"This partnership is a historic event. Two very different countries come together to address common critical needs through a philanthropic network," said Enrique Suarez, from Fundación Comunitaria Frontera Norte.
The partnership began with a coalition of nine regional, national and international funders: Houston Endowment, McCune Charitable Foundation, Meadows Foundation, Fundación Gonzalo Río-Arronte, Annie E. Casey Foundation, The C.S. Mott Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Inter-American Foundation and The Ford Foundation's Mexico and New York offices.
"The multiplier effect that this partnership will provide, will contribute to the mobilization of philanthropic resources to the region" said Ramón Peréz Gil, representative of the Fundación Gonzalo Río-Arronte.
The partnership's two main objectives are to:
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Build and strengthen the organizational leadership, the programs and institutional resources of the twenty-one participating border community foundations with the goal of rooting development efforts in local participation and building local social capital.
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Encourage cross-border collaboration when such collaboration is likely to result in improved quality of life.
The partnership has already channeled approximately one-third of the committed funds to the region. The funds will benefit the 21 participating community foundations with direct grants over three years.
"The collaboration of international, national and regional funders with local community foundations holds great hope for developing and implementing strategic plans for systemic change in the border region. Partnership resources will help create and establish long term collaboration among private and public organizations, both along and across the US-Mexican border" said Estellean Wick, Advisory Board representative from Cochise Community Foundation.
As managing partner of the initiative, Synergos serves as the liaison between the funders coalition and the community foundations. Synergos administers the Partnership's pooled funds, designated for technical assistance of the border community foundations over three years and also organizes biannual "Learning Community" workshops. Learning Communities help border community foundations strengthen their fundraising skills and their efforts to mobilize community leadership so they will be better equipped to respond to the needs of disadvantaged families in the border region.
These activities are part of Synergos' Foundation Building program, which strengthens the institutional and financial capacity of grantmaking foundations and other private social investment organizations to support local efforts to reduce poverty, increase equity and advance social justice. Synergos provides an array of capacity-building services to over 400 foundations, philanthropic support organizations and social investment groups in nine countries in Southern Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America, and more limited services globally.
For more information about the US-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, visit: www.borderpartnership.org.