April 30, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Why has Latin American fund raising yet to develop?
According to the Johns Hopkins University, Latin American charities only earn 10 percent of their income from private donations, with the remainder generated by fees for services and government grants.
Daniel Yoffe, a charity consultant in Mexico, and Brad Henderson, who oversees Latin America for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, note the challenges on Mr. Yoffe’s blog, Fund Raising En America Latina.
Among the hindrances they cite: a lack tax incentives for donations in many countries, an expectation among people that the government or churches will take care of the needy, little trust in nonprofit groups, and a small number of well-trained fund raisers.
“Low wages and demanding working conditions contribute to high turnover in fund-raising positions, and they are often held by people with limited experience in fund raising, which creates the conditions for potentially damaging, unethical behavior,” the authors write.
What do you think? What does Latin America need to develop fund raising? Click on the comments link below this post to share your thoughts.
