Arquivo da tag: Community Philanthropy

Transforming Territories Program launches preventive emergency funds to strengthen local climate resilience

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Still relatively unexplored in Brazil, the initiative strengthens the ability of local communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to climate emergencies through community philanthropy. Four funds have already been established, with two more currently being developed.

Six community foundations and institutes across different regions of Brazil are receiving technical and financial support to create permanent, locally based mechanisms for climate emergency preparedness and prevention. The initiative, a pioneering approach in the Brazilian context, is part of IDIS’ Transforming Territories Program (Programa Transformando Territórios) and draws on the methodology and technical expertise of ICOM – Instituto Comunitário Grande Florianópolis. It is also supported through partnerships with the Mott Foundation, Movimento Bem Maior, and Fundação FEAC.

In the first phase, four community foundations and institutes—locally rooted philanthropic organizations that mobilize resources and connect local actors to address community priorities—completed the development of their funds. Each received BRL 50,000 (Brazilian reais) to develop strategies focused on risk management, prevention, and strengthening local resilience.

The participating organizations are Instituto Cacimba, based in São Miguel Paulista, a district on the eastern outskirts of the city of São Paulo; Associação Nossa Cidade, in the Greater Belo Horizonte metropolitan area, in the state of Minas Gerais; Instituto Comunitário Paraty, in Paraty, in the state of Rio de Janeiro; and Mundaú Mundo, in Maceió, the capital of the northeastern state of Alagoas.

Fundação Gerações, in the Greater Porto Alegre metropolitan area, in southern Brazil, and Fundo Comunitário Perifasul M’Boi Mirim, based in M’Boi Mirim, a district in the southern outskirts of São Paulo, are currently receiving technical assistance and are expected to complete the development of their funds soon. The funds are open to contributions from both individuals and organizations.

“People who live and work in these communities have firsthand knowledge of their risks, vulnerabilities, and strengths. Strengthening local organizations is therefore essential to developing prevention and preparedness strategies alongside communities themselves, before emergencies occur. Community foundations and institutes play a strategic role in this process by identifying risks, mobilizing resources, connecting different stakeholders, and strengthening communities’ ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to crises in a coordinated and sustainable way,” says Rosana Ferraiuolo, Manager of the Transforming Territories Program at IDIS.

The resources support preventive measures designed to strengthen local capacity before extreme events escalate into crises that are far more difficult to manage. The participating communities share an important characteristic: they were already taking action or developing strategies to address emergencies and socio-environmental vulnerabilities but needed more structured mechanisms to respond to the growing impacts of climate change.

The funds are designed to help communities prepare for risks including floods, dam failures, illegal waste disposal, extreme rainfall, heat waves, and other climate-related events. Some of these risks are monitored through local networks of community-based climate observers, helping communities identify changing conditions and strengthen preparedness.

Individuals and organizations interested in contributing can donate directly to the participating community foundations and institutes through their respective websites.

 

An Innovative Model Inspired by International Experience

The Preventive Emergency Fund (Fundo Emergencial Preventivo, or FEP) model is considered innovative in Brazil because it uses place-based community philanthropy as the foundation for building long-term local resilience. The approach was inspired by experiences in countries including Romania and Chile, as well as the work of organizations such as the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

In Brazil, the model also builds on ICOM’s experience in establishing, managing, and governing community and emergency funds. It combines local fundraising, community knowledge, and capacity building for grassroots and local organizations, creating infrastructure that can remain in place before, during, and after emergencies.

Rather than focusing solely on emergency response, the initiative seeks to build lasting local capacity to anticipate risks, mobilize resources, coordinate stakeholders, and respond effectively as climate-related crises become more frequent and complex.

“At first glance, a Preventive Emergency Fund may seem like just another funding mechanism. But its innovation lies in how it builds capacity before a crisis occurs. The FEP strengthens communities during periods of stability by investing in governance, coordination, local intelligence, and community mobilization. We are proud to share ICOM’s accumulated experience in community funds, emergency funds, and place-based development, helping other community foundations and institutes adapt this model to their own local realities,” says Mariana de Assis, Project Coordinator at ICOM.

 

ABOUT THE TRANSFORMING TERRITORIES PROGRAM

The Transforming Territories Program (Programa Transformando Territórios) is an initiative of IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, that supports the creation and strengthening of community foundations across Brazil.

The program seeks to strengthen locally led philanthropy by engaging donors and civil society, facilitating knowledge exchange, and providing technical support to organizations that mobilize local resources and respond to community priorities.

Learn more about the program and participating organizations at www.transformandoterritorios.org.br.

