Latest News

September 2008

In this edition:

Message from the APPC Chair

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Giving back to ‘home’ country with a long view

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
In pursuit of social change, will partnerships aim true?

Message from the Chief Executive

Creating Generations of Givers

The face of philanthropy is changing. Sustainability, strategy and innovation are some of the key words that are beginning to form the new language of giving. Increasingly, these changes have become a testament to the generational shifts that have occurred within the giving community, as well as the global phenomena that have affected the current crop of philanthropists.

As next generation philanthropists prepare to take over the helm of philanthropic organizations all over the region, we tried to get a sneak peek into their leadership styles, perspectives and own brand of innovation - all of which, we are certain, will contribute significantly to the landscape of giving in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

This issue also showcases some helpful information on how young people can be more engaged in philanthropic work: we provide a list of ideas on how to be involved in foundation work, some links to organizations that work with young funders, and new publications on how your giving can achieve significant social change.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Happy reading!

Rory Francisco-Tolentino

APPC chats with young philanthropists in Manila

Building successor generations was one of the primary concerns voiced out by families seeking to sustain their philanthropic traditions in APPC's recently-concluded 1st Family Philanthropy Workshop. Teaching younger generations of family members the value of sharing their family's wealth, developing activities that suited their interests, and keeping one's family bound by a philanthropic culture, were some of the more popular ways by which family foundations chose to get their younger members engaged.

To help families refine their chosen activities according to the interests, values, and beliefs of their younger members, and to connect these young people to a larger network of peers facing the same challenges and opportunities, APPC is planning to conduct a capacity-building and networking event for next generation philanthropists in the region.

In preparation for this event, APPC sought out some young philanthropists in Manila and engaged them in conversations about their involvement in their family's work in business and philanthropy, as well as their own thoughts about sharing their resources, being different and making a difference.

As of this writing, APPC has spoken with Caroline Tan, whose father Tony Tan heads Jollibee Foods Corporation, one of the largest fast food chains in the Philippines, and whose mother Grace Tan heads the Jollibee Foundation, their corporate philanthropy arm. We also had a lively discussion with Ian King and Geovy King, whose grandfather heads the foundation that is also his namesake, the Angelo King Foundation. Lastly, we were also able to have a chat with Ana Aboitiz, whose great-grandfather founded the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

We share in detail our enlightening interviews with these young entrepreneur/philanthropists in our Perspectives section, and hope that you enjoy hearing about them as much as we did.

APPC hopes to engage more young philanthropists in similar discussions in the weeks to come.

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Citibank and YMCA Singapore launch Youth for Causes 2007

Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes is a community initiative jointly organized by Citibank and YMCA, where youth are provided with seed funding and other resources to execute their creative ideas to benefit a charity of their choice. This year, 150 groups were selected out of the record number of 245 to pitch their ideas in person to a panel of judges. Based on the creativeness of each project, the amount they hoped to raise and what they hoped to achieve, the judges selected the top 105 innovative ideas.

As most of the teams do not have prior experience in organizing social entrepreneurship events, they will be given training through the YMCA-NUS Business School Volunteer Service Management Programme, the first training course for the social service sector certified by a recognized local university. A mentor will also be attached to each team to provide guidance throughout their project. Here's how it works:

1. Youth groups interested in participating in the Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes programme are asked to come up with innovative project proposals for using seed money of S$1,600.00 per group to benefit a Singapore-registered voluntary welfare organization (VWO) of their choice

2. Once chosen, each qualifying youth group will be assigned a mentor from Citibank or YMCA of Singapore on top of their S$1,600.00 grant.

3. The projects by the qualifying youth groups must be implemented and completed within a 16-week timeframe from 21 May to 1 Sept 2007.

Since YFC's pilot launch, the Citigroup Foundation has quadrupled its 'seed funding' for the programme to from S$40,000 to S$160,000. The programme is reinforced by a mentorship initiative, where project teams are guided by working professionals from Citibank and YMCA of Singapore.

For more information, visit www.youthforcauses.com.

Global Knowledge Partnership to hold Young Social Entrepreneurs Forum

A Young Social Entrepreneurs Forum will be the key feature of the Global Knowledge Partnership's 3rd Global Knowledge Conference, which is to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December this year.

GKP runs the Youth Social Enterprise Initiative (YSEI), a programme dedicated to young social entrepreneurs that offers support in the four key areas of knowledge, networking, mentorship and financing.

The Forum is designed for young people who are interested in using knowledge and information and communications technology (ICT) to make a positive social impact, ultimately shaping a better life for their communities. It hopes to serve as a venue for them to pool their knowledge and experiences, as most of the panel discussions will be designed and participated in by young social entrepreneurs themselves.

The Forum has also invited several funding organizations, private sector, government and civil society representatives. It is hoped that by doing this, the Forum will be able to provide a platform for young social entrepreneurs to 'pitch' their project ideas to experts and to secure funding.

