Constituency for Africa (CFA) End of the Year Fundraising Request

8/13/2019 Constituency for Africa (CFA) End of the Year Fundraising Request

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Seasons Greetings!

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Constituency for Africa, I wish to express my utmost

appreciation for all of your support over these past twenty-three years. As we celebrate this holiday

season and the end of another successful year, I am truly pleased to share with you the achievements,

and the fundraising campaign plans for Constituency for Africa.

This year, CFA celebrated its twenty-third year (1990-2013) of building a constituency for Africa in the

United States. We believe that CFAs mission and purpose are growing in relevancy as Americans take

greater interest in U.S.-Africa foreign policy. Over the years, CFA has established itself as one of the

premiere NGOs in the United States committed to educating and mobilizing the American public on

matters pertaining to U.S.-Africa foreign policy and has a well-documented record of accomplishments.

For example, CFA has done much to increase the level of cooperation and coordination among a broad-

based coalition of American, African and international organizations, businesses, and individuals

committed to the progress, development, and empowerment of Africa and African people. As

important, CFAs achievements in advocacy, education and information dissemination have led to a

greater understanding and awareness of Africa and the empowerment of African people. Also, CFA has

pioneered a highly effective series of Town Hall Meetings on Africa in many cities and towns all across

America. These Town Hall Meetings have enabled Americans across the United States to understand

African policy issues better and to participate actively in the policy formulation process. Additionally,

CFA organizes the Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series each year, in Washington, D.C., to coincide with

the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Annual Legislative Conference in September. The Ronald H.

Brown African Affairs Series has continued to serve as a unique platform for linking the CBC members

and their staff with African-focused organizations, African diplomats and policy-makers and the

leadership of grassroots communities. See highlights attached.

To maintain and exceed this level of commitment and achievements, CFA must seek stakeholder and

constituent support to build a solid financial platform for operational growth, sustainability and legacy

transfer. Your financial support will also enable CFA to attract and maintain a well-qualified staff to

formulate and lead successful programs and initiatives, and compete for additional funding to advanceCFAs legacy of advocacy. Currently, funding for CFAs programs comes from generous stakeholders,

companies, corporations, non-governmental organizations, governments and individual donors like you.

With additional infusion of private and public support, CFA will be better positioned to fulfill its mission

into perpetuity. As a result, CFA is embarking on a fundraising campaign to build up perpetual support

for operations and programs that will sustain its legacy. Therefore, we are asking you to make a financial

contribution to support our goals. You can support CFA through:


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Creating an endowment fund; donating current use funds, program funds, and planned gifts; and bycontributing through workplace giving funds;

Sponsoring programs or events to include the annual Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series, TownHall Meetings on Africa, African Business Roundtables, Awards Gala and Receptions, volunteer

training and support, operations and legacy program; and Joining our innovative membership program and revenue generation initiatives as well as becoming

a valued volunteer.Please make your tax-deductible check out for the amount of $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more and

send to:

Constituency for Africa

316 F Street, NE, Suite 101

Washington, DC 20002

Or, for more information on establishing your personal, corporate or pooled support for CFA, pleasecontact me directly [email protected].

In closing, I wish you and your family a happy holiday season and look forward to doing more on behalf

of Africa and its people with your financial support in 2014 and beyond!

Meanwhile, I thank you again for your past and continued generous support as we work to build a strong

and dynamic constituency to support Africa and the African Diaspora.

Sincerely,

Melvin P. Foote

President & CEO

Constituency for Africa
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Highlights of the Constituency for Africa in the Year 2013 include:

Meeting with the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Johnnie Carson

On February 12th, CFA organized a delegation of Diaspora leaders to meet with the outgoing Assistant

Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Johnnie Carson. The meeting took place in

Ambassador Carsons offices at the State Department. The meeting was planned for CFA to debrief

Ambassador Carson on a range of US Africa policy issues, and to discuss strategy objectives for the

second term of the Obama Administration. CFA went on to successfully press for Ambassador Linda

Thomas-Greenfield to succeed Ambassador Carson as the top U.S. Diplomat on African Affairs.

