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INSIDE
Vol 8
Dealing with funding cuts | The National Fundraising Awards | Collaborations and mergers | The future of Community Development Programmes | How to apply for grants | Campaign spotlight | Cloud computing for charities
Issue 3
Winter 2009
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Vol 8 • Issue 3 • Winter ‘09
LE CHÉILE WINTER 2009
the big picture AN ABSENCE OF VISION IS AT THE HEART OF THIS CRISIS
O
n a sombre Sunday in August this year, a crowd huddled under a sea of umbrellas at a crossroads in West Cork to commemorate the death of Michael Collins. The region had been hit by substantial job losses in the preceding months and many of those there knew that they too faced an uncertain future. Addressing the gathering former President Mary Robinson said that now more than ever Ireland needs a visionary leader like Collins, and that a lack of “a comprehensive vision of what sort of society we want” is at the heart of the problems we now face.
I believe that the President hit the nail on the head. By the time you read this the government will already have set in train wide-ranging cutbacks to our sector and to many other parts of the 'social infrastructure', the effects of which will be felt for many years to come. Over this Autumn The Wheel, and others, outlined our serious concern at the lack of justice and fairness in the plans to achieve national recovery by cutting public expenditure on social welfare and public services. We argued that an increased overall tax take is needed to form part of a balanced, integrated solution if we mean what we say when we talk about “protecting vulnerable people”. The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) echoed these sentiments in its October report Next Steps in Addressing Ireland's Five-Part Crisis Combining Retrenchment with Reform. The NESC states:“An integrated and balanced approach, which
takes into account the wellbeing of individuals and of society, is required in responding to the economic crisis”. It is to be hoped that by the time you read this, we might have some sign that these words did not fall on deaf ears. In my opinion the political establishment has shown an extraordinary lack of vision in its response to the economic crisis. No one denies the scale of the challenges politicians face in bridging the gap between what we're spending and what we're earning - it is truly astounding and indeed frightening. But as soon as a voice calls for a different approach involving some principles and values, we are immediately branded as economic illiterates who would bankrupt the country. I believe that to stereotype people in the community and voluntary sector as not having a serious contribution to make towards the solution (as opposed to welcoming us in to clean up the 'mess'!) is an extraordinary oversight.
To shape a vision of the type of society we want to emerge from this predicament, we need to listen to everyone who has something to contribute; yes the business sector and the financial experts, but also the social entrepreneurs and innovators, community leaders, those who work with the vulnerable and excluded in society. It seems to me that we have many of the ingredients for shaping both the vision and the steps to achieve it at hand: a massive crisis that will require a new way of doing things; a once-in-a-generation report from the Commission on Taxation which shows the options for financing a wide range of public expenditures; the 'crisis analysis' from NESC in October which outlines an integrated social and economic suite of solutions; and a range of social partners comprising of people who genuinely want to contribute to the solution. Interesting too in terms of timing, we also have a second report from NESC published in October called Well-being Matters: A Social Report for Ireland which calls for a broader understanding of social progress as we do here. “Something more than GDP is required to measure social progress,” said the NESC's Director, Dr. Rory O'Donnell at its launch. “GDP can measure economic output but does not take adequate account of the value of education, our health,
or the natural environment. Our social progress is linked to the capabilities of our people and that is where well-being matters”. An 'add ingredients together and then stir' approach is obviously too simplistic, but there is leadership to be demonstrated in making the effort to combine them so that we can collectively work, at the very least, facing the same direction i.e. sharing a vision for the type of society we want. Leadership is not just about crisis management and making “difficult choices”it is about vision. As a sector we are led by vision, a vision of a world without poverty, suffering and social exclusion. We choose to work in this field, because we believe that a fairer and healthier society is not a pipe dream. And we are not alone: a recent survey conducted by The Wheel found that charities now have a bigger influence on society's values than religious institutions and the government combined. As people become disillusioned with traditional institutions they are turning to us for leadership. Let us rise to the challenge.
Deirdre Garvey Chief Executive Officer, The Wheel
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NEWS IN BRIEF In this issue
REACH FOR A STAR Gráinne Seoige launched Focus
The Big Picture
2
News in Brief
3
The Numbers
4
Ireland’s annual Sponsor a Star campaign on 26 October with an appeal to the business community to help raise vital funds by sponsoring a star on a Christmas tree dedicated to the 5,000 people who are homeless in Ireland.
After Budget 2010: Imagining a New Future 7 Community Development...but not as we know it
10
Mergers in the Notfor-Profit Sector: The Ten Commandments
12
Why well-being matters 14 The 2009 National Fundraising Awards
15
Planning for the Rocky Road Ahead
16
Funding Applications: How to Stand out in the Crowd 19 Technology
20
Campaign Spotlight
21
Reducing the RiskTop Tips 8 Spotlight: Debra Ireland - 20 Years of Giving Hope
21
22
On The Cover James (5) at the launch of Barnardos Yes/No Campaign opposing funding cuts to services for children living in disadvantage. See www.barnardos.ie/yesno (photo: Patrick Bolger)
COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARILY PILLAR MEETS THE TAOISEACH AND MINISTER FOR FINANCE TO DISCUSS BUDGET In an effort to influence Budget 2010, The Wheel and the 16 other members of the Community and Voluntary Pillar of the social partnership process, met with the Taoiseach on Tuesday, 27 October, and subsequently with Brian Lenihan TD, Minister for Finance, on Monday, 16 November.
The Pillar argued instead that Government must look at the income side of the equation and that a widening and deepening of the tax base (as opposed to just income tax) is required if we are to achieve a fair adjustment.
In both meetings the Pillar presented a five-point Integrated Social and Economic Recovery Strategy to protect vulnerable people during the adjustment, as an alternative to the €4Bn expenditure cutting strategy that Government was focusing on for most of the Autumn.
The Pillar insisted that
About Le Chéile
The Wheel Irish Social Finance Centre, 10 Grattan Crescent, Inchicore, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Contributions:
Tel 353-1- 454 8727 Fax 353-1- 454 8649 E-mail: info@wheel.ie
With thanks to
Le Chéile is published by The Wheel, a support and representative body for community, voluntary and charitable organisations across Ireland. To learn more about The Wheel’s work and the benefits of our membership programme, visit: www.wheel.ie, or contact us by post, telephone or e-mail.
vulnerable people should not pay the price for recovery (which they will if expenditure cuts are the Government’s only response to the crisis) and argued that benefit rates and service levels must not be reduced.
The Wheel also made it’s own pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance at the meeting. Copies of both submissions are available at www.wheel.ie or by contacting ivan@wheel.ie
We appreciate editorial contributions from any charity, community or voluntary organisation. Please forward news, updates and suggestions to gert@wheel.ie
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NEWS IN BRIEF the numbers ABUSE CAMPAIGNER NAMED VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
€4 billion
The government’s target for the necessary adjustment in Budget 2010
43%
The rise in the suicide rate for first quarter of this year (Central Statistics Office, Vital Statistics Q1)
15,158 The number
of reported cases of domestic violence in Ireland in 2008 (Women’s Aid)
64.5%
Increase in the Live Register between January and October 2009 (Central Statistics Office, Live Register October 2009)
1,355 The number
of Care to Drive journeys completed since pilot volunteer driving scheme for cancer patients on Eastern seaboard was launched in June 2008 (Irish Cancer Society)
200,000
The number of people suffering from eating disorders in Ireland (Bodywhys)
3 The number of public
hospital beds allocated for the treatment of eating disorders (Bodywhys)
Outspoken abuse campaigner Christine Buckley was honoured by President Mary McAleese after being named Volunteer of the Year at the annual Ireland Involved Awards on 5 November. The survivor of industrial school abuse and co-founder of the Aislinn Education and Support Centre for survivors of institutional abuse was chosen for her tireless efforts fighting for the rights of those abused as children while in care. Mrs McAleese said Ms Buckley represented “a constituency of men, women and children whose lives were cruelly and appallingly skewed out of shape because of their experience of institutional abuse”. Christine will now go on to represent Ireland at the Third European Forum for Voluntary Work in Strasbourg, France on 5 December 2009, which is International Volunteer Day.