IDIS shares Brazilian experience in community philanthropy in Argentina

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Felipe Groba, Project Manager at IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and a specialist in community philanthropy, visited Argentina at the invitation of the Laboratorio Público Privado, an initiative of Grupo de Fundaciones y Empresas (GDFE) and RIL Argentina – Red de Innovación Local. Over three days, Felipe contributed to a program designed to foster and accelerate Community Foundations (CFs) in Argentina, sharing lessons learned by IDIS through the Transforming Territories Program.

Created by IDIS in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Transforming Territories aims to foster the creation and strengthening of CFs in Brazil by engaging donors, civil society organizations, and local leaders, while also providing knowledge and technical support. The program currently brings together community philanthropy organizations from different regions of Brazil and has helped expand the national debate on community philanthropy.

“It was an honor to share the Brazilian experience with Argentine leaders interested in creating and strengthening their own community foundations. Over nearly six years, Transformando Territórios has accumulated important lessons on local mobilization, governance, listening to territories, and strengthening community organizations. Seeing this journey inspire initiatives in other Latin American countries is a source of great joy for IDIS,” says Felipe Groba.

The agenda began with a strategic alignment meeting with the teams of Laboratorio Público Privado and GDFE, focused on exchanging experiences about the development and maturity of the Transforming Territories Program in Brazil. Felipe then joined a welcome dinner with leaders from five Argentine regions interested in developing their own CFs.

On the second day, the IDIS Project Manager led a full-day workshop with these leaders, bringing together representatives from provinces, cities, and neighborhoods. The session addressed challenges and opportunities of the community foundation model in Brazil, as well as practical examples of organizations already acting as mobilizers, coordinators, and supporters of local initiatives in their territories.

To conclude the agenda, Felipe delivered a presentation to more than 30 GDFE members and guests at the office of Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes. In his remarks, he reinforced the role of CFs as essential infrastructure to advance local philanthropy and strengthen civil society organizations.

“What we saw in Argentina reinforces that Brazil and Argentina share challenges and opportunities. Community philanthropy can be a solid bridge for the sustainable development of territories in Latin America, because it brings together resources, leaders, and communities around locally built agendas,” he says.

IDIS’ participation in the agenda strengthens regional knowledge exchange and highlights the potential of Latin American cooperation to advance more participatory, sustainable development models that are deeply connected to local realities.

Community Philanthropy is the theme of the Transforming Territories Program Web Series

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With an invitation to reflect who are the responsibles to transforming territories, IDIS, together with the collective of Community Foundations (CFs), launched the Transforming Territories Web Series. The production brings real stories of impact, belonging, and community leadership promoted by CFs in different regions of Brazil. There are 14 episodes focused on transformation within the territories of participating organizations, covering cities such as Manaus, São Paulo, Maceió, Porto Alegre, and many other metropolitan areas.

One of the episodes highlights the work of Instituto Cacimba, which operates in Jardim Ângela, São Paulo (SP), acting as a bridge between youth, local culture, and the construction of collective solutions for the territory. The episode also features the work of Escola de DesNegócio, a project by Instituto NUA supported by Cacimba, whose goal is to train, support, and accelerate businesses in the urban periphery, boosting entrepreneurship and the local economy through the generation of shared wealth for the territory and its community.

“We believe community philanthropy can be an important driver of social transformation in Brazil. While it is already well established abroad, we had to ‘jaboticabar’ this model to fit our Brazilian reality. The launch of this web series is a major milestone for the Transforming Territories program and for all the organizations that take part in it. Through these videos, we can see the scope of action of Brazilian Community Foundations and the diversity present in each of their territories. This web series was built collaboratively with the FICs, which made it even more remarkable,” says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

Paula Fabiani with organizational leaders during a meeting held in March

The web series presents initiatives developed by organizations that are deeply familiar with the challenges and opportunities of their territories, working through dialogue, listening, and community mobilization. They are:

– Alagoas: Mundaú Mundo

– Amazonas: Manauara Associação Comunitária

– Espírito Santo: FUNDAES – Federação das Fundações e Associações do Espírito Santo

– Maranhão: Instituto Baixada Maranhense

– Minas Gerais: Associação Nossa Cidade e JEQUI – Instituto Comunitário de Desenvolvimento e Inovação do Vale do Jequitinhonha

– Rio de Janeiro: Fundo Comunitário da Maré e Instituto Comunitário Paraty

– Rio Grande do Sul: Fundação Gerações

– São Paulo: Fundo Comunitário Perifasul M’Boi Mirim, FEAV – Fórum das Entidades Assistenciais de Valinhos e Instituto Cacimba

– Santa Catarina: ICOM – Instituto Comunitário Grande Florianópolis

– Sergipe: ICOSE – Instituto Comunitário de Sergipe

The production, supported by Movimento Bem Maior, is part of the Transforming Territories program, an initiative by IDIS in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which promotes the creation and strengthening of Community Foundations in Brazil. The program’s purpose is to foster local development through collaborative, transparent strategies aligned with the real needs of the population.