For more information, visit www.ysei.org

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Former APPC Board Member appointed Thai Deputy Prime Minister

Former APPC Board Member Paiboon Wattanasiritham has been named Deputy Prime Minister by Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. This is Khun Paiboon's second assignment in the new Thai government, having been initially appointed as the Minister of Human Security and Social Development.

Under Paiboon's leadership, philanthropy and volunteerism are poised to become significant components of the government's national agenda. Sukich Udindu, another APPC Board Member reports that the government has also established a National Center for Giving and Volunteerism (NCGV) to provide a mechanism for this national initiative.

Other related developments in Thailand include:

- The launching of the CSR support center, in coordination with the Ministry of Human Security and Social Development and the newly-established National Center for Giving and Volunteerism
- The launching of the national campaign for giving and volunteering , with TV, radio, and other advocacy materials available at www.konjaidee.com.
- A CSR Institute to be established by the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) to promote CSR,
- A national financial framework for social development presented to the Ministry of Finance,
- New efforts at fundraising at the provincial and community levels, in cooperation with the Ministry of Human Security and Social Development.

Council on Foundations, European Foundation Centre Develop Principles of Accountability for International Philanthropy

In an effort to increase the accountability and effectiveness of cross-border grantmaking, the Council on Foundations (COF) and the European Foundation Centre (EFC) recently announce the creation of the Principles of Accountability for International Philanthropy.

"The growth of global philanthropy is obvious - in interest, engagement, and need. But the importance of these Principles is their commitment to enhancing the impact, and effectiveness of such giving," said Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of the Council on Foundations. "These principles represent the best standards developed by the most experienced philanthropic leaders in both Europe and the United States. They should serve as a guide for all international giving strategies."

The impetus for the Principles grew from the understanding that cross-border philanthropy can be more challenging and complex than domestic grantmaking because of differences in culture and language as well as legal and accounting systems. Understanding the context in which your international grants will be made, respecting cultural differences and local knowledge, listening carefully to international grantees and partners, and responding to their needs and realities rather than imposing your own agenda are among the good accountability practices highlighted in the Principles.

You may download a copy of the Principles from www.cof.org.

Tata family to be awarded 2007 Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy

India's Tata family is one of this year's recipients of the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, which was first awarded in 2001 at the centennial observance of Andrew Carnegie's official career as a philanthropist.

Today, the Medals are given every two years to honor families and individuals from around the world who, like Andrew Carnegie, have dedicated their private wealth to the public good and who have sustained their philanthropic activities.

"The impact this year's Laureates have had on the well being of families around the world has taken philanthropy to new heights for commitment, daring and vision," said Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York and chair of the executive selection committee. "These philanthropists have used far more than their collective wealth to introduce change. They have put their conviction and courage to work embracing seemingly impossible challenges that many others have avoided."

According to the Carnegie website, the Tata family "gives away between eight and 14 percent of the net profits from its controlling company each year to myriad causes: science, medicine, social services, health, civil society and governance, rural welfare, performing arts, education and the needs of children. Tata family funding has established pioneering institutions in social sciences, cancer research and treatment and tropical disease research. The family's philosophy of "constructive philanthropy" has become embedded in its businesses, and has played a role in changing the traditional concept of charity throughout India. The Tata family is considered one of the few philanthropic forces in the country with the potential to facilitate collaborative action on the problems that threaten individual, local and national development."

Mr. Ratan Tata a strong proponent of corporate social responsibility, will accept the Award on behalf of the family.

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Message from the Chief Executive

Tackling THE global environmental issue

The urgency of responding to the crisis of global warming and its potentially devastating effects has been at the center of recent debates in academic, government, and business circles. Indeed, the frequency and intensity of discussions centered on the topic has made "climate change" a household term.

This issue of APPC Post looks at the role that philanthropy has played and can play in the development of a response to this global crisis. We look at what is being done by corporations, individuals, and volunteers, in the face of growing concern over global warming. We also seek to provide ideas and resources for potential "eco-philanthropists."

Closer to home, an APPC staffer provided the inspiration for this issue when, after reading a magazine article on climate change, she proceeded to trade in her plastic shopping bags for brown paper ones. Climate change is everybody's business, and we hope to help provide ideas on how one can make a contribution to the effort to save our earth, however small.

We welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas about what we can do collectively to address this issue which will affect the world, and humankind.

Happy reading!

Walking the talk: Philippine CEOs confront climate change with green projects

To show that climate change was at the top of their agendas, Philippine CEOs kicked off this year's Corporate Social Responsibility Expo by taking a stroll around the country's central business district. The event was followed by a press conference where the CEOs talked about their green projects.

"Today's activity is sending a message about taking a collective effort to think and go green," said Malou Erni, president of the League of Corporate Foundations.

