Opinion Piece, Karla Vargas – Filantropía Puerto Rico (FiPR), was invited to participate in the first Global Giving Sector Strengthening Cohort that virtually brought together ten organizations from around the world (from Mexico to Africa) to delve into three virtual sessions on three particular topics: Sustainable Support (Fundraising), Community-Led Programming and Collaborative Networks.

I share some reflections and highlight key questions and issues about the dialogues in which I participated along with ten peers; which reaffirm our vision of expanding strategic alliances to support the sector. Most importantly to me, it highlights the need to broaden resources to create greater opportunities for long-term sustainability. From the ever evolving landscape of the social sector, the Sector Strengthening Cohort discussions highlighted the vital need to create, enhance and sustain strategic alliances to ensure relevance and consistency within the sector (worldwide!).

Sustainable Support

During the first session, the discussion centered on fundraising—exploring opportunities, challenges and strategies employed by each organization. Reflecting on this, our journey toward fundraising success has been as varied and dynamic as the recent challenges Puerto Rico has faced. Yet, our vision remains steadfast: to maximize resources, strategically expand philanthropic investments and drive systemic impact. At this pivotal juncture, we recognize that this “sustainable support” has mutated significantly in the archipelago, from the narrative that resonates with the current reality in Puerto Rico, to the path to continue to raise funds for the island. We are transitioning toward a social sector that has played a crucial role in Puerto Rico’s recovery and development, while also evolving its vision and strategy, from responding to emergency crises to building a foundation for long-term sustainability.

Relationship Building and Relevant Outreach

How do we cultivate relationships and what outreach tactics do we use?

While we could share the classic “three steps” for effective communication with allies, you are likely already familiar with these. Though strategies evolve, building trust and maintaining transparency remain essential to nurturing these relationships, alongside fostering a shared vision and collective responsibility to “build the field.” At FiPR, we strive to be transparent in our operations and programs, in our practices of giving, with our funders and donors network and in mobilizing those efforts in the social sector. In 2024, we launched ambitious Collective Intelligence initiatives to standardize and gather up to date data on the impact areas of all organizations in the sector, as well as information on philanthropic investments in Puerto Rico. Our commitment has always been to continually learn and discover better ways to build trust and support the sector in making informed, data-driven decisions. We are eager to continue learning, growing and refining better ways to cultivate relationships and develop meaningful approaches with our partners. As wisely noted in the cohort, “Donor interest is like the wind, ever changing.” It is critical to share responsibility and above all, avoid monopolizing donor-grantee relationships. Instead, we strive to build equitable partnerships grounded in trust, active listening and a deep understanding of Puerto Rico’s local context.

Transformative “Milestones” or Crowdfunding Milestones

What were the transformative moments in your organization’s fundraising journey? How can we fundraise beyond emergencies?

As a result of the fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico, the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Irma and Fiona, the earthquakes in the southern part of the archipelago and then the pandemic, Puerto Rico became a target for philanthropic donations. While this influx of support enabled a more agile approach to recovery, it raises the question: did it truly represent a fair and most importantly, sustainable recovery? Since this is an opinion piece, it is important to recognize what the philanthropic injection achieved in terms of supporting the Social Sector and therefore the creation of innovative initiatives, but we must also recognize that it accentuated the co-dependence to the “disaster” in order to recover. A “milestone” (or pivotal) moment in Puerto Rico’s fundraising trajectory was undoubtedly 2017. Looking forward to the Puerto Rico we deserve and want to live in, to move beyond emergency driven fundraising, we must focus on developing a long-term strategy that not only addresses our ongoing needs but also emphasizes the enduring impact of our work.

Ongoing Learning Journey

Fundraising is a constant learning journey. Our purpose is to serve the social sector and maximize its impact through aligned strategies. We have learned that the best way to create, co-create and strengthen ownership is to involve the social sector as co-participants in planning and decision making, giving them an active role in creating strategies, executing actions and sharing the responsibility of “field builders”. Our learning journey is enriched by a blend of partner exchanges, capacity-building efforts and active listening to the social sector. By learning from both successes and setbacks, we have evolved and refined our strategies, ensuring they remain responsive, impactful and relevant.

What collaborations does the world need?

For me in these pivotal and crucial times, we need desperately: Cross-Sector Partnership and Social Sector-Led and Trust-Based Approaches.

• Cross-sector partnerships are essential for driving systemic change, bringing together nonprofits, governments, private companies and academia to combine funding and expertise; to maximize impact overalls. Collaborative capacity building strengthens the collective ability to address challenges, while data sharing and digital transformation enhance transparency and decision-making across sectors. Embracing innovative financial models shifts the narrative from crisis driven approaches to strategic, long-term planning, fostering sustainability and constant innovation. Additionally, cross-sector partnerships enhance collaborative advocacy, amplifying efforts to drive systemic change and mobilize a more equitable and impactful social ecosystem.
• Social Sector-Led and Trust-Based Approaches: We are at a pivotal moment where it is imperative to shift cross-sector power dynamics and actively promote ownership and co-design of tools and resources that strengthen and sustain the social sector. This approach is not only essential for the sector’s sustainability but also the key to driving progress across all sectors and ensuring sustainable impact.

LAST THOUGHTS!

Our goal as field builders is to advance tools and instruments that improve the fiscal health and sustainability of the social sector, while ensuring that philanthropic investments in Puerto Rico are strategically aligned for maximum impact. As an intermediary organization in Puerto Rico with a field-building approach, we are committed to promoting systemic change to address structural inequalities. Through strategic initiatives, we bring together key players in the social sector to co-develop, adapt and implement best practices in engagement. As such, we need to continue actively listening and understanding in-depth how other organizations apply trust-based practices, measure their impact and ensure the long-term fiscal health of their organizations. Gathering information from peers to identify key strategies and practices to improve fiscal health and transition from disaster response to strategic engagement has provided us with valuable insights. These insights will allow us to gain additional perspectives on how to effectively respond to crises while ensuring the sustainability and fiscal health of organizations. We’re on it and, as always, we’re fully committed!