ABOUT TRANSFORMANDO TERRITÓRIOS

The Transformando Territórios Program is an initiative of IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to foster the creation and strengthening of Community Foundations (CFs) in Brazil. It does so through donor and civil society engagement, knowledge sharing, and technical support.

Learn more about the program and its participants at www.transformandoterritorios.org.br.

Philea 2025: Equality in Focus, Justice on the Horizon

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By Luisa Lima, Communications and Knowledge Manager at IDIS and organizer of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum.

The opening plenary of the annual meeting of the Philanthropy Europe Association brought together nearly one thousand individuals, including foundation members and representatives of intermediary organizations, predominantly from across Europe, but also from other parts of the world, like myself. These were people united by a shared belief that the world can improve, that innovative approaches are possible, and that our actions have the power to create positive impacts and drive transformation. It was fitting that the starting point for the event was the global challenges we face today — issues that demand urgent action. Despite the growth in wealth, we continue to witness deepening inequalities, the rise of racism and intolerance, disengagement from public life, climate change, wars, and genocides. Such daunting realities, may be paralyzing, but we were almost one thousand people who refused to do so, and the event was the place to exchange experiences, learn, connect and reaffirm the notion that we are not alone in striving for change.

This marked my first attendance at the Philea Forum, and I was pleased to see debates revolving around questions similar to those we grapple with in Brazil—yet approached from different perspectives and yielding diverse answers. The guiding theme of this edition, “Power and Equality: A Balancing Act”, framed discussions on funding models, democratic governance, power dynamics, enterprise foundations, impact investment, intersectoral collaboration, and impact evaluation, among others. All of these topics were infused with the idea that philanthropy infrastructure has the potential to drive meaningful change. Unfortunately, attending all the sessions was not possible, as many ran simultaneously.

One discussion that particularly resonated with me was about the significance of funding communities and grassroots organizations. There appears to be a prevailing sense of urgency—a call to “think and act simultaneously,” as articulated by Bruno Maçães, Senior Advisor at Flint Global, and “go where it matters”. This underscores the importance of supporting those on the ground—community foundations, social movements, and leaders striving to transform systems. In multiple sessions, I heard about the necessity of fostering trust and embracing risks, acknowledging that less control comes with these approaches. Flexible funding, long-term commitments, and contributions beyond financial resources were recurring themes. Philanthropists possess connections, networks, knowledge, influence, and more—valuable assets that can be leveraged for greater impact. Collaboration emerged as a compelling strategy to accelerate progress, with inspiring examples of successful initiatives shared throughout the event. At IDIS, in partnership with the Mott Foundation, we have been leading the Transforming Territories program since 2021, a network that now comprises 15 community foundations and institutes operating with a geographic focus. Initially, the concept had to be introduced in Brazil, and it has since undergone significant maturation.

Philanthropy, as Adama Sanneh, co-founder and CEO of the Moleskine Foundation, aptly stated, “is a means, and we should aim to do something useful.” It is neither static nor evolving in a straight path. Philanthropy must have direction, yet remain adaptable and responsive to the challenges faced by societies. As discussions highlighted, no problem is ever definitively resolved. Issues like gender equality or the strengthening of democracy, though advancing, illustrate that progress cannot be taken for granted.

I often leave such gatherings feeling reenergized. Beyond the insights and inspirations, they offer reassurance in the existence of a committed community, ready to collaborate and united by shared goals and ideals. Interestingly, I also appreciate encountering more questions than answers — they are rarely straightforward or obvious. Thoughtful questions are invaluable, serving as catalysts to explore localized solutions upon returning home.

A few quotes that stayed with me:

“To change the world we must take risks and be dreamers.” Mall Hellam, Executive Director, CEO of the Open Estonia Foundation

“Most of the models have been invented; they must now be applied. Walk the talk and accelerate localization.” Alejandro Álvarez von Gustedt, Vice President, Europe of the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

“Trust is the air we breathe, and if we don’t have it, we are socially dead.” António M. Feijó, President of the Board of Trustees of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

“To be conscious is to be uncomfortable all the time. It is the start of a learning journey.” Adama Sanneh, Co-founder & CEO of the Moleskine Foundation

Community leaders from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Chile participate in exchanges to enhance their work in local territories

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Peer learning is one of the key principles of the Transforming Territories Program, which supports the strengthening of 15 community foundations (CFs) focused on specific territories in ten states and four regions of Brazil. With the aim of expanding this collaboration beyond Brazil’s borders, leaders from the CFs participating in the program will engage in exchanges with leaders from Latin American community foundations, such as Fundación Punta de Mita (Mexico) and Fundación Comunitaria Cajamarca (Peru). In addition to these exchanges between foundations and community institutes, IDIS will organize an exchange with a supporting organization from Chile, Comunidad Organizaciones Solidarias. This initiative is made possible through a partnership with Conectando Comunidades en América (CCA), an institutional partner of the program.

