peer learning event on public policy development and government relations.doc

7/27/2019 PEER LEARNING EVENT ON PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.doc

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PEER LEARNING EVENT ON PUBLIC POLICYDEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

ENGAGING THE EAST AFRICA ASSOCIATION OF GRANTMAKERSMEMBERS IN POLICY WORK

By Olive Luena-EAAG

Introduction

In order to discuss the issue of engaging members of the East AfricaGrantmakers Association in policy work it is important to understand thecomposition of the EAAG membership its Mission, and objectives so as to real

focus on the types or details of the policy work undertaken or envisaged tobe undertaken. The East Africa Association of Grantmakers is one of recentlyestablished membership associations that have been registered in the past

five years in diverse places around the world to act as centers forphilanthropy and promote the development of community philanthropy.

The East Africa Association of Grantmakers (EAAG) is an association of trustsand foundations working in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania- the Countries

which form the East Africa Community. The formation of the Associationcame at a time of increased regional activity following the signing of EastAfrican Treaty establishing East African Community by the three heads of

East African countries on Novembers 30th 1999 and formally launching it onJanuary 15th 2001.

The East Africa Association of Grantmakers has a membership of 16

organizations, foundations and trust drawn from the three East AfricanCountries (Kenya Uganda and Tanzania) involved in grantmaking for thefollowing sectors in the three countries:

Health

Education

Poverty alleviation

Community resource mobilization and wealth creation

Social Justice

Capacity building

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Mission and objectives

In East Africa, the spirit of giving is strongly rooted in tradition (thoughinformal, often lacking systems, and often lacking institutional frameworksfor accountability). Wedding contributions in Uganda, Ujamaa practices inTanzania and Harambees in Kenya are inherent practices that are culturally

cherished. EAAG therefore, seeks to nurture and enhance professionalismand institutionalization of local philanthropy through advocacy for appropriate

policies in order to create a conducive legal and social environment for thegrowth of philanthropy in the region to:

Demonstrate and promote philanthropy in East Africa as an integral

strategy for permanent wealth-creation for social development;

Promote ethical practices in grant making as a tool for

development;

Support members with learning and capacity-building opportunities

for effective asset-development, management, governance, and

grantmaking; Strengthen the individual and collective identity, credibility,

coordination and positioning of its members;

Engage effectively with Governments, the private sector and civil

society partners to in influence policy and the enabling

environment to promote social justice in East Africa

Engaging the Members in Policy Work

Being a regional organisation that is committed to social transformation, itsactivism, lobbying and advocacy programmes are developed to collectively

influence retrogressive laws and policies in the region and in the individualmember states of the East Africa Community where individual grantmaker

associations are registered, so as to adapt more progressive approacheswhich will enable the EAAG achieve its objectives. Through its Tax and policy

programme the EAAG aims at stimulating public debate and dialogue on themacro and micro economic policies and plans, encouraging reflections and

collective action for influencing progressive philanthropy and the socialjustice agenda by:

Engaging in collective organizing, activism, lobbying, policy advocacy

and related activities at regional and country level. Conducting research and policy analysis activities at EAC level and at

each Country level Building coalitions and linkages among stakeholders within the EAC

and in each country,

Facilitating public outreach and organizational development activities

The policy programme strategic objective is to further consolidate

programme activities aimed at influencing for positive, people centered andtransformative changes on strategic/selected policies and legal frame works

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and processes at macro and micro levels in the region and at each countrylevel and beyond.

Policy analysis and engagement- defining policy positions amidst thevarying needs and interests of members and other stakeholders

Indeed the 16 EAAG members from the three countries have varying needsand interests and so are the other stakeholders. Given the fact that the East

Africa Community in which the EAAG is structured has a legislative Body thatembraces the three countries there are legal and policy issues that cut acrossand also there are Policy issues that are needed to be put in place to createan enabling environment for philanthropy, social justice and grant making in

the region which is the preoccupation of the association. In this area, TheEAAG will focus mainly on addressing selected regional policy issues,

especially those relating to the Philanthropy, social justice, the tax regimesgoverning philanthropy for harmonization within the three countries. In this

context therefore the EAAG in the current strategic plan EAAG aims: To

engage effectively with Governments, private sector, and civil societypartners to promote Social Justice in East Africa.

