Winter/Spring 2023

Greetings!

It's a new year! I hope 2023 has been treating you well so far. As winter melts into spring, this time of year is always filled with a sense of hope and renewal, and we at AFF have a lot to look forward to – from our Ramadan campaign to our plans for the COP 28 summit to our upcoming annual meeting. 

First, I encourage you to fill in our latest Arab Philanthropy Survey. In September, I wrote about the importance of transparency and data in making the region's philanthropy sector as efficient and impactful as possible. Following on from the first survey we launched in 2021, this version has been updated with the aim of gathering insights and hard numbers on how Arab foundations operate, the challenges they face and how they have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By taking some time to answer our questions, you can help us build this vital resource.

Please access the survey here, and feel free to forward the link to others you know in the sector – the more information we can collect, the more good we can do together. 

Later this month, be sure to check out our Ramadan campaign on Twitter and Facebook. For each day of the holy month, we will highlight a specific project or goal that one of our members is focusing on. The goal is to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary work our members are doing and maybe even spark inspiration and collaboration among the wide range of organisations in our network.

Looking ahead, we're excited for our annual meeting in Cairo on September 11-12. And after that comes the COP 28 climate change conference in the United Arab Emirates. Climate change directly impacts the programmes supported by all philanthropic organisations in the Arab region – from jobs to education to health and more. That's why we at AFF believe the issue needs to be at the top of the agenda for the region's philanthropic sector. Building on our experience at COP 27 last year in Egypt, we will be engaging in and convening a range of events leading up to and during COP 28 to help give voice to the sector in one of the regions hardest hit by the climate crisis. More details are coming soon.

We also want to extend a warm welcome to our newest members who have joined AFF over the past several months. Among our new member organisations are the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is working in 36 economies around the world to help make them competitive, well-governed, green, inclusive, resilient and integrated, and Swisscontact, a non-profit organisation using its investments to promote inclusive economic, social and ecological development through projects like Tafawoq, which is training 500 young men and women to help them integrate into the labour market. 

We have a few new individual members, too, including Reem Khouri, co-founder and CEO of the impact analysis software company Whyise as well as the founding partner of Kaamen, an impact design company; Manal Issa, who is based in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; and Leila Hessini, a transnational strategist and philanthropic adviser in the U.S. We're so happy to have you all join us!

While we already have plenty of exciting events to fill the year, we always want to hear your thoughts on what more we can do for you and how we can stay engaged. And if you’re interested in joining our network, please reach out to Walid Nagi, our Network and Relationships Director.

Thank you for your continued support and valuable membership.



Naila Farouky

CEO – Arab Foundations Forum

Arab Foundations Forum Annual Meeting 2022

Also in December, we held our Annual Meeting, presenting a retrospective of the year and looking ahead to the priority areas and general plan for 2023. You can access the recording here.

Partnerships in Philanthropy:

Models for Collaboration in the MENA Region

In partnership with the OECD Centre on Philanthropy, we co-hosted a virtual critical discussion in November looking at the various models of collaboration in philanthropy. Speakers from the Jordan River Foundation, Pearl Initiative and others examined the questions around when philanthropy organisations are best positioned to work together, when they should work individually and what role data-sharing plays in more effective collaboration. You'll find more information here.

System Change in Philanthropy for Development:

Lessons from the MENA region

Together with the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) at the Cambridge Judge Business School, we hosted a virtual panel discussion in September to talk about how to ensure that philanthropic research in the MENA region better correlates with the realities of those working on the ground. More information is available here and click here to access the session recording.

News From Our Members

11-12 September 2023: AFF Annual Meeting. Location and registration information will be announced soon.

30 November - 12 December 2023: AFF will host a range of events and activities leading up to and during COP 28 in the United Arab Emirates. More details to come.

How to Increase Your Association's Membership Renewal Rate

It's not Survey Fatigue. It's Lack of Action Fatigue

Three Tips to Transform Your Association Event Into a Top Member Experience

Funding the Future:

How the Climate Crisis Intersects with Your Giving

How Arab Philanthropic Organizations Can Catch-up on Climate Change 

Playing Around With AI: ChatGPT and Text to Image