2019 Via Foundation Annual Report
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2019 VIA FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 11 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 ABOUT VIA FOUNDATION 4 HOW WE HELP 9 DONORS AND PARTNERS 37 GENERAL INFORMATION 55 GRANTS 59 FINANCIAL REPORT 97 AUDITOR'S STATEMENT 107 VÝROČNÍ ZPRÁVA NADACE VIA 2018 10 INTRODUCTION DEVELOPING AN ENGAGED AND RESPONSIBLE SOCIETY TOGETHER In 2019, there were hopeful signs of a resurgence of civic life in Czech society. We received more applications for support of neighborhood projects than ever before, for example. And that's not all. We saw record growth in the number of donors who gave through our Darujme.cz online giving tool: more than 95,000 people gave a breathtaking CZK 128 million. 2019 was also significant for Via Foundation, as Executive Director Jiří Bárta decided to pass the leadership role on to Zdeňek Mihalco, who had led the program team to date. Jiří Bárta deserves great recognition for developing Via into an organization that is respected in the Czech Republic and many other countries. Via Foundation will remain true to its mission under its new leadership because the social change we are striving for requires long-term work and patience. At Via Foundation, we support people who are engaged in their communities, who choose not to just watch the world as passive onlookers, but rather take matters into their own hands and make their communities better places to live. And they are gradually transforming the Czech Republic into a self-confident country of responsible individuals. This is a change that won't happen overnight. But it is happening step by step. In recent years, we have noted that more and more engaged citizens are entering local politics. We've responded by introducing a new program to give them the expertise they need to make it in local politics. We also developed a new application that enables companies to guide their employees towards charitable giving. Two Czech-owned global firms are using this online tool, which is enabling us to help spread philanthropy far beyond the Czech Republic. Other new challenges are emerging - increasing populism, the effects of long-standing drought and the social impacts of modern technology, growing divisions in society - that are calling us to action. We are developing new programs for 2020 that respond to these social changes. And here's one piece of good news by way of conclusion: our former director Jiří Bárta will remain part of the Via team. In 2019, we conducted a feasibility study among our donors that showed that the time is right to launch an endowment campaign to increase the endowment by CZK 25 million. Jiří Bárta is leading the campaign. Thank you for your support. DAVID FOJTÍK Chair of the Board of Directors 3 ABOUT VIA FOUNDATION ABOUT VIA In recent years, we have seen more and more places where people act as community FOUNDATION stewards, where people work together, and where they improve their communities through volunteer efforts. A society in which most people act freely and courageously, accept responsibility for themselves and their communities and where giving is a regular part of life. At Via Foundation, we have been pursuing this vision for 22 years. We believe that a society of engaged citizens is a foundation HOW WE'RE CHANGING on which to build a self-confident, free Czech THE CZECH REPUBLIC Republic. CZK 128 million donated by people to NGOs through our online giving tool Darujme.cz in 2019 CZK 361 million invested over 22 years into community-building initiatives led by groups of engaged citizens 117 projects led by engaged people who improved their communities in 2019. Over 22 years, groups of residents in one-fifth of all Czech municipalities have been supported by Via Foundation. 4 ABOUT VIA FOUNDATION WHAT'S NEW AT VIA FOUNDATION Via Foundation is guided by a long-term vision, yet we also respond to current social issues. In 2019, we launched several new programs and thematic areas. Our landscape The thematic area Our landscape focuses on alleviating the effects of climatic change and drought. Going forward we will support landscape stewardship citizen groups by providing funding and connections to experts. Online giving We're investing into the development of Darujme.cz. This tool is truly systemically changing philanthropy in the Czech Republic. Darujme.cz is now used by 615 non-profit organizations in the Czech Republic and more than 95,000 people used it to make charitable donations in 2019. Employee giving We developed an application enabling companies to let their employees chose the beneficiaries of the company's support. Two global companies owned by Czechs are already using this tool. Local politics In recent years, many engaged citizens have considered entering local politics. We launched a program which helps prepare them through mentoring and training, and promotes the idea that people entering politics should be treated with respect rather than suspected of harboring ulterior motives. 