Alliance Magazine's Just Released Revised Report on Social Impact Infrastructure Organisations
Do you find that resource shortages are holding you back? Whether it's a funding deficit, lack of access to data, the right partners, or another challenge, many of us face delays in making progress due to these limitations. Alliance Magazine, in partnership with WINGS and Propel Philanthropy, just released its revision of "Illuminate the Invisible: Social Impact Infrastructure Organizations" (SIIOs). Throughout this study, we find numerous examples detailing the resource limitations and setbacks these enabling and catalytic intermediary organizations experience. The quote below provides an excellent example:
"In many African countries, it's really difficult for people to engage on issues with the government if they don't have strong infrastructure and an ecosystem that enables that to happen. Because in many instances, the state is not supportive of civil society, funding from the state can be limited." – Mamo Mohapi, Program Officer, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Most of us have experienced delays in progress when we need specific resources or structures. When SIIOs working to accelerate global giving and social impact lack vital support, the funding that goes to the for-good organizations you and I support may very well be affected. When SIIOs responsible for providing data to funders are not sufficiently supported, it impacts foundations and individuals abilities to provide well-informed, impactful grants. When we are short on resources to create more enabling ecosystems, many of us are directly or indirectly affected.
Propel Philanthropy believes this report could be groundbreaking. In addition to the reasons mentioned above, almost all reports on SIIOs (alternatively described as PSOs) are quantitative. Alliance Magazine has published a first-of-its-kind qualitative study on this often invisible sector; it offers readers an intimate dive into the lived experiences of leaders of nine of these organizations, plus three senior staff members at the Mott Foundation. This report gives us an intimate look at the accomplishments and aspirations SIIO leaders experience; it also unearths their challenges and frustrations when progress is delayed. Jackie Asilmwe, Executive Director at CivSource, said, "Sometimes, I wake up thinking nobody told me fundraising was an all-day everyday job, because it is!"
The insights and stories shared illuminate the critical roles SIIOs play by building platforms, addressing the global warming crisis, partnering with governments, working with those who will inherit wealth, increasing social impact investments, providing data, supporting other SIIOs, and increasing international and national giving - all accomplishments that provide an abundance of resources for many more of us.
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