The Southern African Grantmakers Association (SAGA) has announced its imminent closure after nearly a decade of operation owing to a lack of funding to cover costs. In a notification sent out to members on 8 December last year, SAGA said that it would be closing its doors in February 2006. While the main reason for the lack of funding is the withdrawal of donor support, the organization has also been unable to generate sufficient membership revenues to cover its operating costs or to maintain current services to members. 

Existing membership fees comprise less than 2 per cent of the organization’s overall expenditure. The SAGA board said that ‘good governance rules’ prevented it from continuing without guaranteed sources of funding.

SAGA was originally established to promote professionalism within the grantmaking sector, to encourage information exchange and networking, and to promote the work of members. It is anticipated that members will continue these aims through the efforts of regional secretariats such as the Kwa-Zulu Natal-based Llimo Network and the Western Cape-based Grant.net.

For more information, contact Lettie Miles at lettiem@donors.org.za

AWDF gets $1 million grant for HIV/AIDS fund

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has awarded a grant of US$1 million to the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) to complement AWDF’s fund for organizations working on HIV/AIDS. The fund was launched late last year with a prize of £100,000 from the Sigrid Rausing Trust, UK, with further funding of $100,000 coming from the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Canada. Pledges have also come from the Global Fund for Women and United Artistes for Africa.

For more information, see http://www.awdf.org/news//news_details.php?id=6

Second South Africa Employee Volunteer Week planned for this month

CAF Southern Africa (CAFSA) is organizing a second Employee Volunteer Week in South Africa from 6 to 12 March. This follows the success of the first campaign in 2005, when over 1,000 employees from 13 companies took part in over 80 projects. The aims for the 2006 campaign are to better these figures and get more companies and employees involved.
For more information, see http://www.volunteerweek.org.za

PUBLICATIONS
An introduction to Non Profit Sector in Kenya
ISBN 1904167071
An introduction to Non Profit Sector in Tanzania
ISBN 190416708X
An introduction to Non Profit Sector in Uganda
ISBN 1904167063

All published by Ufadhili/Allavida
£10 each volume (outside East Africa)

This series of publications discusses the nature and scope of the non-profit sector in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, its historical development, and the challenges it faces in each country. In Kenya, the number of NGOs gives them great potential strength but inherent weaknesses, such as the poor image and credibility of the sector and its heavy dependence on foreign funding, impair this strength. The question of foreign funding is an issue in Uganda and Tanzania, too. In Uganda, although the sector has done valuable development work in terms of filling gaps in state service provision, dependence on external funds, duplication in activity and geographic coverage, and poor public perception of the sector are besetting weaknesses. The Tanzanian report finds that without foreign support, NGOs will be unable to make the leap from small-scale voluntary groups to experienced and professional organizations working with government and other NGOs. The reports also explore the legal framework in each country and indicate areas in which the law could be amended to provide a more conducive environment for NGOs to operate in.

To order in East Africa,
contact Ufadhili at info@ufadhilitrust.org or Allavida’s East Africa office at awere@allavida.or.ke or on +254 020 310 526

To order in the rest of the world, visit http://www.allavida.org/publications

CONFERENCES
3-7 April
Foundations in Development Practice
CDRA
Cape Town, South Africa
Contact http://www.cdra.org.za