RED CROSS LAUNCHES FREE SWINE FLU PREVENTION SEMINARS The Irish Red Cross has made 80 specially trained safety experts available to help train community and voluntary organisations on how to protect themselves against Swine Flu this winter. The free seminars will focus on identifying the symptoms, how to prepare your family and workplace, how to prevent infection and how to care for somebody who is ill with the virus. The Irish Red Cross has also released a series of instructional video clips on www.redcross.ie. To arrange a free seminar call 1890 502 502 or visit www.RedCrossTraining.ie.
RIGHTS BODIES “COMPROMISED” A Review of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission after budget cuts has claimed the independence of both organisations has been breached. The review says budget cuts imposed in 2008 have had a “significant” impact on the work of bodies and criticise what it describes as a “behind closed doors” system of selection and appointment to the boards, and the “lack of financial insulation of budget from the caprice of Government Ministers”
Downgrading Equality and Human Rights: Assessing the Impact was commissioned by the Equality and Rights Alliance, a coalition of equality and human rights bodies and activists, and carried out by researchers Brian Harvey and Dr Kathy Walsh. The Equality Authority has since issued a statement refuting some of these claims.
CHARITIES LAUNCH CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGNS International development charities Concern Worldwide and Bóthar are urging Irish people to spend selectively during tough financial times and help the poorest people in the developing world this Christmas. “The people we are dealing with are not just cutting back,” said a Concern Worldwide spokesman. “We deal with women heating up water to give to children just so they’ll have something warm in their tummies.” Concern Worldwide launched its 40th annual Christmas fast on 9 November with the aim of raising €1 million. About 4,000 people and 200 schools will take part in this year’s fast on 3 December. Bóthar also launched its “Waste Not, Want Not” campaign, which urges Christmas shoppers to give “gifts with meaning” through its catalogue, which provides Irish-bred livestock to the developing world. “We know that this year has been a tough one for many Irish people but if it is tough on us we must consider how badly people in developing countries are being affected,” said Bóthar chief executive Peter Ireton.
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NEWS IN BRIEF INTERNATIONAL CHARITIES SHAPE SOCIETY’S CAMPAIGN VALUES - SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS VIOLENCE Two thirds of Irish people claim that AGAINST charities now play a bigger role than WOMEN
2010 SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND GAMES SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
Special Olympics Ireland is calling on Wednesday, 25 November people to volunteer was the United Nation’s for the 2010 Special Day Opposing Violence Olympics Ireland against Women and the The study, which was conducted by nfpSynergy on behalf start of the International of 10 major community and voluntary organisations, found Games, which will take place in Limerick from that charities are second only to the family when it comes 16 Days of Action to their importance in shaping values in society. 9-13 June 2010. Campaign, which lasts
the church in shaping their personal values, according to a survey of 1000 Irish households.
until 10 December, International Human Rights Day. The aim of the campaign is to highlight the nature and prevalence of violence against women and to raise awareness of violence against women as a human rights issue. During the campaign, Women’s Aid will focus on the reality of the abuse many women face behind closed doors
When asked to what extent institutions contributed to shaping their personal values, 68% of respondents said that charities influence their values. Local communities and School also scored relatively high, with 55% and 54%. Although appearing relatively far down in the ranking, the Church still influences the values of 38%. Ivan Cooper, Director of Advocacy at The Wheel said that while trust appears to be at low levels in important institutions, such as the Government and the church, charities are increasingly seen as a source of moral authority in society. Of all the institutions in the survey Government scored lowest, with only 8% of the population saying that Government shapes their personal values.
LET THE GROWTH BEGIN
The Games will be one of the most prestigious sporting events to take place in Ireland next year with 1,900 athletes from throughout participating in 13 sports in venues throughout Limerick. Volunteers are sought to help with the planning of the event, but they will also be recruiting volunteers in early January 2010 to help out at the Games in June. See www.specialolympics.ie for more.
L
ouis Copeland sizes up the whiskers on ‘Mo Bros’ Justin Coughlin and Anthony Power at the launch of Movember 2009 - a campaign to raise awareness of men’s health. Movember, the month formerly known as November involves ‘Mo Bros’, with support from ‘Mo Sistas’, growing a ‘mo’ (Australian slang for a moustache) throughout the month, to raise money for Action Prostate Cancer, an initiative of the Irish cancer Society. See www.movember.com.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
CHARITIES CUT BACK ON PROJECTS, Volunteering STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS Ireland wins bid to host international conference Volunteering Ireland have been successful in their bid to bring the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) World Conference to Dublin in 2012. The bi-annual conference is an important event for civil society activists, leaders and organisations from around the world, but also attracts political leaders, policy makers and corporate organisations concerned with social responsibility. Volunteering Ireland’s bid received a unanimous vote from the IAVE board, despite strong bids from a number of other countries. The theme for the 2012 conference is “Volunteering and Human Rights: working for the noblest aspirations of humankind the pursuit of peace, freedom, opportunity, safety, and justice for all people through volunteer effort.”
Irish charities are cutting back on staff pay, benefits and administrative costs in an attempt to cope with funding cuts and a drop in public donations, according to a new survey.
T
he survey conducted by The Wheel, a body representing 860 Irish charities, found that three quarters (74.9%) of organisations have experienced a drop in their incomes over the past six months. Of the 246 charities surveyed, 62% have had their government funding cut in the past year, and 35% have experienced a drop in public donations. One in ten have made staff redundant in the past six months, and 58% have cut either pay or benefits. Over 80% said that salaries and personnel costs are their single biggest expense. The majority of organisations (52.9%) have also either delayed or suspended projects during the past six months, due to financial concerns. Statutory funding remains the primary source of income for community and voluntary organisations, and surprisingly, 35.7% reported that they do not fundraise from the public at all. A quarter of the organisations surveyed received more than €500,000 from the State in the past 12 months. “Community and voluntary organisations operate on very tight margins, with few reserves, making them particularly vulnerable to funding cuts. Most charities have already had their funding reduced this year, and any further cuts will have a direct impact on the level of services they provide in areas such as health, disabilities, housing and education,” said Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive of The Wheel.
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BUDGET 2010
AFTER BUDGET 2010: IMAGINING A NEW FUTURE There is, as yet, no clear vision of how Ireland will look when it finally emerges from a recession that will affect every aspect of society, including social attitudes, values and institutions. Le Chéile asked a few leading actors in civil society to look ahead at the road beyond Budget 2010.