CFA Delegation meets with President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone

On March 28th, a delegation of Diaspora leaders organized by the Constituency for Africa, met with the

President of Sierra Leone, H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma in downtown Washington, D.C. The meeting was

planned to discuss ideas and strategies for the Diaspora to engage with and support economic

development in Sierra Leone and in West Africa.


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CFA Meeting with USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah

Following President Barack Obamas trip to Tanzania, Senegal and South Africa in early July, a CFA

delegation on July 10thmet with Dr. Rajiv Shah and his senior African Bureau staff at the United States

Agency for International Development (USAID) to discuss the trip and US government plans for follow-

up.CFA Brainstorming Meeting on Capital Hill with the National Bar Association

On April 17th, the Constituency for Africa and the National Bar Association convened a brainstorming

session in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capital Hill, to discuss ideas and strategies for scaling-up

and strengthening the role that Black lawyers can play in economic development, democratic reform,

good governance and the rule of law in Africa. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) and Congressman

Gregory Meeks (D-NY), addressed the meeting and offered their support.CFA Salute to Practical Leadership in Africa

On May 6thin the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C., CFA organized a luncheon in salute

of Practical Leadership in Africa. CFAs special guest and honoree for the luncheon was Engineer

Gabriel Chukubeze Amuchi, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for the Federal

Roads Maintenance Agency in Abuja, Nigeria. Attending the luncheon were a number of dignitaries

including the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States H.E. Ade Adefuye, former U.S. Transportation

Secretary the Honorable Rodney Slater, and Rosa Whitaker the President of the Whitaker Group.

African Diaspora Marketplace (ADM)With funding support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Western

Union, CFA partnered with the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF) and Cobb Bazilio and Associates

this year to implement the African Diaspora Marketplace, an innovative effort to engage Diasporans in

the United States to do business on the ground in Africa. CFAs primary role in the project was to

promote the project by organizing a series of roundtables in a number of cities across the United States

including Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C.


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2013 Ronald H Brown African Affairs SeriesFrom September 16th 21st, CFA organized the 2013 Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series. The Ron

Brown Series coincided and overlapped with the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative

Conference. The theme for the Ron Brown Series this year was Harnessing the Capacity of the Diaspora

in Building Africa. More than 1,000 stakeholders took part in the Series, which featured a keynote

address at the Town Hall Meeting on Africa at the World Bank, from the President of Sierra Leone, H.E.

Ernest Bai Koroma and remarks from the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs,the Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Other Ron Brown Series highlights included a CFA stakeholders

meeting at the White House with the Senior Director for Africa, Grant Harris; a roundtable on US Africa

trade in the offices of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC); a forum to discuss President

Barack Obamas new Power Africa Initiative, that included remarks from USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah;

and a roundtable of journalists and media experts on Improving the Image of Africa in the United States

and in the West, that was also held at the World Bank.

CFA Delegation meeting with Grant Harris, Senior Director for Africa, at the

White House Briefing which was a part of the 2013 Ronald H. Brown Series.

At a CFA Town Hall Meeting on Africa at the World Bank on September 17th, the new Assistant Secretary

of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield; Dr. Jinmi Adisa of the African Union


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Commission in Addis Ababa; Mamadou Beye of Chevron; and Mike Williams, who authored the African

Growth and Opportunity Act, discuss strategies for Harnessing the Capacity of the African Diaspora i n

Building Africa.

CFA hosted H.E. Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo and the high-level delegation from

northern Nigeria, and CFAsMeeting with Congresswoman Karen D. Bass (D-CA)

On November 1819, CFA hosted a high-level delegation from northern Nigeria led by H.E. Hajiya Amina

Namadi Sambo, who is the Founder of the I Care Women and Youth Initiative and the wife of the Vice

President of Nigeria, H.E. Mohammed Namadi Sambo. Activities undertaken during the visit including a

leadership luncheon organized by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole at the Smithsonian National Museum of African

Art; a meeting in the U.S. Capitol with Congresswoman Karen D. Bass (D-CA) and Congresswoman Sheila

Jackson Lee (D-TX); a stakeholders briefing and dialogue, and a gala dinner event at the prestigious St.

Regis Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. to introduce the women to the Africa-stakeholders

community in Washington.

Documents

Constituency for Africa (CFA) End of the Year Fundraising Request