Philippine Business for Social Progress Victor E
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The Synergos Institute Voluntary Sector Financing Program Case Studies of Foundation-Building in Africa, Asia and Latin America Philippine Business for Social Progress Victor E. Tan and Maurino P. Bolante 1997 The preparation of this series of case studies No part of this publication may be reproduced was made possible by support from the Ford or transmitted in any form or by any means Foundation, the Aspen Institute, the C.S. Mott without the permission of The Synergos Insti- Foundation and the Compton Foundation. tute. Voluntary Sector Financing Program Case Studies: • The Foundation for the Philippine Environment • The Esquel Ecuador Foundation (Fundación Esquel-Ecuador) • Child Relief and You - CRY (India) • Foundation for Higher Education (Colombia) (Fundación para la Educación Superior - FES) • Philippine Business for Social Progress • The Puerto Rico Community Foundation • The Mexican Foundation for Rural Development • The Kagiso Trust (South Africa) Cross-Case Analyses: • Formation and Governance • Organizational Financing and Resource Generation • Program Priorities and Operations 2 Contents Synopsis 1 Sources 38 Preface 2 Charts Genesis and Origins 5 1: PBSP Strategies and Program The Birth of the Foundation 5 Directions 16 Membership Growth Through the Years 7 Tables Governance 9 1: Revenue Sources of PBSP Charting PBSP’s Direction, Vision, (1971-1976) 29 and Mission 9 2: Grants vs. Financial Advances Governance Structure 10 (in Millions) 31 Organizational Dynamics 12 3: Capital Fund 31 Governance and the National Political 4: Interest Income vs.Membership Situation 15 Contributions 31 Program Operation and Evolution 16 Annexes Program Priorities and Evolving 1: PBSP Organizational Structure: Strategies: The First 20 Years 16 Board and Committees 39 Current Programs and Strategies 2: Special Programs for the 1990s 40 (1991 - present) 21 3: Examples of PBSP Project Impact 43 Grant Mechanisms and Procedures 22 4: PBSP Financial Data: 1987- 1990; Program Impact 24 1991-1993 45 The Foundation’s Workforce 26 Financing PBSP 28 Funding Sources 28 Fundraising Methods 28 Financial Management 33 Conclusion 35 Lessons Learned And Challenges 35 Philippine Business for Social Progress Glossary of Acronyms ARM Area Resource Management ASA Association for Social Action BCC Basic Christian Community CCC Center for Corporate Citizenship COOP-SEAP Cooperatives-Self- Employment Assistance Program EDF Economic Development Foundation EXCOM Executive Committee (of PBSP Board) LRM Local Resource Management NGO Nongovernmental organization PDAP Philippine Development Assistance Program SMEC Small and Medium Enterprise Committee SGV SyCip, Gorres, and Velayo (consulting firm) USAID United States Agency for International Development Synopsis Governance Origins PBSP is governed by a 21-member board of The Philippine Business for Social Progress trustees which is elected annually from among (PBSP) was established in 1970 by leaders the representatives of member corporations from 50 Philippine corporations who were today numbering over 170. The board mem- looking for a response to the worsening politi- bers tend to be CEOs with excellent connec- cal and social situation in their country. At the tions to both government and the private sec- time, the business community was regarded tor. PBSP also has created a set of regional as one of the causes of the lopsided distribu- board committees and regional offices. tion of wealth. The business leaders’ primary motivation was fear and their goal self-preser- The staff of about 279 is headed by an execu- vation. They aimed to engage business in tive director with over 18 years service in the efforts to alleviate poverty and build self- organization. The organization recruits pro- reliance among disadvantaged communities gram officers with both a good academic throughout the country. background and experience in social develop- ment. More recently, business, management and education skills are also looked for. Financing PBSP's primary financing comes from its member corporations. All members commit Programs one percent of pre-tax net income to social PBSP provides financial support in the form of development. Initially three-fifths of this was loans and grants to community-based organi- administered by PBSP, with the remainder zations and NGOs generating activities. Loans being used by each member for its own social are typically given for income-generating programs. In 1989, given difficulty in collecting activities. PBSP also directly provides training the full three-fifths of one percent, the amount services and technical assistance to nonprofit passed to PBSP was reduced to one-fifth organizations. of one percent. To request funding, local organizations devel- Another change in financing over time has op proposals with the assistance of PBSP been undertaking co-financing programs with program officers in the regional offices. Deci- other donors. One of the organization's sions on funding are made by regional or founders, Bienvenido Tan says "...as programs board committees. If PBSP cannot fund a pro- became bigger, and the peso could buy less, ject, it suggests other funding sources and, in we had to swallow our pride and accept co- some such cases, PBSP acts as an endorser financing funds. There was also a realization of the project. that the problems... were too big...for us to just Among the criteria that PBSP uses in select- rely on corporate contributions." ing projects to fund are the potential for the PBSP also has a $3 million capital fund built project to be self-sustaining after PBSP's sup- up with contributions from corporations, foun- port ends and the leverage (in the form of dations, international donors and individuals. other support) the project gains. PBSP 1 Philippine Business for Social Progress expects the proponents and beneficiary com- of these organizations have adopted legal munity to provide support, which may be identities as foundations or trusts, others are manpower, services, use of facilities or cash. registered as nongovernmental organizations. Preface In general, they differ in many ways from their northern counterparts . For example, they are Background more likely to mix program operation with In Africa, Asia and Latin America, citizen par- grantmaking. Many of them act as convenors ticipation through a range of civil society orga- of civil society groups, as bridging institutions nizations has become a growing and vital to other sectors of society or as technical force. Civil society organizations have brought assistance and training providers. significant material and human resources from To distinguish this type of southern founda- the community level to bear on poverty prob- tion-like organization from northern founda- lems through donations of time, energy, mate- tions we can use a term such as "community rials and money. development foundation" or "southern foun- Locally managed and controlled organizations dation" or use a new term. One new term that provide direct financial support to other which has been organizations within their societies have been proposed is "civil society resource organiza- established over the last decade in many tion" or CSRO. This term refers to organiza- southern countries. A few were established tions which combine financial assistance to twenty or thirty years ago. These organiza- community-based organizations and NGOs tions are injecting critical financial as well as with other forms of support for organizations technical resources into local civil society and or the civil society sector as a whole. In this mobilizing resources from a wide variety of series of papers we will use the terms "foun- sources both domestic and international for dation" this purpose. and "civil society resource organization" interchangeably. Few of them were created with a single large endowment, as was the case with most This expanding universe of foundations/civil northern private foundations. Most of them society resource organizations around the rely on world has not been systematically studied. As a wide range of strategies to mobilize finan- one of the first steps towards developing an cial resources including earned income, con- understanding of this sector, Synergos tributions from individuals and corporations responded to a request from a group of and grants from international organizations. southern foundations. In April 1993, a group Some managed donor-designated or donor- of foundations from a dozen southern coun- advised funds following the US community tries met with northern foundations and offi- foundation experience. cial foreign aid agencies to discuss the emerging role of foundations in strengthening General consensus over terminology has not civil society in Africa, Asia and Latin America. yet been reached; these new types of organi- A major outcome of the discussion was a zations are usually referred to as "founda- decision to learn more about how these orga- tions" or nizations are created, how they develop and "foundation-like organizations." Though many evolve, and how they sustain themselves as 2 philanthropic entities. The group decided on were coordinated by the Synergos research case studies and analysis as the most fruitful team, which then provided the funding to a approach. The Synergos Institute, which cross-case analysis team for the preparation works with local partners to establish and of three analytical papers. The two teams pre- strengthen foundations and other financing pared condensed versions of the case