During my break at the National Arts festival this year, I was able to attend workshops on securing funding for non profit organisations. Although the workshops were designed for arts based organisations, there are some lessons that we can learn. These tips apply most specifically to MIE, which I think we can get funding for separately as a creative way of facilitating holistic growth and learning for our learners.
The first workshop was Hands On/ Masks Off by Tony Lancaster CEO National Arts Festival. Tony worked for Old Mutual Foundation and has experience in receiving funding proposals while working for the Foundation.
The first thing Tony said was that the biggest no no is to tell a corporate that you are getting money to make them look good. They probably have a department whose job is to do research and make them look good, therefore your project alone will not reach that objective. Instead look for a way to synchronise their brand with yours, based on shared values.
He said your brand should have a fixed strategy with a consistent message. Your application should be based on their brand and its consistency – which should amplify their core message.
Image and integrity
- Be clear on what you’re about as well as what they’re about
- NB – corporates employ people who do research for them therefore don’t try to change what they do – don’t try to influence their business strategy, they know what they’re doing.
Begging Bowl Syndrome is a big no no
- See NB = value of project to the corporate
- Show them how they will reach their objectives, based on their values
- Put the value in rands
- Okay to include your salary in the budget
- Don’t be apologetic = be proud
- Do your research, ie read their press releases
- In your paperwork include problems you’ve encountered and how you solved them – don’t gloss over this
- Look for creative low cost ways to surprise them
- Make them believe that you’re taking care of their interests
- If you can’t keep your promises – warn them ahead of time
- Read their annual reports
- Find out financial year of different corporations
- Speak their language
Michelle Constant CEO Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) on Looking for Corporate Social Opportunities
According to Michelle, the largest shore of funds comes from marketing as opposed to CSI.
She suggested the following corporates to look into: Thebe Bank, Telkom and FNB for visual art, Plascon Paints for in kind sponsorship and the MTN Foundation for Education.
In an ideal sponsorship:
- Both parties benefit equally
- Strong potential for return on investment
- Benefit and uplift community
- Create good brand awareness
- High positive reputational impact
- Fit perfectly with brand strategy
- Contribute to company BEE scorecard
- Must be able to assess/ measure the no. of people reached
- Look for long term approach
Why business gives money
- Create awareness/ exposure/ promote company
- Build brand/ image reinforcement
- Social responsibility/ community involvement
- Showing that they care
- Experiential/ create loyalty and affinity
- Create business opportunities
- Job creation
- Education
- Media exposure
- Employee engagement
Conditions required to ensure success:
Requirements for perfect brand synchronisation
- Aligned values and agreed objectives
- mutual respect and understanding
- commitment from all
- targeting CSI or marketing within the corporate
- flexibility and willingness to experiment
- keeping good communication channels
- a partnership that is well executed, exciting and creative
- provides ongoing assessment
What Business wants to see from your proposal
- Spend more time preparing proper budgets and cost analysis
- Your proposal must include:
o In for lines – summary budget, what and how whether it’s directed at Marketing or CSI
o Clearly spell out benefits the sponsor can expect
o Be clear on all expected contracted media plans – especially TV
o Address skills development aspects (education NB)
o Clearly show whether provincial or local government structures will be involved and provide support
o Do proper research about the company approached as a sponsor to understand how their objectives can be met
o Do not tick all boxes in terms of what you do
I hope these tips work. In the meantime please send me info on MIE from the different branches. I want to put together a proposal for BASA to match us up with a sponsor for MIE.
Five Ikamvanites had the opportunity to visit the Virginia Air Show courtesy of Southern African Women in Aviation (SAWA). Capt. Refilwe Ledwaba, a helicopter pilot with the SAPS, invited 5 girls with good marks in Maths and Physical Science and an interest in aviation to participate in this programme. SAWA plans to partner with IkamvaYouth KZN to expose more learners to careers in aviation. The learners that qualified for the programme were: Fortunate Chinogurayi and Kalavani Perumal who are both in grade 10 at Bonella Secondary School, Sthembile Ngidi (Grade 10 Wiggins Secondary School) and Nontobeko Mkhize and Nomfundo Khumalo grade 11 from Tholulwazi Secondary School. They were accompanied by Nombuso Mthiyane who is a Physics tutor with Ikamva.
“The Girl/Fly programme is where we identify school girls that are interested in Aviation.We expose them to different careers within the industry, assist with the application process and also source sponsorship for their training.We also assist in the applications for the SAA cadette programme, South African Air Force and a lot more aviation companies, said Ledwaba about the programme.
SAWA will speak to all Ikamvanites about opportunities in aviation as well as arrange for them to spend half a day with Air Traffic Controllers, Engineers and Pilots on the job.
In the photograph (l-r) Air Force pilot Zanele, Fortunate, Capt. Ledwaba, Sthembile, Nomfundo, Kalavani, Nombuso and Nontobeko.
WHAT IS THE 24 HOUR FAST FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES?
Equal Education (EE) calls on everyone to join our Fast for School Libraries from 6:00 pm on Thursday 29 July until 6:00 pm on Friday 30 July to show government that all children deserve a quality educationwhich includes properly stocked libraries, managed by librarians.
WHY IS EQUAL EDUCATION FASTING (NOT EATING) FOR 24 HOURS?
As a result of EE’s consistent campaigning a National Policy recognising the need for a library or library stocks in every school was published by government on 11 June 2010. In addition, School Libraries Guidelines have been drafted, but these must be improved to give schools a clear instruction to establish libraries and must be accompanied by a budget allocation. Most importantly, Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure must be finalised for all schools. All these document will only beimplemented when government has a budget, plan and timetable to ensure that all schools in South Africa have libraries with a librarian. The campaign is working but there is a long way to go!