Learn more about what community foundations and institutes are

The exchanges, however, are not limited to the international scope. There will also be exchanges between Brazilian FICs, promoting a deeper understanding of the territories and broadening access to knowledge generated by local practices. This exchange of experiences between different realities strengthens the support network and the articulation of practices that benefit the involved communities.

Among the objectives of knowledge exchanges with support organizations is learning about building networks of community/territorial foundations, as well as exchanging experiences on the implementation processes of FICs in different contexts, such as those in Brazil and Chile.

“Participating in the exchange of practices and mutual learning between Community Foundationsn is essential to expand local impact and strengthen collective articulation. By observing how social technologies are applied in different contexts and how they can be adapted to local realities, we see the transformative power of collaboration. These learning visits not only expand horizons but also reinforce the importance of building support networks that create broader and more lasting impacts,” says Rosana Ferraioulo, program manager for Transforming Territories

Visits to the territories bring additional layers to the exchanges, which have already begun virtually with foreign organizations. The first of these trips is scheduled for March, when representatives from the Chilean support organization, Comunidad Organizaciones Solidarias, will participate in a meeting with organizations involved in the Transformando Territórios program.

Throughout 2025, representatives from various FICs will make specific visits: Mundaú Mundo (Alagoas) will visit Fundación Comunitaria Cajamarca (Peru), while Instituto Comunitário Paraty (Paraty, RJ) will visit Fundación Punta de Mita (Mexico). Nationally, there will be exchanges between FEAV (Valinhos, SP), FUNDAES (Espírito Santo), and ICOSE (Sergipe).

Paula Fabiani visits Instituto Comunitário Paraty and their supported local initiatives

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Community foundations and institutes, due to their nature of varied causes and focus on the needs and potential of the territory, generate a significant positive impact on the communities where they operate. The CEO of IDIS, Paula Fabiani, had the opportunity to experience this model during her visit to Paraty, where she gained a deeper understanding of the Instituto Comunitário Paraty (ICP).

ICP plays a crucial role in promoting community and territorial development by collaborating within a network, engaging with local social actors, and supporting initiatives in the city’s socio-educational and socio-environmental ecosystem. This model has been gaining increasing strength in Brazil.

During her immersion in the territory, Paula was accompanied by ICP leaders Andreia Estrella and Ricardo Zuppi and was in contact with projects from social organizations that are part of the ICP network.

“Having this exchange with Paula was an experience that brought us a series of positive feelings and insights. We explained how the process of creating the Institute happened, how we initially started gathering as an unofficial network to try to solve problems together. And the support from IDIS was fundamental for us to become an actual institution,” says Ricardo Zuppi.

The meeting was about sharing experiences and learning with each other

One of the stops during the visit was the Instituto Náutico Paraty, an educational and sports project that has been promoting social transformation in the city for 25 years by teaching sailing to children and young people in situations of social vulnerability. The initiative was founded and is led by Gibrail Rameck Junior. Another initiative visited was Rede Alegrias, which includes a project related to the Banco Comunitário (in english, Community Bank). This initiative, led by Instituto Social Rural Jardim do Beija Flor and coordinated by Mônica Calderón, strengthens the local solidarity economy, promotes financial inclusion, and encourages the circulation of the community currency “Alegrias”, driving sustainable development and community well-being.

ICP is supported by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment through the Transforming Territories program. This initiative by IDIS, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, fosters the creation and strengthening of Community Institutes and Foundations in Brazil by engaging donors and civil society, sharing knowledge, and providing technical support.

“Getting to know the work of Instituto Comunitário Paraty was an inspiring experience. It reaffirms the concept that community institutes and foundations are essential for local development, as they work directly on the needs of the territory. It is rewarding to see firsthand the impact of the Transforming Territories program and support this journey,” says Paula Fabiani.

Intertwining lives. Weaving the future.

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By Aline Herrera, project analyst at IDIS

There is a place for everyone at the table to promote social change. This was how Julia Brindisi, Head of Philanthropic Investments for the Americas at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) started the closing session at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024.

