Project Selection
In considering a project, besides our own resources, we look at the overall wellbeing of a child in his or her natural setting i.e. the natural family. Therefore, we strive to support and educate the family as a whole and view ourselves as catalysts for the security of the family unit where the child is an integral part. We try to plan the self-sufficiency of the project from its very inception. We think that the project should ultimately be operated by the local people and under the leadership of the beneficiary population. We see our role as the catalysts and initiators. Therefore, we assist local people with the training to manage the project along with the necessary capital.
We work with the local leaders until the project achieves stability of operation and achieves a clear vision of survival.In the process, we create a self-supporting business unit, composed of local population. These people have inherent interest in making the project work for themselves and for their community. When the project reaches a degree of maturity, both financially and in management skills, we exit the project with recommendations for the future and the request that the project adopt a formal goal of community service akin to a Non-Profit Organization.
Funding Philosophy
When we raise the funds
At VOC we are committed to optimizing the hard-earned dollar of the donor for the projects that we fund. We understand that the donors trust us to employ the resources in the best possible way we know to assist the needy people. We take every precaution known to us to ensure that the funds are not only well utilized but are done so with efficiency. We fund the project in the same way that we would want our hard-earned resources to be used. We are also volunteers and do not compensate ourselves.
We also try to use resources in a way that tends to regenerate the benefits to the people as often as possible, or through permanent services when possible. We not only provide funds but also have detailed discussions with the receiving entity about the way the funds would be used in order so that they may benefit from our experience. We do a lot of due diligence before funding the program to ensure proper utilization of the resources we employ. We do a lot of due diligence before funding the program to ensure proper utilization of the resources we employ.
Since our prime concern is that the donation received must be efficiently utilized, we may not fund the program that was considered at the onset. Our research has sometimes led us to believe that the funds would not be well utilized. In such a case, VOC will opt not to fund that program even though we may have originally wanted to do so and collected or raised funds for that activity. Generally speaking, we will fund the program within 90 days, however, if we are not satisfied with program management aspects, we will then hold the funds within our General Funds. We will then try again to work with the Program Manager to see if we can fund the program for another 6 months. If we are not satisfied with the program management aspects at that point, the funds will become part of our General Funds, which means that they may be allocated for any of our programs. During those 6 months, the funds, although preferred, are not guaranteed to go to that program. That program must compete with other activities that we see appropriate for funding.
We have every intention to support the program for which we raise the funds. However, we consider it more important that the funds be well utilized rather than simply funding it because it was raised for that activity.
When the funds were raised by others
If, however, we are given funds that were donated to us for a specific purpose and for which we did not allocate our fundraising resources, we will fund that program per the instruction of the donor. We will do our due diligence to verify the safe and efficient utilization of the funds after checking with the concerned program manager. At that point, if satisfied with the program management, VOC will communicate it to the donor and fund that program. If, however, VOC is not satisfied with the program management based on our research and our standards, we will refund the donation to the donor.