WHY LIBRARIES?
Education is very unequal in South Africa. Only 8% of schools in South Africa have functional libraries. Libraries play a critical role in building literacy by developing a culture of reading. They provide access to much needed information and resources and are safe places to study. This is a matter of freedom, justice and equality. Everyone has the same rights – rich and poor.
WHY FASTING?
EE has written a dozen letters to government, met with key officials, held numerous marches and delivered the largest education petition since democracy in South Africa. Some are hearing us, but others still need to be convinced. The decision to fast was taken by the EE members themselves and has been approved by the Board.
There is a long history of hunger being a tool of struggle. EE members have studied the history of the Suffragettes in the UK, the student protests in Tiananmen Square in China, and the ongoing struggle for the DREAM Act in the Unites States. We will not be starting a hunger strike, but rather we will be fasting for 24 hours.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
o Eat supper before the Fast on 29 July together with others and then fast until 6:00 pm on 30 July.
o Wear the Fast Sticker on 30 July when you wake up to show that you are fasting.
o Write a letter to the editor of your favourite newspaper to explain why you’re fasting for libaries.
o Get at least 4 other people to join the Fast with you & fast in a group.
o CAPE TOWN: Bring your own food and join EE to begin the fast at 5:30pm on 29 at New Site C Hall, Khayelitsha. Join EE to Break the Fast on 30 July at 5:30 pmoutside the Cape Town International Convention Centre (Convention Square 1 Lower Long Street).
o LIMPOPO: Join EE to begin the Fast in Limpopo on Thursday 29 July at 18:00 hrs; also Break the Fast with EE on 30 July at 18:00 pm – both at the University of Venda, Senate Chamber.
o GAUTENG: Join EE to Break the Fast on 30 July at 5:00 pm at the Constitutional Hill, Conference Room (Old Fort Building and Entrance, Number 1 Kotze Street, Braamfontein).
o Contact us to get materials: Posters, pamphlets & stickers – ilan@equaleducation.org.za .
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HOW CAN YOU GET THIS FORM BACK TO EQUAL EDUCATION?
o Drop it off at EE office: Washington Square, Capital Drive (Near Zola High School and Engen Trek Garage), Thembokwezi, Khayelitsha.
o Drop it off at theEqual Education Bookery: 20 Roeland Street, Cape Town, (021 461 4189.
o Fax to: 086 601 0666.
o Post to: PO Box 40114, Elonwabeni, 7791.
o Call for help: 021 387 0022/3 or 0719034497.
SUPPORT THE FAST AND JOIN EE ON:
Facebook: “24hr Fast for School Libraries”
Mixit: +27 72 333 12343
SCHOOLS
o Invite EE to speak about the Fast at your school to learners or teachers.
o Send us your Form to register your fast and we will send you back Fast Stickers.
PARTNERS MEETING
Interested organisations are encouraged to join us for a partners meeting at Community House, Salt River on Thursday 22 July at 14:30 (Salt River Rd).
Contacts
Cape Town & National
Ilan Strauss
083 473 2080 / 021 387 0022
Gauteng
Mona Niemand
083 407 6047
Johannesburg – wits
Samuel Fenyane
0781913703
Limpopo
Caroline Madzhie
0722938201
IKAMVAYOUTH GAUTENG
WINTER SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME REPORT
14-25 JUNE 2010
IkamvaYouth Gauteng once again hosted a very successful winter school holiday programme thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the tireless efforts of an awesome group of volunteers and a highly dedicated group of IkamvaYouth learners.
SUPPLMENTARY TUTORING
The key component of IkamvaYouth’s winter school is the academic support and learners had three sessions of tutoring every day lasting between an hour and an hour-and-a-half per session. A variety of tutoring resources were used including work the learners brought with them, past papers, mock exams and study guides. Regular ‘English Fundamentals’ sessions were held with additional sessions focused on exam preparation. Maths remains the subject for which learners request the most assistance.
WORKSHOPS
Gareth Coatz from the South African Aids Trust ran a workshop with the learners on harassment. He got Ikamvanites buzzing with opinions and energy on the matter, especially on the different experiences of girls and boys. Some useful conclusions were drawn about some strategies for dealing with harassment not least of which a commitment from the learners to speak honesty and respectfully to each other on issues of gender and the different experiences. In addition to these workshops, a number of sessions were helpd on the topics of leadership as followership. ’Who is the thief?’ Respect, and Resolve hosted a Conflict Management session.
XENOPHOBIA—’WHERE DO I STAND?’
IkamvaYouth screened Molly Blank’s thought provoking documentary “Where do I stand?” on xenophobia which prompted much reflective and introspective thoughts from Ikamvanites. Be sure to log on to our website IkamvaYouth for some of the responses from our Cape Town learners.
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS—VOLUNTARY TESTING & COUNSELLING
Ikamvanites learnt that taking charge of their futures also means taking charge of their health and specifically, take charge of their status. The first step is to test and KNOW YOUR STATUS. During the winter school personnel from New Start presented on the confidentiality and voluntary testing procedure followed by presentations and disclosure from the members of the Philani Support Group based at Ivory Park. More than a third of our learners and volunteers went and tested. The turnout exceeded our expectations and as a result New Start will be invited again later this year.
YOUTH DAY 2010
Ikamvanites marked Youth Day with a time of reflection by lighting candles for the victims of the past and the present. Ikamvanite Joe Manciya led the group through a multimedia commemoration of the events of Soweto in 1976 and brought these to our present consciousness as Ikamvanites asked themselves what we can do to shape our world.
Lloyd Lungu