SANTO DOMINGO, The Dominican Republic – The Caribbean will welcome one of the world’s leading authorities on philanthropic fundraising when Dr. Lilya Wagner of Counterpart International visits the Dominican Republic next week, July 25th.
Dr. Lilya Wagner, Counterpart’s Vice President for Philanthropy, will deliver a course on fundraising for local non-governmental organizations, foundations, potential donors, civil society organizations and academia at the global headquarters of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE), which was set up by the nation’s president, Dr. Leonel Fernández.
FUNGLODE is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting collaboration between organizations in the United States and the Dominican Republic to study, research, enhance public understanding, design public policies, devise strategies, offer capacity building assistance and foster exchange in areas crucial for the social, economic and democratic development of the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean and Latin America.
The course, on Monday, July 25th 2005, will provide participants with essential skills to plan and implement fundraising strategies for their own organizations, be they in the public or private sector.
Dr. Wagner, former associate director for public service and director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, will also address seminar participants on the topic of “Global Perspectives and U.S. Practices,” with an emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
“I look forward to providing a global perspective on how philanthropy works and fundraising perspectives that are internationally adaptable,” said Dr. Wagner from her Washington, D.C. office this week. “I am pleased to be able to take information I’ve shared in many countries about fundraising principles that are adaptable across borders to one of Counterpart’s collegial organizations.”
These two activities are being coordinated in collaboration with two of FUNGLODE’s strategic partners in the area of CSR – the CEMEX Foundation, a cement company that advocates CSR in the Dominican Republic, and Alianza ONG, an association that includes most local NGOs.
As an accomplished author, Dr. Wagner’s published writings include articles, books, and book chapters on philanthropy, fundraising and the nonprofit sector, along with books and numerous articles on a variety of general interest and professional topics. The much acclaimed “Careers in Fundraising” is a comprehensive volume on fundraising as a profession and won a national prize in 2002.
She was also co-editor of “New Directions in Philanthropic Fundraising” and has done extensive international work, providing training and counsel for nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations in many countries, including her native Estonia.
Counterpart International, the Washington D.C.-based international development organization, recently joined hands with FUNGLODE, signing a two-year agreement to develop projects using sustainable tourism and community development to reduce poverty.
The agreement, signed in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic capital earlier this year, focuses on youth and media training, biodiversity conservation and economic development. Both organizations agreed to exchange information and specialists, organize and conduct conferences, seminars, and workshops and mutually agreed fundraising efforts.
