Community Philanthropy Update

Greetings Friend,

As 2023 (too quickly) approaches the halfway mark, global funders continue to be presented with myriad challenges: from devastating natural disasters like the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria to laws both new and old limiting nonprofit activity across the globe.

The Council continues to monitor the recovery in Türkiye and Syria, maintaining a webpage of resources for international funders interested in supporting the communities harmed in the earthquake. In case you missed it, OFAC expanded the scope of allowable recovery efforts under the Syrian sanctions regime that will expire in August of this year.

And in light of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine, we’ve been reflecting on the outpouring of global support shown by governments, NGOs, and private citizens alike to stand in solidarity with Ukrainians. In February, our transatlantic conversation in support of Ukraine brought together funders with 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk for a discussion of Ukraine’s economic path forward. We’ll be in touch soon with more opportunities to engage with peers and experts as the war continues.

Finally, the State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations 2022 study is available to download at no cost, for members and nonmembers. Get the scoop on four years' worth of global philanthropy trends – for example, roughly 13 percent of U.S. foundations’ global grant dollars went directly to organizations based in the country where programs were implemented – only a percentage point increase from the 2011-2015 period.

Thank you for your steadfast partnership with the Council and your continued innovation in the face of difficult circumstances. As always, please feel free to reach out at any time.

Brian Kastner
Director of Engagement
brian.kastner@cof.org

 

cof-icon-book-open-59x50Legal and Regulatory Updates

India

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has yet again extended the validity of FCRA licenses for nonprofits pending renewal till September 30, 2023. Meanwhile, roughly two years after MHA canceled Oxfam India’s FCRA license, they are being referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged FCRA violations. Current data from the government indicates roughly 16,000 nonprofits have valid FCRA licenses.

Georgia Foreign Agent Bill

In March, the parliament in Georgia dropped a controversial “foreign agent” bill that was modeled after a similar Russian law. Under the draft language, NGOs that received more than 20% of their funding from outside the country would be required to register with the government as foreign agents. After widespread protests, parliament ultimately dropped the bill – though its drafters made the point that it was based on the US law, the Foreign Agent Registration Act, which the Council has long advocated for narrowing. A full briefer on the bill was drafted by our partner, ICNL.

Ethiopia

The war in the Tigray region of Ethiopia may soon come to close after two brutal years due to a November 2022 cessation of hostilities agreement. In late March, Secretary Blinken announced that the State Department had determined that crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing took place during the conflict and were perpetrated by both sides of the conflict. Some estimates said that the loss of life from the conflict neared 500,000 people, not including the immense suffering and tangential impacts of the war.

USAID Seeks Partners to Address Crises in Venezuela and the Broader Region

On March 17, 2023 at the Conference on Solidarity for Venezuelans, the United States announced more than $171 million in additional humanitarian and development funding for people affected by the ongoing crisis in Venezuela and the region. Additionally, USAID is working to address the root causes of migration from northern Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador) and expand access to safe, dignified, legal labor pathways for northern Central Americans; and USAID is supporting on-going socio-economic integration in Brazil and Peru.

USAID is looking to collaborate with funders interested in addressing development challenges in one more of these countries to better coordinate existing funding, explore possibilities for future funding, exchange insights and expertise, and share networks. If you would like to explore opportunities for collaboration please contact Kenny Zoeller (kzoeller@usaid.gov).

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