Among the CEOS present were Shell Philippines' Edgardo Chua and Petron President and CEO Khalid Al-Faddagh, who reiterated their companies' compliance with the country's new Biofuels Act, which mandates the blending of biodiesel and bioethanol into diesel and gasoline, respectively.

Apart from complying with the Biofuels Act, Shell Philippines is developing a technology that will produce clean fuel from coal.

Petron, on the other hand, has committed to producing ethanol because of the fuel's many benefits.

Luis Miguel Aboitiz, Vice-President of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, which has holdings in power, banking, food, transport, real estate and construction, spoke of their own initiatives, which include supervising a reef sanctuary and providing technology to farmers to recycle piggery wastes into cooking fuel.

Through its Executive Vice-President Guillermo Luz, the Ayala Foundation presented its environmental programs, which include recycling office and commercial waste and reforestation. The Ayala Group of Companies' local businesses include real estate and hotels, financial services, telecommunications, electronics and information technology, automotives, water infrastructure development and management.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Expo, a national annual conference which attracts over 2,000 people, will to be held on July 16-18 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Pasay City, and will tackle corporate social responsibility and the environment, among other issues.

For more information, visit www.lcf.org.ph.

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HSBC Launches $100 Million Climate Change Effort

With the support of The Climate Group, Earthwatch Institute, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the World Wildlife Fund, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has created a five-year, US$100 million partnership in response to the threat of climate change world-wide.
The HSBC Climate Partnership aims to:

* Help some of the world's biggest and most urbanized cities - Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Shanghai - respond to the challenge of climate change; * Create 'climate champions' worldwide who will undertake field research and bring back valuable knowledge and experience to their communities; * Conduct a field experiment on the world's forests to measure carbon and the effects of climate change; and * Help protect some of the world's major rivers - including the Amazon, Ganges, Thames, and Yangtze - from the impacts on climate change, benefiting the 450 million people who rely on them.

HSBC's US$100 million partnership - including the largest donations to each of these charities and the largest donation ever made by a British company - has significant program targets and offers transformational support for the environmental charities. The donation will help to deliver increased capacity, help the charities to expand across new countries and research sites, and increase their access to more people.

The HSBC Group is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. The Group has around 10,000 offices in 82 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.

For more information, visit www.hsbc.com.

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IAVE's eleventh regional volunteer conference: Collaborative Action for Global Environmental Issues
Environmental issues take center stage at The International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) eleventh Asia Pacific Regional Volunteer Conference 2007, which will be held in Nagoya-Aichi, Japan, from 7 - 11 December 2007.

This event, which is held regularly in recognition of the growing influence of the volunteer sector, will bring together some 500 people from the region to: learn volunteering examples from other countries; provide a unique opportunity for participants to get to know Japan's volunteer sector as well as her traditions and cultures; and help lead to form a network of volunteering beyond national boundaries, thus widening the scope of cooperation.

With the theme, "Collaborative Action for Global Environmental Issues" the conference will feature four special forum sessions on Senior Citizens' Volunteering, Corporate Volunteering, Large-scale Events Volunteer Management, and Volunteering and Disaster Management.

General interest sessions on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG); Peace, Sustainable Development, Poverty, Environment, Education, Health and Human Rights; Youth and Volunteering; Service Learning; Volunteer Management; IT and Volunteering; Multi-Cultural Issues and Volunteering will also be held during the conference.

For more information on the conference and how to register, visit the conference homepage at http://www.iave2007nagoya-aichi.jp/.

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The Myer Foundation pledges support for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation's latest initiative
The Directors of The Myer Foundation in Australia have committed $100,000 to fund the ZooX Fund, which was created to provide a way in which businesses, philanthropists and the general public could address their more personal concerns about the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. The fund will finance activities to help researchers understand how the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, responds to stress arising from the impacts of climate change.

The Fund is named after the zooxanthellae, which are the organisms that live inside coral and give it both its life and color. Coral bleaching occurs when, due to rising water temperatures or changes in the water's pH, the zooxanthallae are expelled from the coral tissue. Unless zooxanthellae return to the coral, the coral will not recover.

The first project of the Fund is the ZooX™ Genetic Diversity Study. Over several stages, this project will be a keystone of a risk map of the Reef, identifying those sections with the greatest natural resilience and hence the highest value to protect. This will enable those managing the Reef to develop more targeted strategies that will protect and preserve its future.

The Great Barrier Reef is composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands. It was inscribed onto the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO)'s list of World Heritage Sites in 1981.

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation has raised $500,000 from the initial coalition of five Patrons, who are KPMG, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Mulpha Australia Limited, Cato Counsel and The Myer Foundation, for the ZooX Fund.

For more information, visit www.myerfoundation.org.au or www.barrierreef.org.

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Sir Richard Branson launches Virgin Earth Challenge
Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group, has offered a $25million prize for scientists who find a way to help save the planet from the effects of climate change.

