Water4 is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization and is not publicly traded so there is no access to investor relations. In order to successfully raise money, they must develop an integral relationship with the community and different government organizations. Grant writing is extremely important, and this is the majority of their strategy for reaching government bodies and organizations that could possibly help increase fundraising. Collaborating with other non-profits is also a tool they are using to increase visibility and raise more money. Last month the executive director met with two other non-profit organizations in California to see if they could possibly join forces. They are still in discussion as to a formal plan.
They also teamed up with World Vision Angola, in which they began a 42 month, 1000 well project. This fueled a $2.8 million dollar grant that was accepted by the European Commission Water Facility! Here is what the EU Water Facility had to say about their willingness to award this grant. “Angola is the worst country in Sub Saharan Africa for a child to grow up in (UNICEF 2008). Making water and sanitation services truly safe and sustainable represents an opportunity to reduce the burden of diarrheal disease and save the lives of millions of children in rural areas. Improved water and sanitation will also generate socio-economic benefits, particularly for women and girls. In order to reach the most vulnerable, the proposed action emphasizes approaches that are affordable, low maintenance and locally viable, offering the potential for local communities to satisfy their own need for potable water and sanitation facilities in the long-term. The long-term vision of success is a province where children in rural areas do not die from diarrhea or suffer long term health consequences due to contaminated water, poor sanitation and adverse hygiene practices. Angola ranks 143 out of 182 countries on both the UN Human Development Index (2009) and the Gini coefficient index, which demonstrates the high level of inequity within the country. In remote rural areas of Southern Angola, the infant mortality rate (under 1) and under-five mortality rate are among the highest in the world at 130/1000 and 220/1000 respectively and many of these deaths are related to high incidence of diarrheal disease (32%), and contaminated water (UNICEF, 2008). In rural areas the populations are relatively worse off than in peri-urban areas and the majority of the rural population live on less than US$1 per day.”
It’s so difficult to even imagine living on less than $1 dollar per day. This is exactly what Water4 is helping, so I would say they are the epitome of corporate social responsibility. The only way they would not be demonstrating CSR would be if the organization was committing any type of fraud, or stealing profit, which we hear about every day in the media. Because of this, the government has become more diligent in making sure non-profits are using funds for their intended purposes. They also just made it mandatory for every 501 c 3 organization to have a formal written plan, including who can be authorized check signers.
Their strategy to reach consumers and communities is in place with Jennie Garth, their celebrity ambassador. Since she’s jumped on board with Water4, she has tweeted about what people can do to help, and she’s also been featured in several entertainment blogs and news outlets regarding the foundation. She has increased their presence ten fold just by being a celebrity. Some ways I think they could increase their relationship with the community and even local government agencies would be to perform some community outreach projects within the United States. I don’t think it would necessarily have to be building a well, but it would be good to increase their presence and put a face to the organization. I also think it would be a good idea to offer volunteer opportunities. Habitat for Humanity and other organizations that travel to impoverished countries offer a chance for people to help with their cause. It would also be very cost effective for them, as most volunteers have to pay for their travel and living arrangements while there.
Most non-profits are in a very tough place when they encounter any type of crisis. A good example is the Second Mile, the organization started by Sandusky, the coach in the Penn State Football scandal. They have been forced to shut their doors. Most non-profits who end up accused of fraud or embezzlement end up no longer in business as well. It’s much more difficult for a non-profit to bounce back from a crisis than a business that is offering a product or service. They have to gain people’s trust in order to get their money. Once you lose that, it’s almost impossible to get back. If they were involved in a crisis, I think the most important strategy would be to handle the media as best as possible, and to confront the issue instead of shying away from it. The business’s or celebrities who welcome the media instead of not confronting it always manage to bounce back much quicker from crisis.
No comments:
Post a Comment