Ivan Cooper Director of Advocacy with The Wheel The community and voluntary sector is fundamentally concerned with working for positive social change and creating a fair and just society. I propose a vision for the sector to work towards an Ireland where: • we receive income, services and supports sufficient to realise our full potential • an ethic of care and service for the common good inspires us all • each of us help others to achieve their potential by contributing in the best way that we can • newcomers are welcomed and quickly included in our communities • we feel we belong to communities and are involved in making decisions that affect us • voluntary activity is at the centre of our lives, and everyone – regardless of circumstance – can take part in community activity • we are encouraged to come together on issues we care about and we are supported to form groups and associations • the design and monitoring of public-services always involves service users • social enterprise and entrepreneurs are supported • employees have time to volunteer for their cause and employers value employee development through volunteering • corporate social responsibility is there in good times AND bad • voluntary associations, community groups and charities are central in local and national policy-making • our state actively supports a strong, independent and diverse community, voluntary and charity sector
Seán Healy, Director, Social Justice Ireland A better and fairer future is possible in Ireland where those who are vulnerable are protected, the economy is promoted and the environment is respected. However, for such a future to emerge it is crucial for policy makers and the general public to realise that Ireland’s dominant development model, focused on generating economic growth as the primary concern of policy, has failed. This failed model assumed that economic growth would create jobs paying good wages for everyone. It was assumed this would eliminate unemployment and poverty and all would be well. The reality however is different. Despite Ireland’s dramatic economic growth during the Celtic Tiger years Ireland has a wide range of problems. Of particular significance in the build-up to Budget 2010 are Government’s huge borrowing, the dramatic rise in unemployment, the need for public sector reform and the urgency of getting better value for money being spent. Ireland’s development model needs to change. Instead of focusing primarily on economic growth Ireland now needs to recognise that economic development, social development and environmental protection are all part of the one reality and are deeply
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BUDGET 2010 inter-twined. Economic development is required to provide the resources needed for social development. But good social services are required if the economy is to develop. For example, it is essential to have a good education system if we are to have a good, thriving economy. But that’s not all. The development model also needed to recognise the importance of the environment. This is an issue of solidarity. Nature and its resources are for the benefit of all people for all time – not for some of this generation who happen to live in wealthier parts of the world. So at its core a viable development model must ensure sustainability – economic, environmental and social. It needs to focus on building a society where all the relationships are right – relationships between individuals, institutions and environment. A guiding vision of society is required. Such a vision would see the development of a society where human rights are respected, human dignity is protected, human development is facilitated and the environment is respected and protected. Moving in this direction would be real progress. We need agreed indicators to help us identify if we are moving in the right direction or not.
Paula Clancy, Director of TASC, The Independent Think-tank The challenge facing progressives today is to put the ‘political’ back into ‘economy’. Too often, economics is depicted as a value-free science predicated on making the numbers add up. Such an approach is likely to land us back where we started: caught in an unsustainable cycle of boom followed by bust. During the course of this recession, it has become clear that a return to ‘business as usual’ is not an option. We need a new economic approach informed by certain basic principles, including: • The need to develop different ways of measuring social and economic progress. We know that, during the boom, our GDP growth did not reflect reality in some of Ireland’s most marginalised communities – communities which, in contrast to most of us, have experienced decades of recession, and which will certainly not benefit from a ‘business as usual’ approach to recovery. • The need to ensure that economic policies are subjected to an equality audit. There is a body of evidence showing that reducing inequality benefits society as a whole, rather than simply benefiting the better off.
• The need to invest in our public services, rather than cutting them. The economic orthodoxy notwithstanding, public spending in Ireland remains too low, and is under further threat, despite evidence showing that investment in public services and social welfare is central to sustainable economic development. • The need to recognise that our economic failure is also a failure of democracy and society to regulate and manage the power of the market. We need to create a democratic state that is accountable and more transparent, strengthening our institutions of democracy at all levels including the economy.
Frances Byrne, Chief Executive, OPEN (representing lone parent groups in Ireland) Creating a good society is something that has occupied philosophers, politicians and social strategists for centuries. It is also something that we all dwell upon from time to time, even if we would not name it in such grandiose terms. So what exactly indicates that we have a good society or that we are moving towards a better society? Observing how public space is used or abused is a fairly immediate way of getting a sense of what is going on in any given society. Many European societies value the piazzas, squares, benches, transport infrastructure etc. that facilitate community interfaces, mutuality and social cohesion. These public spaces work very well and are respected because these societies have greater degrees of equality and are thus more integrated. Contrast that with Ireland where street seating is minimal, public transport is regarded as a last option (and can be quite scary at times) and attempts to create continental type street landscapes continue to flounder. So, let’s look at the relationship between equality and the good society in a little more depth. Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, two British epidemiologists, in their book The Spirit Level explain why more equal societies almost always do better in terms of health, education, social inclusion, levels of crime and a range of other quality of life indicators. What the findings illustrate very clearly is that once a society has reached a stage whereby it can provide sufficient food, shelter and income for its population, growth in production and consumption does not bring about any improvement in the quality of life or the social circumstances within that society. What does make a difference is the levels of equality that are present. Furthermore, it isn’t just those at the bottom of the pile
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BUDGET 2010 who suffer the consequences of an unequal society: even those with better incomes experience negative effects. The USA is a good example. America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GNP, but it is also one of the most unequal, and as a result has huge levels of crime, ill health and income disadvantage. High crime levels impact on rich and poor; inadequate education outcomes contribute to unemployment and the creation of ghettos; and the quest for greater production and consumption, when combined with poor health systems, produces obesity and dietary disorders – in the USA and other high growth countries levels of diabetes and other nutritional diseases are increasing alarmingly. So what does this mean for ordinary people and how can the macro level factors that determine such outcomes be influenced for the common good? Well, people have always battled for a better society and over the years there have been many attempts to bring about the good society and some of these were very successful and far reaching. The introduction of a public health service following the second world war was one such achievement, and the creation of pension and social welfare entitlements giving security in old age and protection to the unemployed were other innovations that contributed to a better society. The introduction of free second level education by Donagh O’Malley in the 1960s was another, opening up access to opportunities that improved the quality of life of many families. These gains were all driven from a vision of the good society – a society built on solidarity, civic contribution and mutual benefit. Despite the distractions of globalised consumerism, people still carry a legacy from times when basic rights and citizen contribution were the values that framed national objectives. Times of adversity such as the current economic crisis provide an opportunity to develop a new society and a new model of development. Many community organisations are beginning to articulate and share a vision of a society that can encapsulate the best aspects of market economics and socialist principles. This has resulted in a vision or manifesto for change being developed by Is Feidir Linn, a think tank of the community sector. The task now is to develop a foundation of work that will advance this vision. The contribution of individuals and organisations at local and national level can bring much to this challenging debate. It is appropriate that the ideas, goals and experiences that informed momentous social advances in the past also inform endeavours for a good society in the future.
John Monaghan, National Vice President, Society of St Vincent de Paul Over the past year the Society of St Vincent de Paul has experienced a huge increase in calls for assistance, up well over 30% in many areas of the country. Sadly we expect this trend to continue into 2010. This presents a sobering picture of the human cost of the recession and the struggle faced by so many families and individuals in these changed times. For example well over 60% of the calls for help received at the Dublin Regional Office of the SVP are from households with children and the most frequent request is for help to buy food and pay utility bills. It is also worth noting that over 25% of the calls are now from people contacting the Society for the first time. In the middle of all this increasing misery it is very frustrating to observe that most of the public debate on the recession is being dominated by discussions on how to restore competitiveness, credit ratings and consumer confidence. Sadly, but not surprisingly, within this debate the position of marginalised groups and those who live just above the poverty line have been largely ignored. Indeed from media reports you would be forgiven for believing that not only should the fears of poorer people be dismissed but in fact they, not banks or property speculators, are the cause of our current economic problems. Consequently social welfare benefits are now viewed as excessive and a drag on the economy and so concepts such as fairness and the reality of increasing levels of poverty are not really important. Yet despite a welfare bill of over €21 billion per year the SVP has to spend more than €50 million a year helping people in need. Yet according to some commentators poverty does not really exist in Ireland. So apparently the SVP is spending all this money helping the non-existent poor with their nonexistent problems. This shallow thinking fails to appreciate not just the inadequacy of welfare benefits but also the fact that the vast bulk of these payments will be spent within local communities, sustaining employment and returning to the state by way of vat and other taxes. The SVP does understand the need for economic stability and supports greater efficiencies in public services. But while unwarranted cuts in welfare supports may achieve some short-term financial benefits they will without doubt result in very bad longer-term social consequences, especially for children. It would be great if we could look back on this difficult period as one during in which the values necessary for a socially just, fair and caring society emerged. But I suppose that’s too much to expect.
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OPINION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? …BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT he integration of the Social Inclusion Programme Th and the Community Development Programme will have far reaching effects, argues Ann Irwin.