Flanked by the former US vice-president Al Gore and other environmentalists, the boss of Virgin Atlantic airlines called for scientists to come up with a way to extract greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

The Challenge was established in the belief that history has shown that prizes of this nature encourage technological advancements for the good of mankind. The Virgin Earth Challenge will award $25 million to the individual or group who are able to demonstrate a commercially viable design which will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases each year for at least ten years without countervailing harmful effects. This removal must have long term effects and contribute materially to the stability of the Earth's climate.

The recipients of the Prize will be determined by Branson and a panel of five judges: former US Vice-President Al Gore; British diplomat, environmentalist and academic Sir Crispin Tickell, Australian explorer, scientist and conservationist Tim Flannery; Columbia University professor Jim Hansen; and independent scientist James Lovelock. The panel of judges will be assisted in their deliberations by The Climate Group and Special Advisor to The Virgin Earth Prize Judges, Steve Howard.

The announcement of the Virgin Earth Challenge followed the publication of a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes, which said that temperatures on earth could increase by as much as 6.4C by the end of this Century.

For more information, visit www.virginearth.com.

For more information, visit www.virginearth.com.

For more information, visit www.virginearth.com.

The Asia Foundation launches program to enhance disaster preparedness in China

Some 90 representatives from Chinese government disaster management agencies, Chinese and international enterprises and non-government organizations attended The Asia Foundation's Private Sector Disaster Management Workshops in Beijing and Shanghai last week.

The workshops launched The Asia Foundation's two-year project to enhance private sector participation in, and contributions to, community-level disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and relief initiatives. The project encourages multi-sectoral approaches to disaster management aimed at promoting greater collaboration among government agencies, private enterprises, and local charities and relief organizations. This effort is being supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, last year China had more than 400 million people affected and thousands killed by natural disasters. Annual economic losses account for 1-2% percent of GDP. While disaster management systems are well advanced in terms of physical structure and government processes, involvement of the private sector and non-governmental organizations has been limited.

For more information, visit www.asiafoundation.org.
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CNN to direct viewers to charities related to emerging news issues
"Take action! When disaster strikes or horrible events unfold, these are opportunities to effect change. CNN is helping to empower the individual who has asked, 'What can I do?' Bad things happen in the world every day. But good can happen and one person can impact the world." - www.cnn.com

Feeling helpless as one watches the news, which often depicts distressing events unfolding across the world, may soon be overcome by doing something about these events as they happen.

Through Impact Your World, CNN provides the public with resources to take action on news it witnesses. The site, launched early this month, provides resources on six initial categories (Refugees and Homelessness, Poverty, Health, Children, Animals, and Natural Disasters) on immediate ways that one can help. These resources include an initial listing of organizations that one can donate to or volunteer for, along with additional information from CharityNavigator.org, an independent and non-profit organization that rates and evaluates charity groups based on their effectiveness and financial stability. The list is composed of some of CharityNavigator.org's highest rated charities which are also vetted by CNN journalists for credibility.

For more information, visit http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/.
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ILO to measure the economic value of volunteering
The International Labour Organization and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies have forged an agreement to develop an approach for putting volunteer work on the economic map of the world for the first time, reports the John Hopkins Gazette. The effort will be supported by a start-up grant from United Nations Volunteers, the focal point in the United Nations for the worldwide promotion of volunteerism.

According to Sylvester Young, director of the Bureau of Statistics of the International Labour Organization, "The work of volunteers is one aspect of labor that has not been covered adequately in statistical systems up to now. Such work has been growing in importance in both developed and developing countries, but its statistical measurement has been overlooked."

Only a handful of countries, including the U.S. and Canada, do this with any regularity, says Lester Salamon, director of the Johns Hopkins center. Business Week reports that an earlier attempt to quantify volunteer work in 36 countries found that from 1995 to 2000, 52% of adults in Norway volunteered their time, followed by Britain (30%), Sweden (28%), and the U.S. (22%).

The new partnership between ILO and the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies hopes to overcome this problem by developing a recommended procedure for measuring volunteer work through official labor force surveys in countries throughout the world, fulfilling a mandate established in a 2003 U.N. Statistics Division Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions in the System of National Accounts. This procedure will be presented to the International Conference of Labour Statisticians in Geneva in December 2008.

For more information, visit www.unv.org or www.jhu.edu/~ccss.
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NVPC encourages "Corporate Action for the Community" in this year's President's Challenge
Launched by President S R Nathan in 2000, the President's Challenge (PC) is an annual charitable drive to rally the public towards helping those in need of assistance. This year, the event hopes to involve 250,000 people from all walks of life in Singapore. Aside from making monetary contributions, the PC also enjoins the public to help organizations of their choice by volunteering.

