Where’s the money?

Voices: Oxfam Link and Learn, 14 November 2012

Facilitator: Melanie Judge

Framing questions

•Where has the money gone? •What can/should we be doing to keep it

here? •Do we need the money? What do we need

it for?•How do we show value for money?

Session process

•Unpacking the context (plenary)What factors have influenced the changes in donor/development funding

•Critical considerations and future actions (small groups)

•Feedback, discussion and debate (plenary)

Context•Global financial crisis •Shift in perception (South Africa) and

changed donor priorities•Disproportionate affect on advocacy

initiatives •Changed donor relationships/dynamics•Over-reliance on foreign donors?•Going local: unlocking resources from

business, individuals, the State?

Takes us beyond the money question•Why who we are and what we do matters?

•What is to be sustained, how and by whom?

Thinking critically

•Thinking differently about sustainability•How we relate and with whom:

communities, movements, State, funders•Defending the role of civil society:

democracy building, accountability and public participation/agency

•Making the case for advocacy, human rights and social justice organisations

What’s the change we are working towards?

How do we growing impact and demonstrate this, and to whom?

Balance internal and external pressures/tensions/priorities….

Links to communities and movements for change

Building organisations versus building organising

New funding approaches, relationship with money/resources

Where is the money?

•What contextual factors (internal and external to your organisation) influence the current funding environment?

Small group discussions

•What must we consider when thinking about the sustainability of the work?

•What should we be doing? Who should be doing it?