C
ommunity development/ community work seeks to achieve social change based on the principles of social justice and equality through the application of principles such as participation, empowerment and collective action. Crucially, community work is aimed at the most disadvantaged and socially excluded in society, aiming to facilitate and support the articulation of their collective concerns in the firm belief that policies work best when they are informed by those that they affect.
Far from being an esoteric notion, community development has proven its worth over the years, particularly in times of recession. The current situation that the country is facing is not without precedent. The downturn of the economy in the 1980s produced a similar crisis in the public finances, accompanied by depressed economic activity and huge unemployment levels. This had a particularly devastating effect on vulnerable groups in society, with widespread poverty and intergenerational social deprivation becoming embedded in families and communities.
“…the new programme as it has been designed will significantly reduce the capacity for the participation of the most marginalised and disadvantaged…” These challenges compelled the state to seek the partnership of those experiencing poverty and their representatives to assist in finding creative solutions to these
grave problems. The important role of community development in defining the needs of the unemployed and disadvantaged, and in developing effective responses to these needs, was clearly illustrated and increasingly recognised by the state. As a result, a range of initiatives that used community work approaches were funded. The product of this partnership between the State and the community sector was a set of actions that were informed, focused and tenable, resulting also in much practical work at local level, including services such as childcare services, second chance education, healthcare services and others that are administered by the community sector in a cost effective, efficient way. Over time, these actions contributed significantly to the recovery that followed in the next two decades. Unfortunately however, it is a fact that we rarely learn from the past. Ireland now finds itself facing a similar crisis to the one faced in the 1980s and early ‘90s, with the added difficulties of climate change and peak oil. Instead
of turning to community development and to the community sector as a whole for support in identifying sustainable ways of addressing the difficulties being faced, the Government is doing two things.
“Social justice, equality and participative democracy are essential features of an inclusive society and a sustainable economy…” Firstly, it is drastically reducing the resources available to the community sector. While this poses some difficulties, they might be surmountable if funding was kept at a level that would allow programmes and projects to function and to begin to build again once the economic downturn starts to reverse. However, the second action, which the government is undertaking, will have more far-reaching consequences for community development work in Ireland. The Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
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OPINION has decided to integrate the two programmes that enable and support community work at local level – the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme and the Community Development Programme. The design of this new programme is being undertaken by the Centre for Effective Services. Entitled The Local and Community Development Programme, the new programme as it has been designed will significantly reduce the capacity for the participation of the most marginalised and disadvantaged, undermining their ability to articulate their
collective concerns and determine actions to address inequalities. Under the new design, current programmes and projects will lose the right to self-govern and the right of local people to participate in collective actions to address their needs. Instead the new structure will create another layer for people to engage with but not control. The work over the years since the last recession where communities have become empowered to identify their collective concerns and moved to find ways to collectively address these concerns will disappear. Under the new design community development is not mentioned as a
specific goal and it is clear can constructively critique that the work will be reduced and inform service to the level of promoting provision and policy should awareness or increasing access be maintained; of services. While these are • Community development elements of community work itself needs to be central at local level, community and needs to be maintained development does not limit and enhanced as the lead itself to promoting awareness. strand of any redesign of It strives to influence the design the programmes currently of services and policies so concerned with community that they better serve the development. In addition, needs of communities. empowering and inclusive It often challenges and community development critiques services when they methods need to inform are not what they should be. all work with marginalised people. The principles Marginalised communities contained in Towards and groups most affected by Standards for Quality the recession do not have the Community Work should routes to authority that wealth be adopted as the basis and education bestow on the from which to work; more privileged in society. They have the right therefore, • Funding should be ringfenced at sustainably to organise to enable their effective levels; voices to be heard and their needs met. Maintaining community cohesion is essential in difficult and challenging times and community work can channel constructive concerns into cost effective policy responses. This process is essential to national recovery.Social justice, equality and participative democracy are essential features of an inclusive society and a sustainable economy. Maintaining mechanisms to create constructive alternatives of thought, action and institutions are essential to addressing the specific issues facing people who are poor and unequal. To that end the essential elements that will enable community development are:
• All proposed changes should be open, transparent, designed and negotiated directly with all relevant stakeholders – ministers, officials, agencies and the community sector organisations.
• The principle of independent, autonomous, community-based, selfgoverning structures that
- Ann Irwin is the National Co-ordinator of the Community Workers’ Co-operative.
The key question to ask of any community development programme newly designed or otherwise, is whether it enables or constrains community development which has meaningful and sustainable outcomes impacting on the lives of communities. It is clear from that which has been presented as the new Local and Community Development Programme does not enable this to happen.
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RECESSION WATCH
MERGERS IN THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTOR: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS In these difficult economic times the question of survival for many community and voluntary organisations has demanded they consider how working together with others more strategically can improve the chances of more effectively delivering on their respective missions. John Crimmins explores the options. The following ‘ten commandments’ are based on my experience in assisting organisations develop and implement collaboration and merged structures in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors and are meant as a practical guide for those considering their options:
1. Remember that mergers in the Not-for-Profit Sector are qualitatively different from those in the For-Profit Sector While there are many parallels between the processes used for merger in the for-profit sector and the not-forprofit sector, there are a number of key differences that need to be kept in mind, most notably the primacy of how the merger will improve the achievement of the mission over any financial benefits the merger may provide.
2. Get the Board involved early It is imperative that the Chair and or a number of Directors of a not-for-profit organisation are involved and have a sense of shared ownership of the merger process right from the very beginning as it should be remembered they will be the ultimate decision makers on whether a merger proceeds or not.
“Merging is often a long and complex process, requiring a high degree of reflection and flexibility.”
3. Be clear about your decision-making processes from the very beginning There are a lot of decisions to be made in a merger process, from the initial decision to get involved in exploratory discussions with another organisation, all the way through to appointing the Chair and CEO of the new entity, agreeing focus, name and branding etc. Each individual decision contains potential for conflict and controversy, and it is therefore essential that a clear process and timing for key decisions is agreed up front.
4. Leadership is key Strong leadership in a not-for-profit organisation is essential at the best of times, but during a complex process such as a merger, its importance increases substantially. The critical features of the leadership required before, during, and after a successful merger include defining the vision; managing stakeholders concerns; and most importantly keeping the “show on the road” during the merger process.
5. Recognise and address the challenges of cultural differences Reconciling different organisational cultures is generally regarded as one of the critical factors in achieving future organisational success. The key question to be considered is whether the existence or scale of cultural differences can be realistically bridged at some point in the near future? If it is felt they can’t serious questions must be asked about the viability of the merger.
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RECESSION WATCH
6. Some organisations are more likely to benefit from a merger than others
hopes and vision for the merger and ensuring all participants receive a unified, consistent message. It is important to remember the need for strong communication won’t end once the decision has been made for the merger to go ahead.
While it might initially appear that a merger is the right option for two or more organisations it is important to take a close look at the organisations in question and 8. Plan your governance carefully to see whether they have the requisite qualities and experience to make it happen. Amongst the critical Establishing the governance arrangements for a merger issues to be considered are the participant organisations can be one of the trickiest issues. So when considering experience of working collaboratively; openness to change revised governance structures and the possibility of and willingness to adopt creative solutions to issues. injecting new blood and skills into the newly formed organisation it is important that previously existing board knowledge and experience is not cast aside and lost. 7. Communication, communication, communication You can never over communicate in a merger or 9. Mind the transition amalgamation process. It is important to recognise the need to develop a clear overarching approach to It is important to remember that the day that the legal communications with all stakeholders (staff, members, merger takes place does not represent the end of the funders, service users etc.) in order to address or manage merger process. Management must continue to be their respective concerns or issues. Some of the ways supportive and encouraging to all staff members, focusof doing this include: creating a ‘safe space’ for those ing on addressing the challenges that arise in the context taking part to really express concerns as well as their of the longer term benefits that the merger will bring.
