Quote of the week
Nobody understood what the depths of this recession were going to look like.
- Barack Obama, US President.
Comment of the week
While collaborating with government can be positive in many ways, the nature of this new relationship and NGOs’ reliance on funding also had a negative effect, impacting on the independence of the sector and their ability to engage critically with government and businesses and hold them to account.
- Annie Devenish , researcher, GreaterGood SA.
SN-Announce
SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service with a readership of more than 10 000 people. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information contact Nicolle Beeby on +27 11 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za. For more information about SN-Announce, click here.
Prodder Directory
Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, click here. Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here.
SANGOTeCH
SANGOTeCH provides software and hardware to NGOs at discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners. It supports NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. For more information about SANGOTeCH, click here.
BackaBuddy
SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy, an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on +27 11 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za
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NGO Challenges, Sustainability, Newsflashes...
In this edition of NGO Pulse we turn our focus to the global economic meltdown and the impact it has on funding for NGOs. This uncertain period, characterised by reduced funding for development work, leaves NGOs with no option but to look for ways in which they can generate revenue to sustain themselves. There is fear that many NGOs might be forced to retrench staff, suspend programmes or even close down as a result of the crisis.
Annie Devenish, a researcher at GreaterGood SA, looks at the South African NGO environment and the current challenges faced by NGOs. Exploring the shifting landscape, she writes that things changed significantly since the early 1990s. With a legitimate government in place, the incentive for international donors to fund local NGOs was not as compelling as it once was. She writes that this situation forced NGOs to seek government aid and support from businesses and individual donors in order to sustain themselves.
“While collaborating with government can be positive in many ways, the nature of this new relationship and NGOs’ reliance on funding also had a negative effect, impacting on the independence of the sector and their ability to engage critically with government and businesses and hold them to account,” writes Devenish. Click here to read the full article.
The second article we publish, Anna Vayanos, head of the philanthropy office at BoE Private Clients, writes that even though much has been written about the global financial crisis, “we will only be able to see the full effect of this on funding when we look back in a year or two and can calculate the actual impact.” Writing about reserve funding as a tactic to see NGOs through cash flow problems, she asks: “Has this crisis not perhaps highlighted that – as one organisation put it – a reserve is now a ‘have to have’ rather than a ‘nice to have’?” Click here to read the full article.
Related to this, the Independent Democrats has already called on President Jacob Zuma to sign into law the Children’s Act, which will ensure the provision of money to cash-strapped NGOs that provide services to children. Click here for more information.
We also publish the second in a series of articles by Nicole Copley, a NGO lawyer, who writes that since 2006 Public Benefit Organisatons are permitted to trade without limit, but are required to pay tax on some of their trading income. Copley explores whether NGOs that wish to generate income should set up dual structures; one which is tax exempt and receives donor funding and another one which generates income and donates the funds to the tax exempt structure. Click here to read the full article.
SANGONeT will be participating in BarCamp Swaziland on 27 June 2009, the first technology conference of its kind to be held in Mbabane. The event brings together technology practitioners in that country to share and learn in an open environment. In addition, BarCamp Swaziland will extend the reach of the BarCamp model to facilitate dialogue on local technology issues. Click here for more information.
As always we invite your comments and suggestions.
NGO Pulse Team, editor@sangonet.org.za
New Jobs, Proposals & Events
Employment Opportunities
- Right to Care, a NGO that builds public and private sector capacity for the provision of antiretroviral therapy to HIV-positive individuals, seeks to employ Data Managers to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 26 June 2009. For more information, click here.
- The Development Action Group, a leading NGO playing a vital role in tackling South Africa’s urban development challenges, seeks to appoint a Programme Director to be based in Cape Town. The application deadline is 30 June 2009. For more information, click here.
- The Social Justice Coalition invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Provincial Manager to be based in the Western Cape. The application deadline is 17 July 2009. For more information, click here.
- To view other vacancies in the NGO sector, click here.
Proposals, Grants & Awards
- Entries are invited for the Freedom to Create Prize which honours artists on the frontlines who promote social justice, build foundations for open societies and inspire the human spirit. The award carries a cash prize of up to US$25 000. The submission deadline is 14 August 2009. For more information, click here.
- Print, radio, TV and online journalists, photojournalists and bloggers from around the world are invited to participate in the Earth Journalism Awards. The submission deadline is 7 September 2009. For more information, click here.
- The World Youth Movement for Democracy, a youth network of the World Movement for Democracy, invites entries from South African youth organisations for its Global Essay Contest. The submission deadline is 15 September 2009. For more information, click here.
- To view other opportunities, click here.
New Events
- The HIV Prevention Research Unit, Medical Research Council and the Centre for HIV/AIDS Networking are hosting a discussion forum on ‘Accessing ARVs in the Public Sector’ on 30 June 2009 in Durban. For more information, click here.
- The Centre for Early Childhood Development, in collaboration with the HCI Foundation, Tsogo Sun Group and Southern Sun Hotels, is hosting an Early Childhood Development Conference from 21-23 July 2009 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here.
- Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, a multi-disciplinary centre that promotes the right of women to live lives free of violence through research, advocacy, litigation and the provision of free legal advice services, is conducting its Winter Seminar Series from 1 July to 5 August 2009 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here.
Training
- The Management Accounting for Non Governmental Organisations, a NGO whose mission is to strengthen the financial management of NGOs, is conducting a course entitled ‘Grant Management Essentials: How to Keep Your Donor Happy’ from 25-26 August 2009 in Pretoria. For more information, click here.
- The African Commons Project, in partnership with SANGONeT, is conducting an Introduction to Social Media for NGOs training workshop on 6 July 2009 in Cape Town. For more information, click here.
- Khanya-aicdd, in partnership with the Centre for Development Support at the University of Free State, is conducting four-day course on Managing Sustainable Livelihoods for the Poor from 31 August to 3 September 2009. The application deadline is 14 August 2009. For more information, click here.
Latest News Flashes
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Non-profit Analysis and Opinions
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