Policy Guidelines

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Last Updated (Friday, 29 January 2010 01:06)

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY TRUST FUND

Policy Guidelines

Introduction

Since 1973 the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs has been financially supporting a variety of community development programmes of National and Local YMCAs in this region through its own fund, called the Asia and Pacific YMCA Development Fund?(APYDF).

In 1999, the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs, with a view to replenishing the APYDF, officially launched the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund (GATF) to elp people help themselves? The (GATF) is to support participatory efforts of the YMCA in the work with the poorest of the poor of the region, their empowerment and the development of the spirit of self-reliance.

 Many YMCAs in this region have been actively engaged in partnership with people in marginalised and excluded communities in the urban as well as the remotest and poorest of rural villages, to work towards enhancement of their personal growth and building a community characterised by justice, peace and love. There has been in recent years a gradual and visible shift from project oriented programmes to participatory community organising programmes with focus on a justice-model of development. The GATF will give priority to such programmes and projects of National and Local YMCAs in the region.  

A. Purpose of the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund

The purpose of the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund is to help people to help themselves through the YMCAs?programmes and projects to improve the quality of life of the poorest peoples in Asia and Pacific countries, irrespective of their race, caste or religion. Amongst other efforts, the Fund will support the provision of basic needs of the poor and destitute; relief and care to victims of national and man-made calamities; and the promotion and advancement of education.

B. Priority Programme Issues and Concerns  

1. Addressing impoverishment in marginalised / excluded communities to improve the quality of life of the poorest people in those communities, irrespective of their race, caste or creed.

Today, we face severe negative impacts arising from the process of globalisation such as rising loss of employment, destruction of the cultural and traditional life, pollution and destruction of the environment. Many YMCAs realise that unless the poor and marginalised people come together in an organised way and actively participate in a process to tackle the multi-dimensional issues and problems themselves, very little sustainable development can be achieved. People need to be organised, and gradually through a process of social analysis, assisted to identify and analyse their problems and issues within their respective communities, e.g. fisher-folk, land-less farmers, marginal farmers, poor women, informal labour, domestic helpers, sex workers, low caste peoples (especially dalits ), street children, etc.

Over the years, YMCAs in the region have had different experiences of involvement in the community through a variety of community development projects. While these have been helpful to communities, experiences of the past few years have shown that there is a need to engage in process-oriented participatory development to address the issue of development in a more holistic way.

2. Empowering marginalised / excluded communities through organising of local resources for social and economic development, and advocacy.

People-oriented participatory development is an ongoing process of empowerment through which people can be helped to liberate themselves from all conditions and structures that prevent the full realisation of their potentials and hinder the establishment of communities where there is justice, peace and love. Today, it is widely recognised that such a people-oriented participatory development process would lead towards self-reliance, drawing upon people  local environment, their cultural, socio-economic and political realities, and their diverse, almost infinite possibilities. This people-centred process through which the community can, in harmonious partnership with people of goodwill and of all faiths, work together for social, cultural, economic and political development. It can also actively promote and engage in advocacy for a just, participatory and sustainable order of relationships amidst a culture of peace.  

C. Project Proponents :

National or Local YMCAs. All local YMCA Projects should be processed and endorsed by the National      YMCA.  

D. Criteria for Programme/Project Applications

Programmes should meet the following criteria :

  • Be in line with the purposes of the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund.
  • Be within the priority programme issues / projects.
  • The project/programme must be technically viable and written in a simple but logical manner.
  • The project or programme proposal should show mobilisation and contribution of community and local/national YMCA resources towards the financial and other resource requirements.
  • Employ community organising processes to engender ownership of the programme. Have strong partnership between the YMCA and the programme community, starting from the planning stage through implementation and evaluation.
  • Incorporate the elements of sustainability and self-reliance within the community.
  • In particular, the programme or project must include as part of its objectives, and as major components the following :
  • The conscientisation of people to raise awareness of self-dignity, solidarity and responsibility towards their own community;
  • Community organisation for self-reliant activities of and for the people of the community;
  • Co-ordination and linkage with other development efforts within the community. 

E. Types of Disbursements and Maximum Amount

  1. Trustees shall annually recommend an appropriate sum from the accrued interest/returns on investments for disbursements.
  2. The types of disbursements shall be Grants or Loans. A Grant/Loan shall not exceed US$ 5,000. The maximum disbursement per programme or project will be dependent on the amount that shall become available for disbursement by recommendation of the Trustees of the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund and approval of the Executive Committee of the Alliance.
  3. The grant/loan applied for should be within the set programme budget to ensure action toward self-reliance and enhancement of community resources, and closer partnership on the part of the applying YMCA and the programme/project community.
  4. Where the programme costs are greater than the grant/loan allowable, the reviewing committee may refer the programme to other funding partners in part or in total, and assist the particular YMCA in such an application.  

F. Application, Selection and Implementation Process

  1. The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Secretariat will call for applications at the appropriate time prior to the Annual Executive Committee Meeting of the Alliance.
  2. All applications from the local YMCAs should be processed through the National Movement to ensure that they are consistent with the priority issues and set criteria for programmes/projects. The National Council should then submit the duly endorsed applications to the Alliance for its consideration.
  3. The applications received by the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs will be reviewed and deliberated upon by the relevant Standing Committee and submitted with appropriate comments and recommendation to the Executive Committee Meeting for final approval.
  4. The proponent YMCAs will be informed of the status of their applications within two weeks of the Executive Committee Meeting
  5. The proponent YMCAs of the accepted proposals will be requested to submit the details of their implementation plan, including the commencement date of the programme. Upon receipt of the implementation details and commencement date, the first installment of the approved funds will be released for the selected programmes.
  6. Two half-yearly narrative reports with photographs and the necessary financial reports will have to be submitted to the Alliance Office as part of the monitoring and evaluation process. Delay in submitting the requisite reports could result in a delay of the release of the second installment of the approved programme funds.
  7. Failure to submit the required Reports after three consecutive monthly reminders, without valid reasons, could result in the termination of the support for the programme/project, and all monies of the initial installment sent that remains unexpended will have to be reimbursed to the Golden Anniversary Trust Fund.
  8. On-site evaluations would be made as necessary, and/or appropriate, by the Executive Staff of the Alliance or by other designated persons.

 Process of Approval and Funding :

Applications :
Applications should be submitted according to the Format attached.

1. National movements are requested to submit their Programmes/Projects to reach the Asia and Pacific Alliance Secretariat on or before 15 February .

2. The Asia and Pacific Alliance Secretariat will present the Applications, with analysis, to the relevant Standing Committees and Programme Related Task Group of the Alliance at the Executive Committee Meeting.

3. The Standing Committees and Related Task Groups will study all Programmes/Projects and make recommendations for Funding to the Finance and Administration Committee. The Committee, based on a total overview of needs and funding available, will submit recommendations to the Executive Committee Meeting for final approval.

4. Release of Funds: The funds would be released within a month after the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Executive Committee Meetings in March, upon receipt of the confirmation of the commencement date of the approved programmes/projects, in appropriate instalments to meet the cash flow needs of the programmes/projects to be implemented.