Donate a Download. Don’t do it tomorrow.

I criticize bloggers who don’t post regularly, but I haven’t written anything for over a month.  Why haven’t I posted?  For the same reason other bloggers have given me - pressure of other things that need to be done immediately.  I have urgent work so I leave blogging till tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes.

 But now I have assembled a list of subjects I want to blog about.  The first is how to start to look for funding internationally.  I receive numbers of emails where this is the basic question. 

The first part of the answer is to make applications to grantmaking trusts and foundations that fund internationally.  How do you find them?  Well, Chapel & York has just published the Directory of American Grantmakers 2008-2009.  It is the 4th edition, completely revised, and contains the profiles of over 700 US foundation grantmakers that offer grants to charitable organizations, and in some cases to individuals, outside the USA.  It’s a great place to start.  Grantmakers are indexed by the countries and geographical areas they fund, and the kind of work they support, e.g. arts, civil society, economic development, education, etc.  It costs GBP24.95 (about US$50) plus shipping, or GBP9.50 (about US$20) for a pdf download by email (no shipping costs but 17.5% value added tax where applicable).  You can order online www.chapel-york.com or telephone +44 1342 871910. 

Chapel & York also publish directories of grantmakers in Europe, Asia Pacific, and shortly Africa Middle East.  So why start with the USA?  Because there is more money available for international projects from the USA than anywhere else, and because the application process is straighforward because it reflects a single language and tax and legal system.  Think of Europe, bigger, perhaps more money, but with all those different languages and legal systems plus the European Union!

Everyone who orders the directory in hard copy is invited to nominate a charity to receive a free pdf download.   We have called it Donate a Download.  We want to help charities in developing countries find funding.  The directory has a useful chapter about researching and making an application to a US foundation.  But the offer to Donate a Download has been too much of a challenge to some of our customers.  Only about 10% have donated.  (One very major UK charity has donated one to itself - I hope that they pass it on!)  We may be demonstrating just how little contact nonprofits have with their sister organizations in the third world.  Or is it like my blogging, just too much urgent work, and it will be done tomorrow?

 Also on my list to blog about:  what are the most significant issues and happenings in the world of international philanthropy, and what’s happening in China?  I’ll do it tomorrow.