Building an Endowment for Biodiversity Conservation in Indonesia: The Case of KEHATI
By Sarah Maxim, Ismid Hadad & Suzanty Sitorus | August 2003 | View Full Text
Abstract
Yayasan Keanekaragaman Hayati Indonesia, abbreviated to KEHATI, was officially formed in January 1994 and came under the direction of a board of prominent Indonesians chaired by Dr. Emil Salim. USAID officials determined that KEHATI was the organization best suited to manage the endowment in Indonesia. They believed that KEHATI would be able to command the requisite international profile because of its highly esteemed board, and that it would be the most appropriate organiaztion to meet the criteria of the US government and Congress that would be disbursing the funds.
While this case study of KEHATI demonstrates the importance of not seeing an endowment as a panacea to all fundraising needs, it also exemplifies the very positive assets an endowment affords. Endowment provide organizations with time and flexibility, during which period th staff can develop its programs and mission while maintaining attention to ongoing fundraising and endowment management. More importantly, donor-driven program funding can be put aside in favor of grantmaking and programming that is thoroughly grounded in the genuine needs and requirements of communities.
Although KEHATI's future depends in part on growing its endowment successfully, its record of managing both its programs and investments places the organization in a strong position from where it can succeed at this task and continue to make a positive impact on public awareness and community empowerment for biodiversity conversation in Indonesia.
This paper is part of the collection Financing Development in Southeast Asia: Opportunities for Collaboration and Sustainability produced with support from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
Philanthropic Actors & Issues | Social Justice & Community Development | Governments & Intergovernmental Agencies | Foundation-Building & Philanthropic Practices | Resource Mobilization | Foundation & Philanthropy Case Studies | Americas | United States | Indonesia | Southeast Asia
| 
View Full Text