Achievements in Brazil

Synergos has worked in Brazil for twenty years, helping to strengthen the capacity of NGO leaders and organizations promoting philanthropy and social justice, as well as supporting the efforts of individual and family philanthropists.

One example of our work is with Group of Institutes, Foundations and Enterprises (Grupo de Institutos Fundações e Emprezas -- GIFE), the first South American association of foundations, uniting privately held organizations that fund or operate social, cultural and environmental projects of public interest. Our relationship with GIFE officially began in 1998 with a preliminary mapping of grantmaking foundations in the Southern Cone (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay) and the organization of a sub-regional foundation-building conference.

Since then our two organizations have worked together to strengthen philanthropy in Brazil through research and learning and through the provision of capacity building support to emerging grantmakers in the country.

Synergos staff have also worked closely with a core group of Brazilian nonprofit, government and private sector leaders to form the Instituto Rio, the first community foundation in Brazil. It mobilizes resources from the private sector and transfers them, along with capacity-building support, to grassroots organizations in Rio's western region.

Synergos has worked with the Instituto in all aspects of building the organization, and has provided various materials to guide its formation. Other institutional development assistance provided includes help in identifying consultant support and a local full-time coordinator; defining the organization's mission and eventual organizational structure; identifying potential donated office space; preparing publicity materials; defining the legal framework and statutes for the foundation; and conferences to broaden the political support for Instituto Rio. More information about Synergos' work with Instituto Rio and innovative individual philathropists in Brazil is online.

A third partner organization in Brazil is the Abrinq Foundation for Children's Rights (Fundaçao Abrinq pelos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente). Abrinq aims to engage the broader society in making children and adolescents "the absolute priority" on the nation's agenda. For example, in one of its successful campaigns to reduce illegal child labor, it has mobilized citizens to expose companies that break the law, while also engaging international actors such as UNICEF and the International Labour Organization in the effort. It is also committed to promoting and developing visible actions and programs that can be disseminated and replicated throughout Brazil. Synergos' partnership with Abrinq began in 2000; today our organizations are working together on innovative approaches to fund social justice for children. More information on our work with Abrinq in 2002 and 2003 is online.

Written 2006