Interlacing the last loose ends that united the event, the final panel discussed the collaboration between different actors and different perspectives to promote a fairer and more prosperous world. The panelists, Grace Maingi, Executive Director of Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF); Cláudia Soares Baré, Executive Director of Fundo Podáali; and the aforementioned Julia Brindisi, presented different perspectives and tools that, laced together, are able to strengthen each other.

 

Watch the entire session

 

 

Governments, communities, individuals, philanthropic organizations and native populations can (and should!) work together to weave a better future. The cross-sector coordination was highlighted as a key element for the reduction of inequalities and the promotion of social justice. For Claudia Baré, the responsibility for the development of a proper living is a collective responsibility:

“We’re not able to live properly. Living properly is not only living well, living properly is making all of us, regardless of being Indigenous people or the quilombolas or non-indigenous populations, but it’s also for all of us to have a quality of life and for us to be able to make everyone have air that we can breathe in with quality. But all of these responsibilities are placed on the indigenous populations because of the forests, because of the Amazon where we are inserted. And I would like to say that it is not a responsibility of the Indigenous populations, it’s a responsibility that we all have: the Indigenous people, the representatives of companies and organizations that are here, all the citizens and especially the government, because the Brazilian government has the duty of guaranteeing our rights”, says Claudia.

Philanthropy is not any different: the community spirit drives us to strengthen together an ecosystem that looks out for one another. Grace Maingi said during the session that “true philanthropy is the one capable of promoting systemic change”. For her, philanthropy must speak the language of the communities and integrate itself comfortably into the local reality, serving as a mobilizing instrument. Thus, social investment can support people and communities so that they can become the protagonists of their future.

Beyond getting to know the work done by the three organizations present, the public of the closing panel was able to realize how the interlacing for the construction of a better future passes through, not only collaboration between different groups, but also through the combination of different tools. If, on one hand, TBI invests in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to reach equity, Fundo Podáali values the traditional knowledge of indigenous people, and KCDF focuses on communities with the same goal. Even though they all seem like completely divergent approaches, reuniting them allows combining innovation and ancestral wisdom, creating new development perspectives capable of reinventing relations.

“In terms of the future of philanthropy, I think it’s important for us to recognize that technology will be central to it, to innovation. So, young people, the way we define philanthropy has to make sense to the people who are working and living with communities, it cannot be defined from a foreign land, it has to be understood. I’m a strong believer that we are all philanthropists in one way or the other, we don’t have to have large sums of money to be philanthropists, and really, it’s all about us giving hope.

Generosity is not equal to the wealth that we have or the size of our pockets, but it’s the richness of your heart, so if you are generous from your spirit, from your soul, then you’re able to give and to share and to shape. Philanthropy, I believe, needs to address system change. We need to be able to see the role of the support that it’s given to addressing some of those systemic barriers and challenges, otherwise, then we’re just continuing the ‘hamster’s wheel’. And just from some of the other conversations that happened earlier, is that if we do not then address inequality using philanthropy, we are just enabling a system that is not addressing some of the challenges of the world”, comments Grace Maingi. 

Whether it’s encouraging governments, communities or indigenous populations, philanthropy shows its potential to generate systemic transformations. By constructing a philanthropy that will be more inclusive, collaborative and sensible to local realities – central themes of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024 –, together, we will transform realities and untangle the knots of world inequality.

 

Photos by: André Porto e Caio Graça/IDIS.

Transforming Territories Seminar brings together over 30 community leaders from Brazil

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The Transforming Territories Seminar, held in September at São Paulo, aimed to foster peer learning among representatives of Community Foundations (CFs) that are participants of the Transforming Territories Program, an impact project conducted by IDIS in partnership with the C.S. Mott Foundation. With visits to supported projects, lectures, and training sessions, the seminar provided an opportunity to deepen the understanding of a fundamental theme: the transformative power of these organizations in Brazil. The meeting also included the participation of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum.

In its second edition, the event had the participation of over 60 individuals, including leaders of CFs, philanthropists, partners, and supporters committed to the cause.

“The three days were important for connections, benchmarking, and expanding perspectives, processes, and possibilities”, summarized one of the participants.

 

“The Seminar was very special, especially because it was highly interactive. I believe in this collective construction for Transforming Territories for the coming years”, commented another participant anonymously in the event evaluations.

 

Inspiration and Example: A Visit to Cacimba Institute

It is not possible to visit São Miguel Paulista, a periferic neighborhood on the east of the city of São Paulo, and don´t notice the impact of the projects supported by Cacimba Institute. The organization has been part of Transforming Territories program since 2020, and can be considered one of the pioneer CFs at São Paulo. Cacimba was established with the support of the program and built on the solid trust that community leader Hermes de Souza had in the region. Since then, Souza has been at the helm of the Institute. Emphasizing the importance of inspiring action, the visit marked the opening of the seminar.

