IDEX–Seva Community Self-Development Program
Photo: Cecilia Monroy
Yesi the pottery teacher at Hogar Comunitario Yach’il Antzetic, part of the CSD Program.
On September 1, 2009, IDEX assumed responsibility of the Seva Foundation’s Community Self-Development (CSD) Program in Mexico and Guatemala.
Over the next 12 months IDEX will work to transition the Seva CSD program within our existing programs. We hope you will join us in extending a warm welcome to the Seva CSD program.
Anticipating questions about this transition from both IDEX and Seva supporters, we have compiled a list of questions and answers below.
- Why is SEVA seeking a new home for its Community Self-Development (CSD) Program?
- Why has IDEX assumed responsibility for the Seva CSD Program?
- What is the transition plan?
- What are the benefits for IDEX?
- As an existing IDEX donor, will my money be used to support the CSD Program?
- As a donor to the SEVA CSD Program, can I continue to support the CSD Program?
- Will all of the CSD grantees become IDEX Partners?
- If IDEX doesn’t continue to fund CSD Program grantees what will happen to them?
- Is IDEX hiring?
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Why is SEVA seeking a new home for its Community Self-Development (CSD) Program?
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Why has IDEX assumed responsibility for the Seva CSD Program?
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What is the transition plan?
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What are the benefits for IDEX?
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As an existing IDEX donor, will my money be used to support the CSD Program?
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As a donor to the SEVA CSD Program, can I continue to support the CSD Program?
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Will all of the CSD grantees become IDEX Partners?
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If IDEX doesn’t continue to fund CSD Program grantees what will happen to them?
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Is IDEX hiring?
In early 2009 the Seva Foundation Board of Directors engaged in a strategic re-visioning process to adjust and respond to the realities of the current global economy. In this time of limited resources Seva decided to focus its efforts on its sight programs. The Seva Board made the difficult decision to stop supporting the Community Self-Development Program and looked for another organization already doing similar work in Latin America.
IDEX and Seva have a long history of working with indigenous communities in southern Mexico and Guatemala. The two organizations have common goals of supporting community development initiatives. Both Seva and IDEX are committed to providing sustained support, as this is fundamental to poverty alleviation.
IDEX has benefited from several years of growth and has built internal systems to continue on a path of expansion. Acquiring the CSD program allows IDEX to grow its Latin America support significantly in one year, while also achieving greater efficiencies.
IDEX will work closely with former Seva staff to ensure that grantees in Guatemala and Southern Mexico are able to continue their work as planned through June 2010
As of September 1, 2009, IDEX will hire Seva CSD staff as consultants for IDEX. As such IDEX is excited to welcome Julie Rinard (former Director of Community Self-Development Program at the Seva Foundation) and an experienced team in Mexico and Guatemala, Roger Maldonado, Mexico Program Manager, Nelson Escobar, Guatemala Program Manager and Armando Fraatz, Guatemala Field Coordinator.
Together we will work to ensure there is a smooth transition for the Seva CSD program. In the next few months the program will operate much as it did at the Seva Foundation. In the first half of 2010 IDEX will evaluate which of the CSD grantees would be good candidates to become long-term IDEX partners. In the event that we decide to no longer fund a group IDEX will work with them to develop a transition plan to assist each grantee.
IDEX sees mutual benefits for both IDEX and the CSD grantees. IDEX has long history of working effectively in Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala. The addition of the Seva grantees allows us to build our experience in the region while enabling us to achieve greater efficiencies in our Latin America work. This acquisition comes at a time when the IDEX staffing infrastructure can accommodate additional grantees in Latin America, while also building our programs in Africa and Asia.
IDEX has always encouraged best practices to be shared between our grantees. We hope to facilitate more opportunities for like-minded groups to share their successes and challenges and learn from one another.
With this acquisition IDEX can also benefit from working closely with former Seva staff and learning how a similar organization approaches this work. We hope that this will be an enriching experience for both IDEX and former Seva staff.
As an existing IDEX donor your donation will be targeted to benefit existing IDEX partners and grantees. The CSD program has been transferred to IDEX with some resources that will enable us to leverage new funding for CSD and IDEX’s Latin America work as a whole. We don’t anticipating using IDEX funds for CSD in the coming fiscal year (ends June 30, 2010). If you have an interest in directing your funding to the CSD grantees, please contact us to discuss your gift.
IDEX would be honored to have your support. To join our mailing list please complete the Join Our Email List box to the right of this page.
IDEX is committed to giving as many as possible of the existing CSD groups a grant in this fiscal year (ends June 30, 2010). During the transition period IDEX will build relationships, monitor and evaluate CSD grantees to better understand both how each group works and how IDEX can support them in their work. By the end of June 2010 we hope to be able to offer a catalyst grant to some CSD projects and from there bring some grantees on as IDEX partners.
All CSD grantees are aware of the current funding situation. In the next few months the program will operate much as it did at the Seva Foundation. In the first half of 2010 IDEX will evaluate which of the CSD grantees would be good candidates to become long-term IDEX partners. In the event that we decide to no longer fund a group IDEX will work with them to develop a transition plan to assist each grantee.
If you have any questions or comments about this, we encourage you to contact us. We’d be happy to talk with you on the phone, or in person.
No. During the transition period IDEX is contracting with the Seva CSD staff as consultants. In the long-term IDEX’s current staff and interns will be able to manage the program.
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