When the project comes to its end, we support the NGO in an objective evaluation: has the project achieved its objectives, has it improved the networking of the NGO, is the target population better off, what are the lessons learned, have the sustainability measures been successful, what corrective measures are needed?

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Some of our PROJECTS NGO Name

Country Beneficiaries ARG

APADIS

10 people with intellectual disabilities

Archdiocese of Salta

ARG

350 people

Casa de los Niños

BOL

20 women

Comisión Católica de Migraciones

ARG

300 refugees

Escuela Aurora

ARG

100 young people

Fazenda de la Esperanza

ARG

30 young women

Fazenda de la Esperanza

ARG

200 young addicts

Fraternidad por una Vida Digna

ARG

15 families

Mariápolis Lía

ARG

150 young people

Scalabrinians Sisters

ARG

50 migrant women

Tinku Kamayu Cooperative

ARG

30 women

UNIPAR

PAR

150 young people

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Title

Amount (â‚Ź)

Collection of plastic bottles to employ people with

19.000,00

intellectual disabilities Vocational and skills training to promote sustainable

64.000,00

tourism in rural communities Warmi mikhuy thani (Women and Healthy Feeding)

13.000,00

Durable solutions for Urban Refugees

105.000,00

Development of an audiovisual production center

15.000,00

Bakery and training for the rehabilitation of women

14.000,00

with different addictions Employment opportunities and job training for re-

115.000,00

habilitated young drug addicts Building Decent Houses for Vulnerable Families

19.000,00

Summer School of Sophia Universitary Institute in

70.000,00

Latin America Labor inclusion of migrant women

12.000,00

Indigenous women artisans and social inclusion

18.000,00

Start-Up of a Computer Resource Center

20.000,00

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Seminar

Fraternity IN ACTION

Due to the interest shown by the participating NGOs and UNIREDES (Brazilian organization with a mission similar to ours), we decided to organize a meeting for Latin American civil society organizations to further enhance their capacity.

The seminar “Fraternity in action: the basis for social cohesion in the 21st Century” was held in October 2013, with the participation of the heads of staff of most of our affiliated social organiza-

2ND

MEETING FOR ONG MANAGERS

90

PARTICIPANTS

43

ORGANIZATIONS

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PRESENTATIONS

tions in the Caribbean and Latin America. 90 people from more than 43 organizations gathered in the Ginetta Mariápolis, São Paulo, to promote the exchange of good practices, create synergies between organizations, receive training on topics related to social management.

Participants shared moments of reflection, dialogue and training, thereby strengthening the unity and brotherhood among the members of the organizations, as most of them had never been in contact before.

Two training workshops on professional tools were delivered: one on “Social Impact Indicators“; and the other on Communication, i.e digital strategies to increase the visibility of social organizations. Besides we organized two panels with international experts about “Social Doctrine

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of the Church and the Charism of Unity” and “the Social Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Finally, a plenary on Building a Network of Social Projects inspired by the charism of unity was organized. The conclusions of the seminar and new proposals for the future were outlaid; expressing a desire to continue working together, strengthening the unity of the organizations to create a new Network.

The Summary and Conclusions of the Seminar can be seen online in our website.

MARIAPOLIS GINETTA, BRASIL

2째 Seminar The objective of the 3rd seminar, which gathered 33 organizations from 10 countries, was the creation of a LatinAmerican Network of Social Organizations, linked to the Focolare Movement.

Have a greater impact of the NGOs work in the region.

This network was built in order to help our member NGOS to be more efficient and have a greater impact when adressing the serious problems of inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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During the gathering, the leaders of the organizations met with the president and co-president of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti. They encouraged the organizations to build this network in order to enhance their influence in the Create region, enriched with diversity. social impact synerA Committee was elected to chair the gies, build network, with members of different strategic countries. Together the organization alliances members wrote a Charter of Principles, established communication channels amongst themselves, and defined objectives for 2014 and 2015.

Through the network, the organizations wish to strengthen each other, share tools and strategies and buid an alliance with common projects. The overarching goal is to increase their impact in their area.

Build comon proLatin American Network of NGO jects helps increase • 33 Social Organizations their im• 10 Countries pact.