As one of the partner organizations for the PC, the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is focused on promoting volunteerism in addition to charitable giving. With the theme: "Corporate Action for the Community", NVPC hopes to encourage corporate social involvement by facilitating meaningful partnerships between companies and the community.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Participating companies receive a list of voluntary welfare associations (VWOs) with volunteering opportunities from NVPC. NVPC provides the relevant contact information for the company to get in touch with the VWOs to discuss the details of the volunteering opportunities. The company will confirm with NVPC upon the agreement of a partnership with the selected VWO.

2. The companies will plan and carry out the activity with the VWO on the agreed date. NVPC will be available as a resource if assistance is required during the planning process.

3. NVPC will evaluate the process after receiving feedback from both the company and the VWO.

4. All projects must be completed by 31 October 2007.

For more information, visit www.nvpc.org.sg.
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Shaw, Myer Foundations to co-convene Family Philanthropy Workshop
Two of the region’s most prominent family foundations have taken leadership roles in APPC’s upcoming Family Philanthropy Workshop, scheduled to be held in Singapore this May.

Carrillo Gantner, President of The Myer Foundation and Chairman of the Sidney Myer Fund, both based in Melbourne, Australia; and Shaw Vee Meng, Chairman of The Shaw Foundation in Singapore, are co-convening the event, which seeks to bring together family philanthropy practitioners in the region to discuss issues relevant to the practice of family-based giving in the Asia-Pacific context.

“Our Family Philanthropy Workshop will provide an opportunity to interact, network, share and learn from peers,” says Chief Executive Rory Tolentino. “Having Carrillo and Dr. Shaw, two individuals who are well-known practitioners in the field of family philanthropy, co-convene the event, illustrates this unique aspect of the workshop. We are delighted that they have accepted our invitation.”

The Myer Foundation is based on the legacy of Melbourne businessman Sidney Myer (1878-1934), who donated a tenth of his estate to benefit the community in which he made his fortune. The Foundation's large grants program gives support in five categories: the Arts and Humanities; Australia in the Asia-Pacific Region; Education; Poverty and Disadvantage; Sustainability and the Environment.

The Shaw Foundation was established in 1957 by the brothers Sir Run Run Shaw and Tan Sri Runme Shaw. It has enriched many through its gifts to schools, polytechnics, universities, hospitals, museums, the arts, cultural and theatre groups, social agencies under the Community Chest umbrella as well as others not within the Community Chest, such as the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Singapore Zoo, the Singapore Bird Park, and numerous other charities.

APPC Diaspora Conference moved to March 2008

(L-R) Natalia Soebagjo, Diep Vuong and Ailing Zhuang at the Conference Planning Committee meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Committee has elected to move the upcoming biannual conference, entitled "Diaspora Giving: An Agent of Change in Asia-Pacific Communities?" to March 2008.

APPC’s Conference Planning Committee, led by diaspora expert Priya Viswanath, has decided to move its next biannual conference, “Diaspora Giving: An Agent of Change in Asia-Pacific Communities?”, originally scheduled for October 2007, to March 2008. This will allow more time for preparatory writing, research and fund raising.

This decision was reached last March 11, when the Planning Committee met for the second time in Hanoi, Vietnam. In this meeting, the committee welcomed two new members: Ms. Diep Vuong of US-Based Pacific Links Foundation, who is also Co-Founder and President of the Vietnamese-American NGO Network, and Mr. Nguyen van Kien of the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee of the Vietnamese Government, APPC’s local sponsor for the conference. Mr. Don Ton Phon, Deputy Director General and Mr. Hoang Bang Giang, Representative for North America, attended the meeting in Mr. van Kien’s behalf.

The committee discussed action plans for APPC’s next conference, including themes for the plenary and breakout sessions, potential speakers, and participants. Discussions highlighted the various levels of diaspora giving in Asia and how these differences underscore the significance of mapping existing data on diaspora philanthropy in the region. The conference hopes to highlight the unique characteristics of the Asian countries, produce best practice cases on innovative efforts vis-à-vis diaspora giving, and encourage learning and action-planning among participants.

The committee is set to meet again in October 2007.

APPC in the news: Chief Executive Rory Tolentino chats with Forbes Magazine’s Susan Cunningham
Excerpt from the article: Rory Francisco-Tolentino helped found the Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium in 1994 and for the past five years has been the chief executive. Based in Manila, its goal is to boost philanthropy throughout Asia. Funding for its programs has come from private and corporate foundations in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, the U.S. and Britain. A Philippines native, Tolentino, 57, cut her teeth at two business-backed organizations focused on tackling the country's myriad social problems. She believes that Asia's philanthropic groups will have a stronger impact if they sharpen their management, vision and efforts to collaborate with each other. She talked with us about the state of philanthropy in Asia. To view the entire article, please go to Forbes.com.

Walking the talk: APPC Board Member donates award prize to Philippine NGO
Won Soon Park, human rights lawyer and democracy activist, believes in leading by example. After adding philanthropy to his list of advocacies, The Beautiful Foundation’s founder and Senior Executive Director did not waste time in demonstrating his commitment to this cause. A recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for public service in August 2006, Mr. Park has generously donated his award prize (US$50,000.00) to the Caucus of Development NGOs (CODE-NGO) in the Philippines.

