The way that social services are delivered and causes are championed varies depending on culture and form of government. Evenso, I think leaders the world over seeking to make an impact for thier causes can learn much from each other.
Sometimes we can gain insight from the appraoches to funding which are different. On the other hand, some fundraising strategies such as special events could look very similar in many locales. Perhaps there’s a fundraising strategy from another country or province that has never been heard of where you live. It could be something exciting and new for your community.
It is interesting to learn about the different trends that are going on in regard to fundraising and philanthropy in general around the globe. Here are several articles that I’ve found recently that discuss these issues in several countries.
Canadian Giving Strong as Charity Growth Slows from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – A new report has found that while Canadian giving has experienced strong growth over the first five years of the decade (2001-2005), the number of new charities being formed has slowed considerably and the majority of gifts are given to the largest organizations.
Fundraising Trends in the UK from Steve MacLaughlin of Connections (a Blackbaud blog)
An American Perspective on Australian Philanthropy from FLiP (Future Leaders in Philanthropy) – Connette Blake has lived in Australia for two years and shares her experiences.
We owe it to the needy to leave charity to the experts from The Irish online newspaper Independent.ie – The author offers a thought provoking reflection on the state of social welfare and philanthropy in Ireland where “As we become a low tax economy, private charity is increasingly being asked to fill the gap between the haves and the have-nots.”
Arab Leaders Start New Group to Spur Philanthropy from the Chronicle of Philanthropy – The royal families of Dubai, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have announced a plan to form a new organization that will help coordinate philanthropic efforts across the Arab world.
Ford Foundation Marks Forty-Fifth Anniversary of Grantmaking in Brazil from the Philanthropy News Digest – The foundation provides grants in Brazil with the aim of reducing poverty and injustice, and providing support for research centers, academic institutions, and movements that promote democratic values.
Everybody Wants to Save the World from Inc.com – A successful entreprenuer finds international philanthropy for an African charity challenging.
The links section has a list additional resources for fundraisers outside the US.