Crowdfunding Platform

Mekuido Project (Nuevos Horizontes Punta Alta)

At the end of 2013, we started our free crowdfunding platform. Some of the organizations that have submitted projects finished being partially funded, but lately we are reaching even 100% of the requested amount (housing project in Santa Fe).

The platform offers to our affiliated organizations the possibility of a new line of funding.

It is worth highlighting that the use of the platform is, per se, a valu-

El Roperito Comunitario (Nuevo Sol Association Buenos Aires)

able learning process. By accesing it, and posting their proposal, the organizations learn how to communicate by different means, take advantage of multimedia tools, value the importance of strong internal and external communication, and exercise their skills in formulating and presenting specific projects.

The platform raises awareness and facilitates dissemination of the organization goals for fund raising purposes.

With proper professional coaching, this tool could also be useful for newly born grassroot organizations, which cannot yet access to funds from the international cooperation.

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Projects

Taller Me Kuido

Workshop to prevent child sexual abuse El Roperito Comunitario

Textile craft workshop for women with no education Construyendo una Vida Digna

Construction of permanent housing in vulnerable contexts 19

2014 Fraternidad por una Vida Digna Association, ca単ada de gomez, Santa Fe

COMMUNICATION Our communications area is critical to ensure fluent contact with other organizations. Not only it allows us to keep close contact with our partners, but it also offers digital free services to other NGOs all over the region. Our webpage includes a specialized blog on nonprofit management and a free use crowd funding platform.

The purpose of the blog is to keep track of the training and advice we provide to our partner organizations. This digital space is very useful, as knowledge and experience are translated into reading material available for everybody on the web. Our blog is now a reference on nonprofit management, providing tools, advice and strategies for NGOs staff.

We started the blog 3 years ago, becoming one of the first webpages in Spanish providing technical information to the NGOs, with more than 4.000 visits a month.

We established alliances with similar actors in the region, such as Wingu and Idealistas.org, to enhance the impact of our blog.

Last year we redesigned our website, in order to include a crowd funding platform where NGOs can post their projects for fund raising. If one of our partner organizations wishes to start a crowd funding campaign, we provide the necessary support and advise.

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Our Channels: • Webpage • Facebook • Twitter • Youtube • Crowdfunding • Blog • Newsletters

We also use the social network and email marketing to increase our visibility and impact. This allows us to reach a wider public. , encouraging NGOs to present projects to international calls for proposals.

encourage and convince our affiliate organizations to establish a communication office, as part of their own staff structure. On that road, we provide advice and support to them to launch their own digital campaigns.

4000 visits to our blog a month Our office also provides advice to our partner NGOs to build their own communication strategies. We design biannual magazines with their news and pictures, and invite them to write on our blog to get further digital visibility.

The great challenge is to

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TRAINING

We have already provided on-the-job training to 14 organizations (NGOs): 10 in Argentina , 2 in Uruguay and 2 in Paraguay.

This kind of training, allows them to better understand their strengths and weaknesses, improve their technical skills and even sometimes update their mission, working principles and goals. Very often, hard years of intense fieldwork, dealing with daily stressful situations and demands, does not allow the NGO staff to take some distance and re-think some of the core issues at stake. We are there to help them to do so.

We also work intensely on how to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization. This sometimes leads to internal restructuring, new ways of financial support (including contributions from the beneficiaries themselves), more networking, and increased drafting and submission of international cooperation projects, exploring new partners. We also worked more on strengthening visibility and communications aspects, opening themselves more to the world and the wider public. Several NGOs opened new channels of communication (Facebook, Google+, etc.), others are updating their website or creating it for the first time.

In 2015 and 2016, we plan to provide more formal training in topics such as PCM, project preparation, logical framework, grant applications for multilateral and bilateral donors, budgeting, financial management, monitoring and evaluation.

Sumรก Fraternidad info@sumafraternidad.org Management Staff Massimiliano Curti Denis Van Dam Virginia Osorio Maria Zinn General Information Lezica 4358 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: (+54) (011) 4981-4885 www.sumafraternidad.org