Throughout the day, social projects supported by Cacimba in the region were showcased. Many of them received guidance from leader Hermes de Souza and are now supported by the Institute.

Learning and Training: a constant

In the afternoon, the group took part in the “Diversity and Human Rights” workshop, offered by Clara Serva, partner in the Business and Human Rights department of the law firm TozziniFreire, and Maria Paula Bonifácio Custódio, a lawyer in the same department.

Between the moments of sharing experiences and breaks, there were cultural dance performances by projects from the NUA Institute, led by local individuals.

On the second day of the Seminar, lectures and discussions highlighted the relevance and actions of CFs in their territories, and many experiences were shared. The meeting took place at the Comunitas headquarters, which provides institutional support to Transforming Territories.

Here are the highlights from the four panels that were part of the event.

Panel 1: GREAT IMPACT FROM SMALL DONATIONS: ENHANCING CHANGE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS

This panel featured speakers Elio Raymundo (President of the Network of Good Organizations), Thais Almeida (Executive Secretary of the Espraiada Institute), Alânia Cerqueira (Leader of the M’Boi Community Fund), and moderation by Pâmela Ribeiro (Coordinator of Special Projects at GIFE).

The panel brought new perspectives on how supporting small local initiatives can generate significant social and environmental transformations, highlighting the potential of funds dedicated to micro-projects and seed capital for community strengthening, especially in regions where resources are concentrated in large organizations.

Elio Raymundo, President of the Network of Good, which operates in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, emphasized how projects that receive small financial support can achieve “unexpected results” in local development. However, he stressed that this is only possible through trust in organizations and leaders who are change makers in their territorie.

Panel 2: STRENGTHENING BONDS: BUILDING SUSTAINABLES RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TERRITORY

This panel featured speakers Hermes de Sousa (Director of the Cacimba Institute), Ana Paolo Vieira (Council Member of FUNDAES), Flávia Mota (President of the JEQUI Community Fund), and was moderated by Lúcia Dellagnelo (Ambassador of the Transforming Territories Program).

Starting from the need to create bonds, Hermes brought the issue of trust to the discussion to strengthen partnerships and build with the community. According to him, “self-trust leads to trust in others,” and this establishes the regeneration of trust. The key to sustainable relationships, based on his experience, is “engaging and working with the community, not for the community.” To achieve this goal, it is necessary to speak the same language and adapt the language in each space, even in the construction of calls for proposals, which the Cacimba Institute has made more inclusive by allowing submissions through videos and audio in addition to written formats.

Panel 3: UNITING FORCES: COLLABORATING WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND BUSINESSES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

This panel featured speakers Eliane Macari (President of FEAV), Jair Resende (Superintendent at the FEAC Foundation), Célia Petit (President of the Manauara Association), and was moderated by Patrícia Loyola (Director of Social Investment and Management at Comunitas).

The partnership between foundations dedicated to neighboring cities – FEAV and FEAC for Valinhos and Campinas, respectively – also demonstrated the strength of collaboration in their areas of operation. As Jair Resende of FEAC shared, with more than 60 years of history, FEAC continues its mission to stimulate the social sector and has been supporting the development of FEAV by donating a century-old property to establish FEAV’s endowment fund. Mutual support is an example to be followed and demonstrates the power of community transformation in this territory.

Panel 4: UNITING FORCES: COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

This panel featured speakers Diane Pereira (President of the Baixada Maranhense Community Institute), Gisele Ribeiro (President of the Redes da Maré Association), Willian Narzetti (Executive Manager of ICOM), and was moderated by Mônica de Roure (Vice President and Director of Institutional Relations at BrazilFoundation).

Regarding potential, Diane emphasized the need to be within the territory so that community philanthropy can understand the possibilities, people, and the land of a region in different situations. She believes that “considering there is potential when the river is full because it’s good for watering the plants, and when it’s empty, it’s good for moving cattle to other regions. It is necessary to think that development is about seeing abundance, not scarcity.” The representative from the Baixada Institute also stated that a network of people is needed not only to understand abundance but also to materialize social change.

On the third and final day, participants had the opportunity to take part in the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023. Learn more here.

Text produced by Alexandra Teles, Ana Beatriz Pedreira, and Leticia dos Santos, all from the IDIS team.

 

About Transforming Territories

The Transforming Territories Program is an initiative of IDIS – the Institute for the Development of Social Investment – in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, with a mission to promote the creation and strengthening of Community Foundations and Institutes in Brazil, with the engagement of donors and civil society, knowledge sharing, and technical support. BrazilFoundation and GIFE are institutional partners.