The amount was turned over by Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation Executive Director Carn Abella to CODE-NGO Chairperson Rory Tolentino and Executive Director Sixdon Macasaet last February.

Foreign contribution regulation bill in India questioned by civil society groups
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Democracy, an international alliance of organisations at the local, national, regional and international levels, has formally asked the Indian government to drop the controversial Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Bill, saying it would allow authorities to severely restrict the work of civil society organizations.

The bill gives the government authority to classify a group as an “organisation of a political nature”, barring it from receiving foreign funds. As a result, CIVICUS claims, the government could deregister any organisation it deemed as “political,” potentially including those legitimately engaged in the political process such as in lobbying or election observing.

“We recommend that the bill be dropped and its predecessor, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 1976 be repealed. At the very least, certain elements of the FCRB must be amended.” says Clare Doube, Manager of CIVICUS’ Civil Society Watch. “[It] gives civil servants the power to interfere with civil society activity, potentially undermining their vital work and violating their democratic freedoms,”

According to the Indian government, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Bill (FCRB) would prevent overseas contributions from being used for anti-national and terrorist activities. However, local and international organisations say that it may also block much-needed funding for legitimate and valuable civil society work.

The bill is currently under review by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs.

Chinese government encourages charitable activities

The hundreds of thousands of nongovernmental organizations in China must operate under the government’s approval, yet the government seems to be relaxing some of its control, The Los Angeles Times reported this month.

Alarmed by large disparities in income among the nation’s residents, the Chinese government has given nonprofit organizations more freedom to solve social problems.

The Catholic Social Service Center of the Liaoning Diocese in northeastern China recently held the nation’s first pan-Christian conference on HIV and AIDS. In attendance were government officials from the Ministries of Religious Affairs and Health. Both sides agreed to develop a network of religious groups dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.

In addition, the Xinhua News Agency, a local news service, reported that Chinese Vice Premier, Hui Liangyu, urged the Chinese people to develop their “sense of charity” when he spoke in Beijing at the 2006 China Charity Awards last 19 March.

Mr. Hui said that although Chinese people had a long history of helping each other, more effort was needed to further promote a sense of charity. He said the Chinese government should work with non-government organizations and encourage individuals and corporations to give to charity.
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Nokia launches new initiatives to help young people affected by the Asian Tsunami

Two years on from the Asian Tsunami that devastated many communities, Nokia has announced the launch of several new projects to help young people in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia with training and new skills. The initiative is designed to help young people find jobs or set up small businesses, building long-term livelihoods for themselves and their families.

Nokia provided immediate disaster relief aid and funding to the region affected by the Tsunami in December 2004. It also pledged EUR 2.5 million for longer-term recovery to help young people rebuild their lives through access to training and apprenticeships.

"With the Asian tsunami relief effort having moved from immediate humanitarian assistance to long-term reconstruction and recovery, Nokia is pleased to play a key role in rebuilding the communities affected by the disaster", said Martin Sandelin, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Involvement, Nokia. "Through these initiatives, Nokia continues to promote long-term sustainability and livelihood in areas that remain deeply affected nearly two years after the disaster."

Working together with the International Youth Foundation and the Grameen Foundation, the Nokia projects will help thousands of young people and their communities. Projects have been specially developed to meet the needs of each country.

Together with local governments, NGOs and international aid agencies, the most appropriate and effective implementation is decided for each area affected by the tsunami. The total value of Nokia's overall money and in-kind contribution to immediate disaster relief and long term reconstruction is estimated to be in excess of EUR 3 million.

For more details, visit www.nokia.com.

Give2Asia grantee wins 2007 Skoll Award

Sebastien Marot, founder of Friends International, a Give2Asia grantee, has received the Skoll Foundation's 2007 Award for Social Entrepreneurship. The award, announced by the Skoll Foundation, recognizes social entrepreneurs whose work has the potential to influence issues throughout the world. Marot has created a model for rehabilitating and empowering street children, replicated in Asia and Latin America.

Friends International has its roots in Mith Samlanh, a drop-in center and school, which Marot founded in 1994 after traveling through Cambodia. The Center’s relative success in the past decade, serving 1800 children per day, allowed the model to expand and grow into Friends International, an international organization with projects in Cambodia, Mexico, Honduras, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The Skoll Foundation, started by eBay founder Jeffrey Skoll, acts to empower people to create a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. The Skoll Foundation is a strategic partner to Give2Asia and is supporting our goal of making $85 million in new philanthropy available to local charities in Asia between 2007 and 2010.
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Gates Foundation awards grants for micro-enterprise development in Africa and Asia

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has just awarded International Development Enterprises (IDE) a $13.4 million grant to develop and promote low-cost irrigation methods for rural poor in Africa and Asia and to help create markets for the agricultural products they produce.

