The Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc from a humanitarian and economic perspective. It confronts the philanthropic sector with challenges rarely faced over the last decades. The LGBTQIA* communities are once again among the most vulnerable. However, despite facing we are seeing creative initiatives from activists in support of the most marginalised in the Global South and Global East. The time to stand by our partners, extend and increase philanthropic commitments is now – the rainy day has come!
“Philanthropy for Rainy Days: Our Covid-19 Response” outlines how Dreilinden is responding to the crisis across its grant and investment portfolios. It shines a light on our values and is decidedly transparent with our additional commitments to partners. It is also a plea for the entire sector to act swiftly as well as mobilise incremental and more flexible resources. Corona giving is core giving!
By publishing our approach, we hope to inspire others to share. We invite all stakeholders to discuss, learn and debate with us in the hope to challenge the status quo, reflect on how we can be better partners to our communities and prepare ourselves for future crises.
Philanthropy for a Rainy Day_ Our Covid-19 Response (2020) (PDF)
+++ CALL TO ACTION+++
Foundation commitment in times of Corona crisis
p>For many organizations in the social, cultural, environmental or educational field, foundations are indispensable partners to finance projects and activities.
Today, our grantees and partners are directly and existentially affected by the Corona crisis. As foundations, we accept our responsibility to support our partners in this exceptional situation.
We would like to express our thanks and appreciation to all our grantee organizations and projects for their commitment in this difficult situation. We assure you that you can count on us as foundations:
- We consider it our shared responsibility to support you in this crisis so that you can continue to work for your target groups during and after the pandemic.
- We want to understand your challenges and concerns in order to jointly find solutions. We know that your usual work procedures are turned upside down. Please do not hesitate to contact us if your time allows.
- We are aware that you cannot carry out agreed projects and program activities as planned. We commit to not reclaiming promised funding and are open to postponing projects, extending commitments and adapting activities.
- We encourage you to find alternative formats for canceled events or projects. Please explore which alternative ways and forms can be tested. We are happy to assist you – so we can jointly use the crisis as an opportunity to learn.
- We understand that you are not able to deliver reports in the usual quality in the current situation, and we will of course adjust deadlines and requirements.
- If payments are linked to specific results, goals or milestones that you cannot achieve due to the Corona crisis, we will still pay-out pledged installments.
- On a case by case basis, we will evaluate the possibility to amend or suspend program- related funding restrictions, in order to give you leeway to react to the crisis.
- If our financial means allow, we will provide additional funding beyond existing commitments and will contribute to emergency funds for particularly affected target groups.
- We want to learn from this experience. We will therefore evaluate the lessons learned and discuss how foundations can contribute to building the resilience of civil society organizations in future crisis situations.
We are calling on other foundations, social investors and donors to join this call to action:
www.stiftungen.org/aufruf-foerderstiftungen