Community Foundations and Institutes have become an important institutional arrangement for social development and addressing the various demands of territories, whether they are neighborhoods, cities, or regions, with a long-term vision and seeking systemic impact for the development of the region. They play a central role in connecting social organizations and initiatives with donors, civil society, and the government, promoting transparency and engagement. These organizations act as grantmakers, financing projects and social initiatives in multiple causes to address the demands and priorities of the region, and they strengthen the third sector in the region through capacity building and technical support, invest in knowledge production, and promote a culture of giving in the territory where they operate.

Currently, the Transforming Territories Program consists of 17 community foundations and institutes from various regions of Brazil, located in 10 states.

Umbrellas, Lightning Rods, and Cisterns for a More Transformative Philanthropy

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by Felipe Groba, Project Manager at IDIS

Still not very popular in Brazil, CFs stand out to support independent intermediation between investors and social organizations.

Imagine if there was a mechanism in Brazil that allows companies and individuals to allocate resources for emergencies and address highly complex socio-environmental issues in a specific territory, without compliance risks, and that also served as a legitimate instrument to advocate for causes and public policies without partisanship. Imagine if this mechanism could foster a culture of local giving and strengthen social organizations and local collectives.

These mechanisms exist. There are about 20 in Mexico, 201 in Canada, and over 900 in the United States — some with over 100 years of history — and they are commonly referred to as Community Foundations – CFs. CFs are independent civil society organizations that strengthen local philanthropy by raising resources from companies and individuals and strategically allocating them to generate impact in a specific territory, at the same time that supports the growth of formal and informal social organizations. They generate impact in a specific territory.

Visit of the IDIS team to ‘Tabôa’, Serra Grande, in Bahia.

Brazil currently has 14 organizations operating under this model in 10 states. Among this group, there are well-established organizations such as the FEAC Foundation of Campinas, the Baixada Maranhense Institute, and the ICOM – Community Institute of Greater Florianópolis, as well as younger organizations such as FEAV, operating in Valinhos, the Cacimba Institute in the São Miguel Paulista region (outskirts of São Paulo), the Manauara Community Association, and the recently formed ICOSE – Community Institute of Sergipe. All of them are part of the Transforming Territories Program, launched in 2021 by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, financed by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and with institutional support from the Brazil Foundation, Comunitas and GIFE.

Visit of the IDIS team to Redes do Bem, a community organization in Rio de Janeiro

Most Brazilian CFs already have philanthropic funds established to raise and distribute resources to organizations and initiatives within their territories. In addition, they promote campaigns such as ‘Giving Day’, initiatives to engage volunteers and offer courses and training for local social leaders and organizations. Some of them also act as spokespersons for other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the territory, advocating for the strengthening and regulation of philanthropic funds, unlocking resources, and advocating for legislative changes. The legitimacy to activate philanthropy and represent the social sector of the territory comes from the fact that CFs are not oriented towards implementing projects, but to channeling resources to local organizations that works directly with beneficiaries. Therefore, CFs become allies of local CSOs rather than competitors.

Successful experiences have brought some changes in the sector. According to the BISC – Corporate Social Investment Benchmarking research, published annually by Comunitas, 38% of the surveyed companies indicated some degree of priority to  support CFs in the 2022/2023 biennium, while 86% of Foundations and Corporate Institutes assigned medium or high priority to them. Within the industrial sector, 75% of respondents stated that they have introduced or strengthened CFs in their social investment strategy (compared to 20% in the service sector), confirming the trend of the extractive and manufacturing industry to seek local socio-environmental solutions to mitigate their negative externalities and enhance their positive ones, in line with ESG practices (environmental, social, and governance).

The potential of CFs as channels for local social investments primarily stems from establishing robust, diverse, and enduring governance, as well as a systemic approach based on the diagnosis of local potential and needs. This is achieved through listening to different voices within local civil society and engaging in constant dialogue with organizations working for the territory. These characteristics align with what companies expect to strengthen their engagement with non-profit organizations. According to BISC, 90% of companies consider “greater evidence of impact in partnerships” as a determining factor for strengthening the relationship. In comparison, 80% indicate the “need for the company to operate within a network”. These are precisely some of the main characteristics of CFs.

It is important to note that CFs are primarily important intermediaries between donors and local organizations, aiming to meet donors’ philanthropic interests while always considering the demands of the territory. An example of this is Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), which are still relatively recent in Brazil. DAFs function as “philanthropy current accounts” for individuals and companies, managed by CFs, which are responsible for investing these resources in the capital market and distributing them to social organizations according to the donors’ preferences. This ability to accumulate resources for future allocation is analogous to cisterns that store water for strategic or high-need moments.