10. Remember that the Business Case for merging is advancing the Mission, not gaining efficiencies Merging is often a long and complex process, requiring a high degree of reflection and flexibility. It may hit many bumps in the road before reaching the potential initially envisaged. Having a strong Business Case from the outset provides a reference point, which should be referred to regularly throughout the process, and again when the merger is complete and the new entity is in operation, in order to make an informed assessment of how successful the process has been. As stated previously, mergers are becoming increasingly common in the not-for-profit sector, and are being seen more and more as strategic decisions taken by strong organisations, as opposed to the final attempt at survival by floundering organisations. They are complex and challenging processes which require significant resources to be invested by all those involved. Done right, however, they can provide huge opportunities for greater reach, impact, effectiveness, and efficiency by the organisations involved. - John Crimmins is a Director of Consulting with Prospectus (www.prospectus.ie)
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Vol 8 • Issue 3 • Winter ‘09
OPINION WHY WELL-BEING MATTERS
A
s a nation we had become obsessed with economic growth and material acquisition, which has proved to be unsustainable. After more than a decade of unprecedented economic growth a substantial minority of the population continues to live in poverty, the childcare and early education infrastructures remain underdeveloped and piecemeal, and many people have difficulties accessing a poorly functioning health system. These difficulties have been compounded by the recession. The impacts of the recession have included: • sharp and unexpected reductions in income, depletion of savings, difficulty in paying the rent or mortgage, and dealing with debt; • job loss, fear of job loss, a deterioration in working conditions, or if unemployed limited opportunities for employment; • the worry of unemployment and/or financial stress impacting on relationships with partners, family and friends; • the impact of these events on physical and mental health, along with a curtailment in some health and social services; and • a lack of confidence and trust in some national institutions, a perceived lack of fairness, and an erosion of the equality and rights infrastructure.
live lives they value and have reason to value. People’s wellbeing is enhanced by conditions that include financial and personal security, meaningful and rewarding work, supportive personal relationships, strong and inclusive communities, good health, an attractive environment, and values of democracy and social justice.
“Well-being can help us to understand what matters to people and what actions can contribute towards our economic recovery.” This means that something more than GDP is required to measure social progress. While GDP can measure economic output it does not take adequate account of the value of education, of health, or of the natural environment. Social progress is linked to the capabilities of people and this is where well-being matters. Aspects of people’s lives which are important are: their economic resources, their work and education, their relationships and care, their community and environment, and their health.
From our knowledge of wellbeing we know that most people have the capacity and resilience to deal with adversity but often need some support, such as employment, service provision and adequate income. In a climate of limited financial resources we need to think about how we do things diffWell-being can help us to under- erently. A focus on well-being stand what matters to people helps us to think about the kind and what actions can contribute of balanced and sustainable towards our economic recovery. pattern of growth we would A person’s well-being relates to want to support human their physical, social and mental flourishing. It leads us to ask state. It requires that basic how we can have a more equal needs are met, that people have society based on the evidence a sense of purpose, that they feel that more equal societies tend to able to achieve important goals, have lower levels of poverty and to participate in society and to higher levels of social cohesion.
Helen Johnston argues that the concept of “well-being is” helpful in trying to understand the current economic crisis and in seeking a way out of the recession. In seeking to do things differently it is useful to have underpinning principles or criteria driving the reforms. Criteria which have been shown to be important for well-being are: Capability – by focusing on what individuals can do (not what they can’t do) with a view to developing their capabilities.
community and wider society. Common good – by realising that as individuals and societies we do better in more equal and fairer societies. Sustainability – by appreciating that we live in a finite world and have to use our resources wisely now and for future generations.
Agency – by respecting the capacity of individuals to make decisions about their lives.
The extent to which we apply these criteria will determine the type of society we have in the longer term.
Purpose – by recognising the importance of having a sense of purpose by encouraging and supporting people to engage in meaningful and rewarding activity.
Well-being Matters: A Social Report for Ireland is available from the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) or for download at www.nesc.ie.
Social interaction – by acknowledging that we operate in the context of a set of relationships, of the family,
-Helen Johnston is a Senior Social Policy Analyst with the NESC.
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NATIONAL FUNDRAISING AWARDS THE 2009 NATIONAL FUNDRAISING AWARDS Ireland’s top fundraisers shine in challenging times A fundraiser who raised €1 million in a single year was awarded the top honours at this year’s National Fundraising Awards, which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin on 20 October.
M
ichael Sheridan scooped the Fundraiser of the Year Award (large organisations) for his work with the Mercy University Hospital Foundation. Apart from raising €1 million, Michael also created and implemented the hospital’s first fundraising strategy, initiating over 50 fundraising events, campaigns and projects over the past two years. A large audience gathered for the ceremony, which was presented by RTÈ‘s Mary Kennedy. She interviewed the 2008 Fundraiser of the Year , Peter Ireton, who said that the award helped to raise the profile of his organisation (Bóthar).
CRH Simon Safety Challenge campaign, which netted the charity €1.62 million. The award winning campaign was collaboration between the Simon Communities and CRH, one of Ireland’s leading construction companies. For every accident free quarter (three months) achieved at any CRH company location across the island of Ireland, a sum of money was donated to the Simon Community operating in that region.
The Down Syndrome Centre won Fundraising Campaign of The Year (small organisations) for their Buy My Dress campaign. Women were asked to donate their designer frocks to the campaign. The dresses were later sold at special sale in Over 70 nominations were received this year, and an independ- Dublin. ent panel selected six winners in The Voluntary Fundraiser of the half a dozen categories. Year Award for over €100,000 The Fundraiser of the Year Award raised went to Margaret Gill for for small organisations went to Self Help Africa. In Spring Stuart McLaughlin of Business 2007 Margaret Gill’s daughter to Arts, an organisation that Barbara died tragically when she brokers creative partnerships was knocked from her bicycle in between business and the arts. a road traffic accident in Dublin. In 2008, Stuart generated In her memory Margaret income - including sponsorship established The Barbara Gill in cash and in-kind for Business Memorial Fund, a campaign, to Arts - of over €390,000 and which successfully sought to additional income for the arts fulfil a wish that Barbara had sector of €260,000. In the last had at the time of her death - to year, Stuart has negotiated a build a new school for children number of multi-year whom she had met in the investments and sponsorships remote region of Emni Haili, for Business to Arts and the Eritrea. As a result of this link sector worth over €1,035,000. Margaret Gill liaised with Self Help Africa to establish the The Simon Communities of Ireland scooped the Fundraising memorial fund, and support the charity to build a high school in Campaign of The Year Award (large organisations) for their Eritrea. Margaret has succeeded
in attracting support from a disparate cross-section of society since the inception of the Memorial Fund established in her daughter’s memory. Michael Hilary won in the category Voluntary Fundraiser of the Year (under €100,000 raised) for his work with the Camphill Communities of Ireland, an organisation that provides homes for children, young people, and adults with intellectual disabilities and other special needs. Michael is the father of a young woman who lives in a Camphill community and he has been involved in various aspects of the organisation for nearly 10 years. When a new community was being established in Dublin in 2002, Michael was on the support group that really made the dream a reality. Since then he has been the Chair of the support group and has helped raise the funds to buy three houses. The Awards were established by The Wheel, the national support
and representative body for community and voluntary organisations and Fundraising Ireland, a national network for charity fundraisers, to recognise, celebrate and promote excellence in the profession of charitable fundraising. The Vodafone Ireland Foundation provided sponsorship for this year’s awards. Deirdre Garvey, chief executive of The Wheel, said the Awards provided charity fundraisers with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, thereby improving the standard of fundraising in Ireland. To capitalise on this opportunity the judges decided to release both a ‘short list’ and a ‘long list’ of all the candidates that passed the first phase of judging. The lists, along with the original nomination forms are available at www.fundraisingawards.ie More photos from are available at: www.tinyurl.com/y9puk2l
The winners: (from left to right) Michael Sheridan of the Mercy University Hospital Foundation (Fundraiser of the Year - Large Organisations), Michael Hilary (Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year - under € 100,000 raised), Patrick Burke for Simon Communities of Ireland (Fundraising Campaign of The Year - Large Organisations), Mary Kennedy (host of the Awards), Stuart McLaughlin of Business to Arts (Fundraiser of the Year - Small Organisations), Margaret Gill for Self Help Africa (Voluntary Fundraiser of the Year - over €100,000 raised) and Sheila Campbell of The Down Syndrome Centre (Fundraising Campaign of The Year - Small Organisations).
