Joseph Cunningham, Gleaner WriterA drying up of sponsorship for voluntary organisations has left many wondering how best to reverse this disturbing trend in 2006.
When questioned on the issue, several such organisations disclosed that the year 2005 was a major challenge because of a significant decrease in people who are willing to 'freely- give'.
The Mustard Seed Community is home for many children who are mentally and physically disabled and others who are afflicted by HIV/AIDS.
people are afraid
The organisation's founder, Father Gregory Ramkissoon, believes one of the main reasons for the sharp decrease in volunteerism is "because a lot of charities are located in the inner city and people are afraid to venture into these areas." Mustard Seed's headquarters is situated in Cockburn Gardens.
Nevertheless, Father Ramkissoon believes that people can volunteer in non traditional ways. " If people volunteer creatively, they could do so even from the comforts of their home", he suggested. Explaining, he said an individual could choose an organisation and dedicate two hours weekly towards making telephone calls to find financial sponsors, some for clothes, food and even shelter. "Accountants, teachers, doctors and nurses could oblige and have charities come to them for their expertise."
Senior Projects Officer at 'Children First', Claudette Pious, has, as her organisation's New Year's resolution, "setting up a sustainable marketing and business plan, because this organisation needs some foster-care".
Children first is an educational and counselling institution for young people ages ten to twenty-two. "We are very dependent on sponsorships", she emphasised, adding that "we would appreciate if some corporate companies would even 'half-adopt' us".
The institution is known for high quality graduates in the fields of barbering, Information Technology, videography and cosmetology.
Beverly Stewart, finance mobiliser for the Council of Voluntary Social Services and the Inter-American Development Project, has identified "social marketing", as the primary approach to solving the problem. Voluntary organisations, she said, "have to realise that they are engaged in a business, and they are actually competing for sponsorships." She suggested several strategies that non-profit organisations could employ.
private businesses
Among other things, she believes that it is important for NGO's convince private businesses that they will exhibit fiduciary responsibility. "Getting large corporations to invest in voluntary ventures becomes easy when they are affiliated with reputable NGO's that they allow to monitor these investments for them", she advises.
According to Mrs. Stewart, it is also important that corporate sponsors are able to see how they will benefit, whether directly or indirectly, from their donations. She is therefore encouraging NGO's to "Go all-out by writing project proposals for all ventures even if they are small, and preparing strategic methods of pleasing specific target markets."
Despite the gloomy outlook of some volunatary organisations, Robert Howard, account
executive at Cara Limited, believes corporate Jamaica is actually making significant contributions. The main problem, he contends, is that "the number of NGO's is sharply increasing and most corporate companies feel obligated to assist as many as possible; "So sponsorships have to stretch!."