RationaleExploiting the increasing regional climate while utilising its social capital in

its engagement with the E.A governments the Association will promote theinterest of their members to government bodies and help promote /bring the

Social justice agenda through (publications/presentation), social justicegrantmaking.

Strategic priorities:

1. Researching continuously on changes and required amendments on

tax laws and regulations for policy reform.

2. Sourcing ideas and collaboration from other Grantmakersorganizations Associations carrying out similar initiatives globally.

3. Organizing seminars, symposiums to engage the members,

stakeholders (grantmakers, corporate and government) in dialogue onsocial justice philanthropy and social justice grantmaking.

4. Become an Association that creates opportunity for interaction and

linkages between Grantmakers and Corporate.

5. Creating lobbing mechanism for tax incentives and regulatory reformsfor philanthropy and social development in East Africa1.

1EAAG Strategic plan

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Involvement of Members and Board members in the different aspects

of policy workAt each country level, the Association envisages establishing functionalnational working groups (Country teams) on specific country level policyengagement as a priority for 2006/2007. At East Africa level the Association

is structured in committees for various policy engagement and operations ofthe Association, involving its Board members drawn from the various

member associations. The Board as provided in the current strategic plan willprovide a general oversight and leadership to the Secretariat and more

specifically support in resource mobilization, communication and relationshipbuilding with partners. The secretariat in collaboration with the standingcommittees (Finance, Programme and Resource Mobilisation &Communication) will prepare work plans (annual/bi-annual or quarterly) to

help guide the Associations activities and facilitate regular monitoring andBoard review. The Board will undertake a mid-term review of the strategies

and progress made by end of year 2006. A final assessment/evaluation will

be will be undertaken by end of 2007 on the general performance of the planand will be linked to preparations for EAAGs next strategic plan.

Engaging the member organizations at east Africa level does not precludethem in engaging themselves in policy issues at their local level. At Countrylevel each member organization is also involved in policy dialogue, lobbyingand advocacy issues that are of relevance to their own operations or the

sector they are addressing. Country trusts like the Tanzania Gatsby Trust hason several occasions engaged itself in advocating for policy change even at

Regional level in the creation of enabling environment which can enable theSmall and Medium entrepreneur(SMEs) trade within the three states without

barriers .This was done through a research on the constrains that the SMEsof the three countries were facing and the findings and recommendations forremoval of such barriers were submitted the East Africa CommunitySecretariat. The same was done for barriers affecting the SMEs at local level

and the government of Tanzania has the SMEs policy in Place.

What are the benefits and the risks?Engaging Governments for positive policy change is making the government

accountable to its people while creating an enabling environment for theEAAG itself and its members work to thrive. However, seeking policy shifts orchange amidst the political democratization which is going on in the regionoftentimes is perceived as being anti government or being in the opposition.

At the same time seeking social justice philanthropy policies can in someareas infringe the giving spirit /resource mobilization which is very much

needed by the members to carry out their operations especially if such socialjustice issues are in conflict with the donors or corporate organizations that

fund the work of the EAAG members. Nevertheless the benefits of engagingin social Justice Policy change for the common good of people in the threecountries outweigh the risks that are involved. The Association has,developed a code of ethics, which ensures better management, openness,

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and accountability by every member so that they can confidently engage withthe government and other stakeholders in the policy dialogue without

accusation fingers pointing to them.

Lessons drawnPolicy Advocacy and lobbying is more effective when done through networks

alliances and coalitions. At this historical period of globalization andincreasing regional integration, stronger civil society and growing

democratization the importance of better coordination and stronger influenceon the East African governments, cannot be over-emphasized. Further, this is

a time of optimism for East Africans with talk of a political federation as EastAfrican governments are harmonizing municipal laws, developmentstrategies, customs union to be subsequently followed by common markets,customs union and finally political federation, mentioned earlier.

In this context the EAAG being a network of grant makers allow memberorganizations to multiply their power and their resources to bring a better

coordinated action on tax incentives (leading to tax policy reform), greater

collaboration with government and civil society and clearer understandingand increased shift toward practice of social justice by all members,2 thusturning threats into opportunities:

ConclusionThe EAAG is a young organization. It needs capacity building and exposure toother similar initiatives to enrich itself in terms of expertise and knowledge.

This can best be achieved through forming global alliances and peer learningexposures. It hoped that WINGS and other similar organizations from other

countries which have been in the field longer than the EAAG will provide therequisite support.

2 EAAG Strategic plan

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