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Vol 8 • Issue 3 • Winter ‘09
FINANCE PLANNING FOR THE ROCKY ROAD AHEAD Deirdre Garvey and business consultant, Etain Doyle, explore strategies for dealing with falling revenues and funding cuts. No one can say for certain how long this economic winter will last, but economists tell us that it is unlikely that the situation will improve appreciably in the short term. As a consequence, many of us in community/ voluntary/charitable groups will ever increasing demands on their services to fill gaps left in services resulting from cutbacks in Government resources applied to health, education and social sectors and to help the increasing numbers of unemployed, and people who are finding it difficult to cope with financial stress. The huge increase in demand for services is coupled with reductions in income in the sector, making for difficult and unpopular decisions in the coming months and years. Most organisations have already experienced a drop in their funding and earned incomes, and with wide-ranging cuts in the offing, most will experience increasing pressure on their finances. However, there are many things managers and financial planners can do to minimise the impact of falling revenues and funding cuts on their organisations. Those with foresight coupled with some unrestricted income sources may have been able to
accumulate some reserves, to deal with the type of crisis we find ourselves in, but it is not too late to introduce measures which could contribute greatly to safeguarding the future of your organisation.
Diversifying income During the boom years the Irish community and voluntary sector grew dependent on funding from statutory sources, such as the government and local authorities. A recent survey by The Wheel found that nearly half of all charities (44%) receive 80% or more of their total income from statutory sources, and that as many as 45% do not fundraise at all from the public. Nearly 70% percent of these organisations have already experienced cuts in government funding since the beginning of this year, and it is now certain that even more extensive cuts will follow in the months ahead. Past experience in Ireland and the UK has shown that the organisations most likely to survive a recession are those with diverse income streams. A minimum objective should be to have at least two other income streams in addition
to your core funding. The ideal position, of course, is to build the ability for your organisation to operate on earned revenue and fundraised income to the largest extent. It can seem impossible to get started on the journey towards diverse income streams. But if you don’t start, you will never get there. The very first place to explore is with those groups of people who are already engaged with your organisation: volunteers, other groups with a stakeholders interest in your client group; indeed your clients may have some good ideas in this regard. Your local community is a ‘must’ and finding innovative ways to engage with your community will provide rich results in terms of strategies for engagement. Once you have engagement, then you move those people into becoming your friends, i.e. where they like your organisation and its work. Once they’re friends, they can then be asked to become supporters and donate.
Budgeting In good times, you may have paid relatively little attention to budgeting or to monitoring outcomes against budgets and available resources, apart from project budgets and outcomes that you needed to submit to donors. You will benefit by budgeting all the time, and in difficult times budgeting for the organisation as a whole is essential.
“…think of this recession as a ‘pit stop’: it is what you are doing during this time that will determine the longer-term success of your organisation”
If you manage your finances well, you will be able to spend more with confidence and spend more effectively on your causes. If you do not continue to have funds to operate, you can close down smoothly, providing for clients and staff in an appropriate manner, giving them warning and helping them to find alternatives. If you do not do so already, you should set out a budget forecast for your organisation, estimating how much income you might expect to receive in each quarter (every month if you can) in the coming year and how much your expenditures will be in the Questions to ask yourself are: same period. Where you are have you researched all the funding grants available to your unsure, the formula described organisation? Are you investing below in the managing financial risk section will help you. sufficient time and resources into developing fundraising Managing Financial Risk campaigns? If the answer to In these challenging economic either of these is “no”, you times, managing risk, especneed to change. ially financial risk, is essential. Every organisation, nor matter how small, should have a risk management strategy in place. The Wheel’s Reducing the Risk guide is a good starting point when drawing up such a plan (available from www.wheel.ie/ publications).
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FINANCE It is very useful to plot risks on a graph. They can be measured on a scale of 1-5, from small to large. You decide where to place a risk on the graph on the basis of severity of the risk and the likely impact it could have on your organisation. It is not an exact science, but it does help clarify issues. Once you have analysed them in this way, you may find it easier to estimate what amount to put in your forecast. For example, if you have a funding source, which normally provides €100,000, and you consider that there is a 4 out of 5 chance (very likely but not certain) that they will pay this year, but that the amount is likely to be €80,000, you might put €64,000 in your draft budget. (80% of €80,000 is €64,000).
Cutting your costs If you are unable the bridge the gap between your income and expenses you may be obliged reduce your costs and the vast majority of groups in the sector have already done this. This often requires difficult and unpopular decisions.
Recession Toolkit The Wheel has developed this Recession Toolkit to help equip community and voluntary groups with the practical information resources required to weather this economic storm. You can download the kit from www.short.ie/x36s67 However, make sure that every decision is compatible with your organisation’s core values, and that cuts in one area don’t undermine the operational capacity of other services. There is not much point in cutting all of the
accepted pattern – cash/credit card sales in a shop for example, or say 45 days credit for some Examine all your options – are business to business transactions, there different levels of service it can be difficult for a community and voluntary organisation you could offer some of your clients while still meeting their to get its debtors (i.e. the people needs? If you spent some funds who owe it money) to pay promptly, but it is essential that you do the on say, new communication methods or on innovative ways best you can to get in amounts due as quickly as possible, and of delivering the services can you provide as good a service in in particular, not to allow the a different way? Engage all your total amount to increase and become ever more long standing. staff in looking for solutions; the people who are likely to “If you manage your have the best ideas are on the finances well, you will front line of delivering services. be able to spend more with funding needed to deliver a service and retaining staff if they are unable to do anything.
In relation to staff, instead of widespread redundancies, could you think about introducing some pay cuts (heavier at the top than at the bottom), shorter working hours, unpaid leave etc. If you are making people redundant, make sure that you do so in a way that keeps your most productive and flexible staff on your books, so that you can best survive difficult times. (For this reason, the traditional last in first out or LIFO system is much less frequently used nowadays, and you must be very careful that the system you do use is fair and non-discriminatory). Make sure you provide for redundancy costs in your calculations, they will reduce your savings in the short term. You will get some funds back from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, but this takes time and you have to pay your departing employees as they leave.
Managing your creditors and debtors If you can tighten up on your debtors and manage your creditors better, you may be able to release some extra cash in the organisation. Unlike a business which has trading income which is generally received according to an
company for another. Make sure that you plan carefully and take account of the need to merge the people as well as the services. It is critical that you communicate clearly and honestly with the staff. A less ambitious target, and one which might act as a stepping-stone to a full merger, would be to merge back-office services, such as accounting and administration. The structure of the arrangements would have to be worked out carefully and with some legal and financial advice.
confidence and spend more Would one organisation offer effectively on your causes” all services to the other(s) at Likewise, what is the situation with your creditors (amounts payable by your organisation)? Do you have a structured systems for paying bills when they fall due and, if you had a problem with cash flow coming up, would you have a good track record with your suppliers so that if you needed to ask if you could pay a bit later than usual in a particular instance, they would know that you are reliable and agree to this? It is a serious offence to trade when insolvent and insolvency is defined as being unable to meet your bills when they come due.
