Non-profit capacity building in Latin America

It is not a secret that when you want to talk about something propriety, you should get prepared first. That is exactly what we did last month along with 42 more people from 29 different social organizations in Medellín.

Thanks to your generosity, two of our team members took the Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program* from Georgetown University, organized and brought to Colombia by Federación Antioqueña de ONG’s (FAONG - NGO Federation of Antioquia) and thanks to the contacts network of our Executive Director, and also vice-president of the Federation, Catalina Escobar, who took the curse herself, in Washington D.C., a few years ago.

Since our main goal with this project is strengthen the capacities of nonprofit and civil society entities, social enterprises, and local governments, in Colombia and Latin America, we need to work in our own improvement as well. This course allowed us, and all the other participants, to consolidate our capacity to leader and manage internal processes and projects we are working at.

It was very excited for us to receive 4 of the best teachers of the Center For Public and Nonprofit Leadership of Georgetown University here in town. We learned a lot from them, their wide knowledge of the sector and the characteristics of high-impact nonprofits around the world.

Using an experimental leadership lab method, they took us thought topics as governance, strategic planning, fundraising, negotiations, financial management, human resources, networking, volunteer management, marketing, communications and more, giving us an update on the skills necessary to respond possible issues we may face some time now or in the future.

After the classes we felt full of new knowledge and ready to replicate it across organizations. THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT we could afford the course and, now, we can keep working for the nonprofit capacity building in Latin America and the strengthening of the social sector in the region. THANKS AGAIN for believing in what we do!

*The Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program had the support of Cámara de Comercio de Medellín para Antioquia, Fundación Fraternidad Medellín, Fundación Las Américas and Universidad EAFIT-EAFIT Social.

We love when we get to share our knowledge with NGOs in different parts of Colombia. The need of the social sector around the country is so great, that it is wonderful when we get to travel to another region to do capacity-building courses.

Thanks to your generosity and with the help of our allies, we gave a one-day training session on international cooperation and fundraising to more than 20 organizations in Manizales, in the heart of the Colombia coffee-growing region.

Directed to professional in project management, international cooperation, marketing and directors from NGOs in the region, the course provided theoretical tools to understand the changing dynamics of international cooperation and other forms of fundraising, in addition to giving the attendees tools and methodologies for the design, implementation and evaluation of strategies for fundraising and international cooperation for social organizations.

Atendee Patricia Marketing Firector for the Pequeño Corazon Foundation -an organization that provides health and family services for children with heart conditions- said about the trainning session, "It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about cooperation and how to relate to donors, there is so much new information coming out everyday it is great to be trainned in how to find and use that information to help our organization do a better job"

On the other hand, Diana, Director of the Unit of Entrepeneurship Development in the Actuar foundation- an organization that supports with loans and trainning entrepeneurs and small business owners- said "I am very grateful to be here and to have learned so much, we are trying to expand our international fundraising efforts and explore applying to international grants next year, this course was the perfect start for our plan"

With your help we can continue providing organizations throughout Colombia with the tools and capabilities to better carry out their missions and serve their communities in a more efficient and effective way.