The South Asian Fund Raising Workshop is an annual event, which is the largest gathering of organisations working in the field of resource mobilisation. It is a workshop or a training programme, which brings together international technology and local adaptation to make it relevant from the South Asian NGOs. Speakers are handpicked for its sessions - it is a privilege to b e a part of the Annual event of SAFRG.

During our training programme, SAFRG also present 'SAFRG Award' to the most innovative idea or the most promising fundraiser from the gathering.

SAFRW empowers the NGOs, provides them a forum to meet each other, learn from each other and the hand picked speakers for the workshop - both national and international.

It is one-of-its kind event in the NGO sector, which is not only very high profile, but also very relevant to its participants. It brings international and state-of-the-art know how at the doorstep and has already reached around 3000 NGOs since its inception about 15 years ago.

The 15th South Asian Fund Raising Workshop was held in September, 2003 at Agra and was attended by over 200 delegates from South Asia including representation by over 20 Donor Agencies.

The 16th South Asian Fund Raising Workshop is scheduled to be held in Delhi in 2005.

Annual Report 2004-05 : { Annual Report 2004-05 > Click here for full report }

South Asian Fund Raising Group (SAFRG), a not for profit Trust was founded in 1987 informally under the Societies Act 1860 in Delhi with the aim to build the capacity of the not for profit organisations to mobilise funds and local resources for their causes. This was in line with the International Fund Raising Group now re-christened Resource Alliance.

SAFRG achieves its aim by conducting knowledge sharing and training programmes in fundraising, local resource mobilisation and providing consultancy.

The Board of SAFRG had laid down its broad framework for the issues and activities to be undertaken by the SAFRG during the year. It emphasised on the consultancy to be provided to the "Concern Worldwide" and asked the CEO to workout details of the same to be implemented. It also encouraged to seek out such opportunities to offer consultancy services to foreign organizations. It also wanted that a two day workshop be planned and conducted like "Diaspora Fundraising" and "Exploring Opportunities with the Corporate World" done in Jan 2004, towards the end of the year 2004.

The Reporting Year 2004-05:

The year under reporting saw the SAFRG building on its strength. The SAFRG was chosen to provide consultancy to "Concern Worldwide, UK" to help its sister organisation "Concern Worldwide India" based in Bhubaneshwar. It undertook selection of NGOs working in Orissa to be trained and short listed for aid to be provided by Concern Worldwide, India. The exercise was undertaken with the help of MCC (Murray Culshaw Consulting), Bangalore. A Two-day workshop was conducted for the 16 NGOs selected by the Concern Worldwide, India, Bhubaneshwar. Finally following six NGOs were selected for aid and further training:-

1. Darbar Sahitya Sansad
2. Utkal Sewak Samaj
3. Ruchika Social Service Organisation
4. Self Employed Workers Association Kendra
5. Regional Centre for Development Co-operation
6. Centre for Youth and Social Development

Resource Alliance, UK (RA) had signed an MOU with Charities Aid Foundation, India (CAF) for the project "Capacity Building for Local Resource Mobilization in India". Since RA does not maintain its office in India it designated SAFRG to handle its various office works in India. SAFRG has received Rs 10,37,251.00 on this account from the CAF India so far and the report for the same has been forwarded to CAF India as required by them.

SAFRG also conducted a One-day Workshop for the senior executives of WHO, Regional Office for South East Asia based in New Delhi on 02nd December 2004. The idea of the workshop was to acquaint the top executives of WHO with the possibilities of raising funds for themselves (For the Regional Office independent of the WHO HQs.). The subject therefore was "Resource Mobilization". 20 senior level executives attended the workshop. The speakers for the workshop included Mr. Mal Warrick, Mal Warrick & Associates Inc., USA, Ms. Neelam Makhijani, Programme Director (International), Resource Alliance UK and Maj Gen (Retd) SS Sandhu, Trustee SAFRG. The workshop was appreciated by all participants and at the end Regional Director of WHO, was keen to develop further relation to arrange consultancy for fundraising for the HQ. The programme was put in the back burner due to Tsunami in Dec 2005. It is hoped to be revived in near future.

SAFRG had planned a Two-day workshop for NGOs and voluntary sector on 3rd & 4th December 2004 as per the directions of the Board. This was organised at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and 24 persons attended the same. The theme of the workshop was "Setting the Fundraising Strategy for Your Organisation". Mr. Mal Warrick was the main speaker for the workshop. Ms. Neelam Makhijani and Maj Gen (Retd) SS Sandhu were other speakers. It was fully appreciated by all the participants and the event received above average delegate satisfaction rating.

16th South Asian Fund Raising Workshop (16th SAFRW) was postponed due to the change of guards at the helm at the crucial time and few other unavoidable circumstances. It was then decided by the Board not to hold the same and carry it forward to the next year. Therefore, the 16th SAFRW will now be conducted in the month of September this year. The preparations for the same are on.

Future Strategy :

The SAFRG plans to undertake certain field surveys for the preparations of case studies. We are in the process of initiating talks with Government of NCT of Delhi to allow case studies of "Old Age Home" in Delhi and provide suggestions to ultimately effect changes for better governance and administration.

SAFRG also plans to conduct workshops for NGOs and Voluntary Sectors every alternate month during 2005-06. The series of workshops planned are "Tax, Accounting & Governance for Voluntary Sector", "Fund Raising from the Government and Government Agencies", "How to Encash People's Desire of Giving", "Corporate Social Responsibility: Awareness and Encashment by Voluntary Sector".

Besides the above mentioned planned activities, the SAFRG is also in talk with Ministry of Defence to create, design and conduct a workshop "Interface with Manpower", an attempt to bring retired defence personnel of all ranks with the Voluntary / Development Sector to know and understand each other better and to make use of each other's strength for social development.

Digital Governance :

The stakeholders will be happy to note that SAFRG has operationalised its website www.safrg.org during the year. People and organisation can become its members. Most of the correspondence has been done on email. All members and partners are encouraged to adopt digital revolution of this age.

Trustees :

We welcome Maj Gen (Retd) S S Sandhu, Consultant and Executive Director, Conceptcon Consultancy and Mr. Rajesh Mehta, General Secretary, Unity International Foundation in the Board of Trust. Both of them bring host of experience with them to further strengthen the values of SAFRG.

At the same time we bid farewell to Ms. Mamta Saikia who joined Bharti Foundation and Ms. Kirti Nirula who took leave to devote more time to her own NGO Janwadi Mahila Samiti.