Mergers and collaborations A more radical strategy is to collaborate or merge with another organisation that shares your values and objectives. This, however, is not a quick fix, and such arrangements may require a great deal of time and planning. You may well need to engage legal and financial advice to deal with pooling of reserves for example and any covenants/ contracts you have with donors. Very many business mergers fail to deliver synergies as they are poorly planned and executed, and too much is paid by one
cost, taking over some staff and letting others go? Would you and your partner organisation(s) perform different elements of the service? What protections in respect of data and in respect of payments would be required? There needs to be a contract to govern whatever arrangements are made. Sitting back and waiting for the recession to blow over is not an option. You will need to work both harder and smarter, to keep your head above water. However, survival shouldn’t be your only objective: think of this recession as a “pit stop”, it is what you are doing during this time that will determine the longer-term success of your organisation. There is no doubt that this recession will claim some victims in our sector, but those who prevail will emerge with new depth, values and leadership. - Deirdre Garvey, is Chief Executive of The Wheel (www.wheel.ie). - Etain Doyle is a consultant on business and regulatory matters and was the first Telecoms Regulator (19972004).
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FUNDRAISING
FUNDING APPLICATIONS: HOW TO STAND OUT IN THE CROWD
Research the funder Before you put pen to paper, put yourself in the funder’s shoes. Ask yourself: “If I was the funder, how would I look at this application?” The approach you take will depend on the sector the funder is from; whether they are an independent trust, a corporate body or a statutory body. Each sector can view applications with a different mentality and they will be looking from different perspectives and experiences. An independent trust can generally be more open to innovative, risk-taking and informal approaches, although this may vary from trust to trust. A corporate funder will quite often look at the bottom line of how it relates to their business. They may require more public relations and tend to fund in areas related to their business. Applicants dealing with statutory organisations and European intermediary funding bodies have often found application processes and contact to be more bureaucratic and difficult than other sources.
Extensive funding cuts to our sector are compelling many organisations to explore new sources of funding. Unfortunately, this means that there will be much greater competition for available grants. It is therefore essential to make sure that your application is up to scratch. This short guide will teach you how to produce a polished grant application. The top 10 reasons why • Related Policy Documents Choose the appropriate grant applications fail • Job Descriptions writing style
Funders are used to receiving applications for funding so a well constructed persuasive argument is the best way to convince rather than a begging letter or hard luck story. Equally applications ought to communicate a sincere conviction that the project will make a real difference. A balance also has to be found between including too much information and not giving enough detail in applications. Aim for concise and clear statements. Avoid jargon that neither you nor the funder will understand. Avoid referencing too much additional material if the funder expressly states it only wants the application form. It is always better to summarise and refer to the availability of more information than stating “See attached report”.
Reference materials
• Evidence of Need
Check forms and guidelines Make sure you have the funder’s latest policies, guidelines and application forms. Try to get documents in an electronic format e.g. Word or Adobe Acrobat where possible. The form can also sometimes be scanned from a hard copy into Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat and used as a template. It is recommended that you type your application, as it is likely you will need to make several applications or at least work through several drafts of the same application.
Ask for help Don’t complete the form on your own unless you have to. Get a colleague to assist or delegate tasks to volunteers and committee members. For example, the Treasurer or Finance Officer of your organisation could prepare the budget.
Funders often require supporting documents or background information. It is always a good idea to check the information in you applications form is consist- Assess the form Check & confirm eligibility ent with the supporting documents. Assess the form, question by Typically, you may be asked to Make sure you are not wasting question; to see what informsubmit the following documents: your time. If you suspect that ation the funder is looking for. you are ineligible or are unsure • Organisation’s Governing If you have any doubt about of your status, contact the funder Document (e.g. memorandum what is required, phone or email first, rather than spending time and articles of association, them (if they allow this). Check on an application that is never your constitution etc) to see if the guidelines give help going to get past the first post. • Annual Report and Accounts on filling in the form. Treat this as a priority as it may • Project Plan Ask at least two people to proofmean you need to amend your • Project Budget read the document before it is governing document or apply submitted – it is very difficult to for charitable status before an • List of Committee/Board spot errors in your own writing! application can be made. This Members can often take some time.
1.
The applicant is not eligible for the grant because of the organisation's legal form, activities, size or geographical remit 2. The organisation's projects are poorly planned 3. The applicant did not present their project clearly and concisely on the application form 4. The applicant fails to demonstrate how it meets the criteria set out by the grant maker 5. Applications are made without monitoring and evaluation processes in place 6. The budget is problematic and/or unconvincing financial management procedures. 7. The applicant misses the deadline 8. The form is incomplete or illegible 9. Supporting documents are incomplete, inaccurate, out-of-date, contradict the application form or are simply not enclosed 10. The applicant is asking for too much funding
Adapted from How to Apply for Funding: A practical guide to completing funding application forms and writing fundraising letters, The Wheel, 2009 (download the full guide from www.short.ie/qwhayz)
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Vol 8 • Issue 3 • Autumn ‘09
TECHNOLOGY
Window on the web
01Tech talk
CLOUD COMPUTING: SETTING YOUR DATA FREE Back in the ‘70s we had the microchip. Then along came the Apple II. Next, IBM made the first PC. Then everyone got PCs. After that people started networking their computers. Then came networked applications and shared folders. That meant that you needed a server, someone to manage it, and a load of costly software to run on it. 20 years ago, you would often see “dumb terminals” - all but a monitor and a keyboard - scattered around universities and offices, all connected to big central computers that did all the work. The terminals themselves had no power. 20 years on, through all the developments and advancements, cloud computing is bringing us full circle.
www.downsyndromecentre.ie The Down Syndrome Centre’s website is the epitome of contemporary web design - it is bright and airy and immediately appealing to the eye. The hand-drawn style icons bring a sense of fun and the “sticky label” effect gives a feeling of depth and weight to the page. All the main navigation is clearly marked and the site is perfectly navigable with all styles and javascript turned off, which is a real boon for accessibility. Unfortunately, if you turn off images it becomes much more difficult. The site hosts some fine features, including a series of articles
Cloud computing is where the software applications you use in your daily work reside securely in a data centre somewhere and you access them over the Internet (the term cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet), All you need at your desk is a computer with a web browser, and all of your applications work through that web browser. For examples of popular applications “in the cloud”, you need look no further than Hotmail or Gmail, but this technology is about far more than email. There are a host of services available on the web including full office suites, customer relationship management tools (CRM), accounting, collaboration tools and more. Cloud computing has become a real alternative to the conventional computing model, cutting out much of the expense, maintenance and need for specialist knowledge and skills. Start your journey to the next frontier of computing at www.docs.google.com or www.google.com/apps/ - Anthony Lindsay from an expert advisory panel, a rich news section, an easy to use newsletter signup and lots of resource material for visitors. It also links to a branded shop, online support group service and has an RSS feed. What we liked - The crisp design and ease of navigation. The rich content and the good use of social media. What we didn’t like - The donation button is perhaps a bit subdued. Moreover there appears to be no link to the shop on the ‘donate’ page. As the 2008 Fundraiser of the Year, Peter Ireton, recently said: “…the easier you make it for people to give you money, the more they will give you”. You have to wonder how much this donation page is costing them? Also check out www.enclude.ie for more information on IT supports for charities - Anthony Lindsay
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CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHT Solid Foundations* Top Tips 8
Zest! – A culinary showcase of Ireland’s top chefs and restaurants The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is hoping to raise over €100,000 this Christmas from the sale of a new cookery book called Zest!, which is already having an impact on the bestsellers list. Featuring recipes from over 60 leading Irish restaurants and well-known chefs including Kevin Dundon, Richard Corrigan, Paul Rankin, Derry Clarke and Kevin Thornton, Zest! promises to take readers on a “gourmet tour of Ireland”. The book is the brainchild of Vivienne Jupp, former Global Managing Director of Accenture, who joined the board of Directors of the IHF last year. Vivienne was project director on the publication. “I came up with the idea of the cookbook after my mother’s death. The quality of hospice care she experienced was, for her and for her family, quite exceptional. I was so impressed by the dedicated work of the hospice team who cared for my family that I wanted to give something back. So I set about devising a fundraising idea that would capture the public imagination. I think that in Zest! we’ve produced a book that is both affordable and attractive. And by buying a copy of Zest!, individuals can, in their own way, become hospice champions as well,” said Ms Jupp. The IHF was able to use the
expertise of individuals in the restaurant and culinary scene. Celebrated restaurant critic and former chef, Paolo Tullio, agreed to be the culinary advisor for the project and launched the book on 6 October. The funds raised from the sale of the book will fund their crucial work including developing the IHF’s children’s hospice home care service, funding the nightnurse service and supporting its efforts to extend palliative care to all people with life-limiting diseases. The IHF is a national charity, which promotes the hospice philosophy and supports the development of hospice and palliative care in all settings including the home, hospitals and hospices. Its vision is that no one should face death or bereavement without the appropriate care and support. Zest! can be purchased from leading bookstores countrywide and from participating restaurants. It is also being stocked in Arnotts in Dublin and in Avoca branches. It can be ordered online at www.zestcookbook.ie or by phoning (01) 861 1580.