5 ABOUT VIA FOUNDATION Via Foundation is an independent Czech foundation established in 1997. We do not use funding from European Union or government funds; we rely solely on individual donors, companies, foundations and revenues from our endowment fund. Our work revolves around two key focus areas. THE ART OF GIVING THE ART OF CO-EXISTING TOGETHER We develop philanthropy. Via We develop community. We seeks to make giving, charity, support people who are improving generosity and caring for others their communities by revitalizing a normal and regular part of life public spaces, restoring small in the Czech Republic. We raise monuments, enhancing community awareness about giving. We help life in Czech towns or organizing children and students organize neighborhood festivals, all of benefit events, leading them which helps them learn to care for towards philanthropy from their shared communities, work an early age. We also develop together and strengthen their online giving and corporate relationships. We support them philanthropy in the Czech Republic. with grants, consultations and learning opportunities. 6 ABOUT VIA FOUNDATION VIA FOUNDATION'S SOCIAL IMPACT Civic engagement in the Czech Republic increases. More people take part in community activities. Personal ties between people and groups across Czech society grow (i.e. bridging social capital). 2018 to 2021 Trust between people in the Czech Republic grows. More individuals give charitably and are willing to volunteer in their communities. 7 2019 IN FIGURES 2019 IN FIGURES 7% 21% 38% VIA’S INCOME COMPOSITION IN 2019 34% Corporate donors Individual donors Foundations Endowment revenues In 2019 we awarded CZK Thanks to the trust our donors 18,215,970.57 in grants. place in us, our endowment grew to CZK 65,894,618 in 2019. mil. CZK 12.806 14.277 15.352 18.216 mil. CZK 64.849 64.859 65.866 65.895 20 70 15 60 50 10 40 30 5 20 10 0 0 2016 2017 2018 2019 2016 2017 2018 2019 8 HOW WE HELP 11 HOW WE HELP | Community THE Every community has its heart - a place filled with life. Some hearts pulse, others barely tick. COMMUNITY This program aims to change that. We support IN WHICH WE large projects in which residents join together to transform a public space into a community LIVE place. In some towns it's a park, elsewhere it is a village square. In every case, we start with community planning, follow with joint work parties and end with a gala opening. Reaching consensus across a whole community during the process is no easy task. Our support includes grants, guidance by a community 77 25 engagement expert, workshops and sharing consulted preliminary výtisků časopisu proposals of experience from other projects. Did you know that... 25 alongside grants, we match project teams' submitted applications fundraising campaigns 1:1 up to CZK 50,000? 77 konzultovaných projektových záměrů 25 65 přihlášek revitalized public spaces since 65the program beganproměněných míst 653 za celou dobu proměněnýchobnovená veřejná míst prostranství za celou dobuexistence programu 10 existence programu HOW WE HELP | Community NEIGHBORS GATHER WATERSIDE IN OLOMOUC-ŘEPČÍN The district of Řepčín is easily accessible from the center of the city of Olomouc. In recent years, hundreds of new apartments have been developed in the area, which have brought new people in but eliminated traditional community gathering places used by long-standing residents. That fact, along with newcomers' calling for a chance to engage in the life of the community, led the Our Řepčín civic association to bring the two groups together to jointly transform the Mlýnský Creek Park. They created a safe place with naturalistic features Radost při slavnostním otevření where cultural events are held. Local residents adopted the new plants and trees to help with project funding. Now new and old residents enjoy sunny days spent at the edge of the new pond and butterfly meadow. WE THANK THE FOLLOWING DONORS for enabling us to enhance community life in "People who recently moved into the new 4 places: apartments say it was a terrific experience because they finally had a chance to get to HORNBACH BAUMARKT CS SPOL. S R.O., MARTIN KULÍK AND THE HAMER know their new neighbors." FOUNDATION. WE ALSO THANK OUR MEDIA PARTNER, Michael Mencl, Member of the project team THE JOURNAL PRO MĚSTA A OBCE (“FOR CITIES AND TOWNS”). 11 HOW WE HELP | Community LIVING Good neighborly relations are key to a good community atmosphere. In the Living COMMUNITIES Communities program, we support engaged citizens who come up with projects to improve neighborly ties through shared experiences and activities. We also provide "Fast Grants" to groups addressing urgent problems that are 56 Rok23 2018 disrupting community life, such as a company supported supported public or institution violating public interests.