IDE, an international non-profit organization helping poor farmers in developing countries, uses a market-based approach to facilitate unsubsidized market systems in which the rural poor can participate effectively as micro-entrepreneurs and earn income. IDE plans to increase the net incomes of 40,000 small-plot subsistence farmers, mostly in rural areas who earn $1 a day, by at least $200 annually. Additionally, the technology sales and markets these farmers create will increase incomes of another 60,000 by $100 annually.

The grant will sponsor research and development of irrigation technology and markets in Ethiopia and Zambia in Africa, and Nepal and Myanmar in Asia, over four years.

The approach rests on sound economic principles of making labor more productive through access to low-cost irrigation systems and with no direct subsidies. IDE uses donated capital to develop affordable, income-producing technologies for smallholders and creates markets for them. This approach spawns the development of sustainable market-driven micro-enterprises that reach millions.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports grantees in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Internationally, the Foundation supports work in more than 100 countries. In 2005, about 70 percent of grants went toward global efforts; the rest was dedicated to improving lives in the United States.

For more information on IDE, visit www.ide-international.org. For more information on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, visit www.gatesfoundation.org.

Exploring the link between migrant giving and social change

Migration is becoming increasingly popular among Asian populations; can it also be an agent of social change? APPC's upcoming Diaspora Conference seeks to answer this question and more.
APPC’s 2007 Biannual Conference seeks to uncover the relationship between migrant giving and the development of their communities of origin, particularly the use of social investing and migrant volunteerism to build and strengthen ties with one’s homeland.
The conference, entitled “Diaspora Giving: Agents of Change in Asia Pacific Communities?”, will look at the potential role of migrants as agents of change in their communities of origin. The conference will bring together different players in the field of diaspora philanthropy to identify ways by which they can work together to make giving by migrants a more transformative practice.
These players include government bureaucrats, associations of migrant communities, philanthropy support organizations and other organizations serving or providing conduits for giving by migrants. In addition to this, an examination of best practices, mechanisms and the national and regional environments for diaspora philanthropy is also directed towards identifying other initiatives to support and sustain effective and transformative giving by migrants to the region.
This is APPC’s fourth biannual conference on philanthropy and is scheduled to be held in October 2007 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Why diaspora giving?

Transnational migration is an increasing trend with an ever-broadening impact. Alongside official reports on remittances, on which many developing countries’ economies rely quite heavily, are reports of significant charitable giving by migrants. However, these are noted more by anecdotal incidence than actual quantitative data.
Diaspora philanthropy is marked by strong personal, cultural and community ties. Traditionally, giving by migrants has been characterized by its ad hoc nature, with most donations benefiting programs related to education, local infrastructure and calamity funds.
Recent studies, however, suggest that a growing number of migrants are beginning to develop a preference for a more strategic practice of philanthropy. This type of giving, also called “philanthropic social investing” is becoming an emerging driver of development in the migrants’ communities of origin.
The potential for diaspora philanthropy to have a substantial impact to the development of the Asia-Pacific region cannot be underemphasized. The top three migrant sending countries – China, India and the Philippines – are all located in Asia. The movement towards social investing reflects a possible role for migrants as instruments of social change in their communities of origin, as they begin to fund more long-term projects and actively seek ways to increase their participation and engage their home communities.
For more information on our 2007 Biannual Conference, please contact Alexie Ferreria at alexie@asiapacificphilanthropy.org This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Philanthropy and volunteerism: Thai national agenda for 2007
"Philanthropy and Volunteerism" is the national agenda for this year, the Thai government announced last 29 January. This follows over four years of advocacy by local civil society groups, who expressed hope that this would open up increased opportunities for creating policies that were conducive to and encouraging of charitable giving.
The government has appointed a committee, headed by Minister of Social Development and Human Security and former APPC Governing Council member, Paiboon Wattanasiritham, to direct this agenda. A working group tasked with defining the strategies and crafting the policies that result from this national agenda, has also been formed. Among the members of this group is APPC Board Member Sukich Udindu, who is active in corporate philanthropy work.
The group’s initial project is the establishment of a Center for Philanthropy and Volunteerism for Social Affairs, which they hope to develop into a platform to support and promote philanthropy and volunteerism in the country, as well as serve as a link to international philanthropy networks like APPC.
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Synergos Fellows form global action team on social justice philanthropy

The Synergos Senior Fellows have formed a global action team on Promoting Local Philanthropy for Social Change, Class of 2004 Senior Fellow Fely Soledad shared at the Philippine Philanthropy Steering Committee meeting last January 17.
The Local Philanthropy for Social Change Team is one of several Global Action Teams organized by the Senior Fellows. This Team seeks to encourage increased philanthropic giving, especially among high net worth individuals, to social justice causes. The Global Action Teams hope to fulfill their objectives through research, dialogue and creative thinking.
The Synergos Institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of effective, sustainable and locally based solutions to poverty. The Fellows are a global peer learning and practice network of over 50 leading professionals from the field of organized philanthropy that provides on-site peer consulting and other services to community development foundations. Senior Fellows come from around the world but especially represent experience in foundation building from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

