Fuel Nonprofits To Achieve Maximum Good!

The SDG Philanthropy Platform (SDGPP) is a global and national facilitator working to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of 2017, its most critical funding needs were met. However, SDGPP was short on capacity support. No one on staff was available to respond with proposals to interested funders and there was no money in the budget for hiring someone.

Looking back, attempting to meet this need was the riskiest grant I’ve provided in my career. However, SDGPP had high visibility and respect at that time within the global philanthropy sector. Therefore, I believed that the chances of achieving success were significantly greater than usual. Lastly, the amount of funding requested was small in comparison to other grants. The foundation I worked for provided under $20,000, and SDGPP was then able to bring in several grants totaling over $300,000.

One grant helped people in 72 villages in India reclaim land entitled to them by law. Other issues addressed included advancing women entrepreneurs, investing in girls, and water harvesting. A second grant involved conducting the research needed to enable impactful actions to stop violence against children in Tanzania and South Africa. A third grant involved building collaboration in the MENA region by identifying 172 foundations and banks as prospective development partners.