There is an increasing demand from funding agencies, the State, the public, and others, for community and voluntary organisations to show their ability to perform to a high standard. The Charities Act 2009 will also pave the way for new codes of practice for fundraising etc. It is, therefore, essential that organisations act now to implement good governance practice. The following extract is taken from Reducing the Risk, a resource guide for community and voluntary organisations. The new guide is part of a range of training and guidance services on governance provided by The Wheel. It follows on from our popular publications Getting to Grips with Governance (2008) and Solid Foundations: A Resource Guide For Building Strong and Effective Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector (2007): It is vital that the controls are implemented and then monitored on an ongoing basis. Risk management is not a once-off process; it must be dynamic. This means establishing how previously identified risks may have changed and ensuring that new risks are assessed as they arise. Risk monitoring must also determine whether the risk controls themselves are effective. However, a disproportionate amount of energy should not be given over to risk assessments. Once an initial risk management process has been completed, an annual review of risk, supplemented by update reports and assessments of proposed new activities, is likely to be sufficient for most organisations. A successful risk monitoring process will ensure that: • New risks are properly recorded and evaluated • Risk aspects of significant new projects are considered as part of project appraisals • Any significant failures of control systems are properly reported and actioned • There is an adequate level of understanding of individual responsibilities for both the implementation and the monitoring of control systems • Any further actions required are identified • The governing body considers and reviews the annual process • The governing body is provided with relevant
update information. Solid Foundations guides are available from www.wheel.ie.
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Vol 8 • Issue 3 • Winter ‘09
SPOTLIGHT DEBRA IRELAND - 20 YEARS OF GIVING HOPE DEBRA Ireland (the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association) was set up in 1988 by families of children with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) - a distressing and painful genetic skin disorder causing skin layers and body linings to separate and blister at the slightest touch. The organisation has worked for, and supported the development of a EB Liaison Nurse Service, now established at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children and St James’s Hospital. Research into effective treatments for EB is key to Debra’s work, and they fund medical research programmes in Trinity College, Dublin, and co-funds the DEBRA Ireland - dEBra UK Cancer In EB Campaign. General support, respite holidays, information and advice is also provided to patients and their families. DEBRA Ireland is a member of DEBRA International, an umbrella group whose members are the national associations representing people with EB in over 40 countries. The Irish branch is funded by donations, fundraising and grant support. As part of its fundraising efforts DEBRA Ireland recently launched a Butterfly Pin. The wings of the butterfly symbolise the fragile skins of those living with EB. The pin costs €2 and the money raised will be used for to patient support services and research. See www.debraireland.org. DEBRA patron Miriam O’ Callaghan and five year old Claudia Scanlon who was born with EB.
WHY ARE SO MANY ORGANISATIONS IGNORING THE ELEPHANT IN THE CORNER?
A
s an insurance broker, I could be accused of having a vested interest in the question of adequate insurance protection. However, it is undoubtedly true that since I started working with hundreds of community, voluntary and charitable organisations over the last two years, I am seriously taken aback by how many organisations have inadequate insurance protection. When I compare this to our business in the commercial and public sectors, I have to ask myself whether the imbalance between insurance cover in these sectors versus the nonprofit sector is the result of a deliberate decision by management committees and boards to take out less insurance than they would if they were a commercial venture, or whether it has to do with lack of awareness of the risks they may face? In the absence of any evidence that there are fewer risks in the nonprofit sector, and in acknowledgement of the fact that claims against directors and officers and in areas such as employment practices are on the rise, I am struck by the levels of unacknowledged risk that many nonprofit sector organisations are carrying.
I have personally seen individuals on management committees expose their personal assets needlessly to potential claims. I hope that when the new Charities Act finally comes into force, with its requirements that nonprofit organisations conduct risk assessments, the issue of comparative underinsurance will get the visibility its deserves. In the meantime, regardless of which insurance company you choose, I would encourage organisations to review their risks and exposures as part of an overall risk analysis of their organisations and the exposures facing staff and volunteer board members. Mark Duggan works with Arachas insurance brokers, which offer trustees and individual liability, employment practices liability and professional and legal liability cover for community and voluntary groups. Tel: (01) 2135000 or mark.duggan@arachas.ie. The Wheel’s best practice guide on mitigation and management of risk, Reducing the Risk is available from www.wheel.ie/publications.
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Join The Wheel and get the support you need There’s no better time to be a member of the organisation whose sole purpose is supporting and representing community and voluntary organisations. Since 1999 The Wheel has been providing a wide range of support services, information and training to individuals and organisations – strengthening their capacity to get things done. Membership of The Wheel offers you opportunities to work together, access to the most up to date information, dedicated support, unrivalled networking opportunities and the ability to influence policy-makers.
TOP TEN REASONS TO JOIN THE WHEEL
1
Save time - focus on what you do best and let us do the rest
We will keep you updated on key issues within the sector, freeing up your time to focus on your organisation's mission.
Skills building events Members receive substantial discounts on the The Wheel’s range of learning and networking events. These are tailor-made to help community and voluntary organisations to achieve their goals and get things done. See www.wheel.ie/events for details of forthcoming events.
2
Make your voice heard Members of The Wheel have an opportunity to
3
influence Government policy as it affects the community and voluntary sector. We advocate for the shared interests of our members and the wider community and voluntary sector in the various for a on which we sit, including the Social Partnership process.
Consultations & support services As a member you can access dedicated telephone and email support and/or meet with our team to discuss any aspect of running your organisation, as well as the wider issues affecting our sector. Stay informed Our members have access to a wide range of unique information services and publications, including: Focalpoint, our e-newsletter for members, featuring the latest news from the sector, exclusive offers, information on The Wheel’s services and valuable signposts to other resources; and a range of resource guides, which are tailor-made for Irish community and voluntary sector organisations.
Online resources - www.fundingpoint.ie is Ireland’s most comprehensive source of information on funding sources for community and voluntary organisations. Our members can avail of a substantial discount on the subscription fee. - www.wheel.ie contains extensive information and resources for community and voluntary organisations. - www.learningpoint.ie is a one-stop source for training courses and providers for the community and voluntary sector. - www.ictpoint.ie is the home of information and advice on technology, specifically tailored for the sector. - www.cvcover.ie is a unique insurance resource for community and voluntary organisations.
Join The Wheel online at www.wheel.ie/membership or phone our membership team on (01) 454 8727
The Wheel
T (01) 454 8727
Irish Social Finance Centre
F (01) 454 8649
10 Grattan Crescent
E info@wheel.ie
Inchicore, Dublin 8
W www.wheel.ie
For the latest news and reports from The Wheel make sure to visit our website www.wheel.ie An Rotha Teoranta (The Wheel) is a registered Charity: CHY 13288. Company no: 302282. Donations are welcome.
Improve your effectiveness
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Networking and more networking Use the networking
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4
Publications Benefit from
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6
Raise awareness about your organisation Advertise your
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