China Giving Circles launched

Grantmakers without Borders and The Clarence Foundation have partnered to catalyze giving circles focused on philanthropic support to China. A giving circle is a group of up to 15 donors who pool their time, talent and resources to learn and make international grants together.
The giving circle members will be part of a community of caring people who share an interest in the future of China and want to see that it develop in a sustainable way.
Giving circle participants will engage in an in-depth, hands-on learning process led by staff from Grantmakers Without Borders and The Clarence Foundation and assisted by a range of expert guest speakers. Members will pool their funds together and consider a portfolio of grassroots organizations based in China that are addressing issues of the environment, HIV/AIDS, education, or other interests of the group. The giving circle hopes to be a personally engaging process in which participants receive mutual support for their grant making while combining resources to make the greatest impact.
For more information on how you can get involved, please contact Marc Manashil at marc@theclarencefoundation.org This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Philanthropreneurs at the World Economic Forum
“Philanthropreneurship” was a new buzzword in Davos this year, as business leaders and philanthropy experts came together to discuss the merits of the business approach to giving.
At the panel discussion entitled, “From Private Giving to Social Investing: The New Philanthropreneurs,” participants noted that philanthropists should actively find ways to put their money to good use and ensure that their contributions would go a long way.
Panelists included Sally Osberg, CEO of the US-based Skoll Foundation, who shared their experiences in funding programs by social entrepreneurs; Barbara Stocking, director of Oxfam GB, who underscored the importance of accountability mechanisms for organizations on the receiving end of philanthropic contributions; Julio Moura, Chair and CEO of GrupoNueva in Chile who spoke on social projects as part of a company’s core business; and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chair and CEO of the Ayala Corporation in the Philippines, who presented examples of merging corporate social responsibility into their business strategy.
Traditionally ad hoc philanthropic giving, where donors adopt a hands-off approach in the way that their contributions are spent, does not seem to appeal to this new breed of philanthropists. Stressing that a strategic approach to giving is underscored by the gravity of problems faced by today’s global citizens, these “philanthropreneurs” believe that investing in programs and projects with concrete plans for achieving impact and choosing organizations that are able to maximize their resources is the best way to ensure that their contributions are well-spent. For them, philanthropy is hands-on, dynamic, and results driven, an approach that requires a clear definition of roles, parameters of project success and accurate measuring of results.
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Carnegie Endowment launches global think tank

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace today announced its transformation into the first multinational - and ultimately global - think tank. The Endowment also announced contributions of more than $20 million in support of its new vision.
“There are two fundamental reasons why we are re-defining our mission. One is globalization, thus our operations overseas will ensure that we remain effective in a global marketplace of ideas where a single national outlook is inadequate. The second is the urgent need for the United States – as the sole superpower – to understand the interests of others if it is to successfully pursue its own,” said Jessica T. Mathews, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In a two-day series of events to publicly launch the new vision, Carnegie announced that it has added operations in Beijing, Beirut, and Brussels to its existing offices in Washington and Moscow, pioneering the idea that a think tank whose mission is to contribute to global security, stability and prosperity requires a permanent international presence and a multinational outlook at the core of its operations.
“Whether opening operations in China, fighting for a reasonable NGO law in Russia, seeking new life for nonproliferation through universal compliance, or using technology and translation to communicate in the Islamic world, MacArthur relies on Carnegie to bring forth actionable policy prescriptions that promote global security,” said MacArthur Foundation President Jonathan Fanton of Carnegie’s new vision.
For more information about the Carnegie Endowment, please visit www.carnegieendowment.org

Ashoka announces new fellows

Ashoka, a global association of social entrepreneurs, has announced that the following individuals have been chosen as the newest Ashoka Fellows:

• Abdel Fattah (Abed) Abu Sour of the Palestinian Territories advocates for art as a peaceful alternative in the midst of daily violence;

• Krystyna Zytecka of Poland works with the police to develop a network of support centers for victims of domestic violence throughout rural communities;

• Dune Lankard of the US provides economic incentives and support for conservation of the land central to his tribal culture in Alaska;

• Maria Baryamujura of Uganda is an advocate of community-based tourism, helping rural communities develop attractions such as home stays and cultural events;

• Ricardo Soto of Peru has created a revolving fund offering loans for children’s school costs to combat low rural education rates; and

• Mohamaddi Siddiqui of Nepal promotes women’s rights by highlighting social justice and equality found in religious teachings.

Ashoka Fellows are social entrepreneurs recognized by Ashoka to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creativity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change. Ashoka Fellows work in over 60 countries around the globe in every area of human need.

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For more information, visit www.ashoka.org.