Vincent Rajiv Louis: How NGOs can match their agendas to donors’ and investors’ objectives

A series of articles with insights on conservation and investing with Rajiv Louis

December 07, 2021

07
Dec, 2021
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Rajiv Louis applies the rigor of his background in investment banking to help organizations in Asia Pacific methodically build donor relationships and grow their donor networks by advising how to deliver tangible results at the conservation level.

Rajiv Louis: NGOs need to match their agendas with the objectives of donors and investors

Neither donors nor investors want to fund projects that don't achieve their objectives. That means NGOs need to match their conservation agendas with donor and investor objectives. It’s horses for courses.

Many NGOs do this by framing their work in economic terms, but this approach may raise questions about the motivation of the NGO and whether it is using proper science to achieve its goals or has an agenda that is not necessarily conservation-focused. The challenge for donors and investors, therefore, is to assess how much they trust the NGO to deliver on its promises.

Rajiv Louis: How can NGOs build this trust?

Conservation groups are increasingly looking for funding from both government donors and the private sector. Corporate philanthropy is growing in Asia Pacific too. To match their agendas with the objectives of their funders, conservation-focused NGOs should be clear on what they want to achieve, whether it's strengthening marine protected areas (MPAs) in Indonesia or protecting biodiversity and wildlife in the Philippines. It’s critical that NGOs have a thorough understanding of government policies in their host countries. Being able to show a track record of harmonized work in-country whilst achieving the NGOs overarching goals and objectives is priority number one to garnering donor trust.

Regular and rigorous reporting standards is critical as it allows an NGO to objectively demonstrate progress and how its work relates to broader goals, such as reducing poverty or promoting economic growth or food security.

Camera ready for friendships bonding with Rwanda kids

 

Rajiv Louis: Making an impact and demonstrating results

The challenge of making an impact is even harder for conservation NGOs that are trying to protect ecosystems. These NGOs often work in countries with some of the most formidable environmental problems, where government action may be lacking. Again, they need to match their agendas with the objectives of donors and investors who want to see concrete results.

NGOs must demonstrate results or risk losing funding. Donors are also more likely to give money when they believe it will be used efficiently. So, conservation NGOs have to find ways to meet their own goals by working within the parameters of donor requirements.

Rajiv Louis: Building a donor network

A strong donor network is vital to the success of a conservation-focused non-profit organization in Asia Pacific. It can help them accomplish a larger scope of goals and objectives, while also building a more unified community of activists and volunteers. To build a strong network, NGOs need to have a clear idea of what they hope to accomplish with their donors, as well as what they hope to receive from the relationship.

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Vincent Rajiv Louis on the Challenges of the Voluntary Carbon Markets and Conservation in Asia Pacific

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