Project Description
Locally-rooted institutions have the ability to unlock resources for communities and ensure the long-term sustainability of civil society organizations. At the IAF, we strengthen the ability of local philanthropic organizations to carry out effective programming and obtain additional public and private resources for long-term development. Our grantee partner, Alianza de Fundaciones Comunitarias México (Comunalia), will establish a hub to promote peer-to-peer coordination and learning, providing training for community foundations in areas such as evaluation, community philanthropy, grassroots development grant-making, fundraising, and proposal writing. This hub will contribute to the long-term viability of thousands of civil society organizations providing a range of services without relying on U.S. government resources or assistance.
| Project: | Location: | Years active: | IAF grant funding: | Counterpart commitment: | Direct beneficiaries: | Indirect beneficiaries: | Program areas: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comunalia 2.0: Building a Better Future for Mexico | Mexico | 2020 – 2023 | $309,600 | $436,765 | 262 individuals | 3,500 individuals | community asset mobilization organizational development |
Talk about community-led development!
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Inter-American Foundation & Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership a Finalist for Prestigious 2020 Concordia P3 Impact Award
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With funds from the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), grantees Ñepi Behña and Ya Montsi Behña have developed Corazon Verde, a jointly-owned enterprise that markets products both domestically and internationally, such as bath sponges, jams, jellies and soaps, all derived from the maguey cactus, which is native to the Valle de Mezquital region of Hidalgo state in Mexico. While she waits to deliver her finished bath sponges, a coop member winds amorphous treated fibers of the maguey cactus into a single thread using a hand spindle. The thread will later be used to knit products for the cooperative Ya Montsi Behña.
Grassroots Businesses: A Virtual Artisan Fair
Over the past 50 years, the IAF has supported an incredible number of innovative and entrepreneurial groups with a common dream: transforming their lives and communities. Join us as we travel north to south through the region to see how agricultural producers and artisan groups have conquered the world with small IAF investments to grow their businesses.