By consolidating and managing third-party donations, CFs are responsible for due diligence, monitoring, and accountability regarding the use of these resources. This allows large companies to fund projects and smaller organizations, as well as informal movements and collectives, as CFs act as a compliance lightning rod, mitigating risks for donors by being the direct receiver of these companies’ donations. Once the due diligence for receiving the resources is completed, it is up to the CF to mentor donors on the strategic use of these resources based on their broad knowledge of the territory, its demands and potential, and its organizations and leaders.

Last but not least, this privileged and democratically  territorial perspective allows CFs to serve as spokespersons for the local social sector, advocating for rights and visibility, conducting social campaigns, or even advocating for changes in public policies without being directly exposed to authorities. CFs act as an umbrella, protecting social leaders from unnecessary exposure to political and power games.

Brazilian delegation discusses Community Philanthropy in the Americas

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Still little known in Brazil, the model of community philanthropy has been increasingly consolidated internationally as an important institutional arrangement for social development and addressing the various demands of the territories. According to a survey carried out by the Community Foundation Atlas, there are more than 1,800 community institutes and foundations in the world. Together, these organizations handle more than USD 5 billion every year.

To discuss the different contexts, opportunities, and challenges of community philanthropy in the Americas, 119 guests from ten countries in South, Central, Caribbean and North America met in February in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Brazilian delegation included Felipe Groba, IDIS project manager, and six other representatives of Brazilian Community Institutes, all participants of the Transforming Territories – a program from IDIS: Instituto Baixada Maranhense; ICOM – Greater Florianópolis Community Institute; Espraiada and Tabôa Community Strengthening Institute.

The event, promoted by CCA – Connecting Communities in America, an initiative of CF Leads (Community Foundations Leading Change), featured panel discussions and visits to social projects supported by Corporativa de Fundaciones – the community foundation of Greater Guadalajara – and which work directly on the issues of migrants and refugees, street children and community development. With a careful eye on diversity and the importance of everyone being able to express themselves in their mother tongue, there was simultaneous translation into four languages – Portuguese, English, Spanish and French..

During the plenary and parallel sessions, the participants discussed the contexts in which community philanthropy with a territorial focus takes place in their countries and realities. It became clear that there are regulatory and donation culture characteristics that differentiate the USA and Canada from the rest of the Americas, and that imply different levels of power and financial sustainability. On the other hand, all participants reinforced the need to strengthen organizations and collectives led by minority groups such as blacks and indigenous peoples, with the role of Community Foundations and Institutes – the CFIs – to make visible and support these groups in mobilizing material and technical resources and immaterial. According to Robson Bitencourt, Manager of the Territorial Development Program for Serra Grande and Tabôa surroundings

“the trip to Mexico was an immersion of observation, learning and exchanging knowledge in the field of philanthropy with other foundations in the Americas. It is important to broaden perceptions about the similarities and differences between what we do and what other organizations have also done, as well as the challenges and opportunities. The impression was left that we have opportunities to increase networking and leverage our actions”

The consequences of climate change on vulnerable populations were also at the center of the agenda, reinforcing the point that although the solution to this issue is global, the negative impacts will always be local and specific to each community. In order to unite efforts and address structural issues, the role of the CFIs as articulators of causes emerged, by creating local and even national coalitions to address major issues such as the lack of job opportunities, rural poverty, the issue of refugees, security and advocacy for rights and social justice..

The theme of trust in civil society organizations (CSOs) and their role in expressing the plurality of voices in a territory permeated all discussions. Panelists and event participants reported successful cases of North American grantmaking foundations that have increasingly adopted the donation of free resources – free of charge and without restriction to projects – as a basis for its financial contributions, recognizing the excellence and expertise of social leaders in managing their organizations and allocating resources in order to generate more impact in the long term.

During their stay in Mexico, the Brazilian delegation took the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences with teams from Comunidar (the community foundation of Nuevo León), Comunalia (an organization that supports community foundations in Mexico) and Corporativa de Fundaciones, in addition to having visited in loco the community foundations of Morelos and Malinalco.

“The technical visits to community foundations reinforced the similarities between Brazil and Mexico, promoting numerous insights and possibilities between Brazilian and Mexican organizations. We found qualified and motivated teams working in networks to promote social justice and community development in their territories” commented Willian Narzetti, executive manager of ICOM.

 

Felipe Groba, leader of Transforming Territories, adds, recalling that the meeting contributed to the identification of development opportunities for Brazilian CFIs at different levels of maturity.

Transforming Territories Program

Transforming Territories, an initiative by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment – ​​with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to encourage the creation and strengthening of Community Institutes and Foundations in Brazil.