The importance of accountability to donors
We’re here in Port-Au-Prince. One of our team members said it was, “the most pitiful sight I have ever seen. There were
children begging for money against the van
windows as we stopped for traffic. There were tent and tarp cities of
thousands
everywhere. Imagine a city that size with no garbage pickup in over four
months.”
children begging for money against the van
windows as we stopped for traffic. There were tent and tarp cities of
thousands
everywhere. Imagine a city that size with no garbage pickup in over four
months.”
Let’s say you wanted to respond to this need and you’ve got some money to give. When you give a donation, are you owed anything in return?
“Thank you” would be nice for starters. But is there anything else?
Our Haiti team has done a great job of
connecting churches in America with churches in Haiti. We’re not the biggest NGO here, but we do a couple of things really
well.
connecting churches in America with churches in Haiti. We’re not the biggest NGO here, but we do a couple of things really
well.
1. We go deep in our relationships with local churches, meeting
physical and spiritual needs – we especially focus on discipleship.
physical and spiritual needs – we especially focus on discipleship.
2. We emphasize accountability to donors. Every donation
goes to meet the needs in a local Haitian community. We send along a
videographer to record the event and send the video back to the donors.
goes to meet the needs in a local Haitian community. We send along a
videographer to record the event and send the video back to the donors.
God is doing so much in Haiti. But what keeps many people from
giving is their concern that the money isn’t going to go where they
intend. They wonder if it’s really going to make a long-term
difference.
giving is their concern that the money isn’t going to go where they
intend. They wonder if it’s really going to make a long-term
difference.
It’s been great to see our staff’s desire to be
accountable in a detailed way to our donors and to bring them into the middle of what God
is doing in Haiti.
accountable in a detailed way to our donors and to bring them into the middle of what God
is doing in Haiti.
When you give, how do you want to answer the question, “Will my
gift really make a difference?”
gift really make a difference?”
Comments (4)
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Imagine.
Thank you, Seth & Team for running to the front lines to meet & serve. I’ll keep praying.
Hey Seth thanks for this update. Having served many faith based nonprofits I know from first hand experience the heart of AIM is not just to describe needs but to define solutions and report on results. Keep doing that! It is one of the reasons you are growing in imapct globally.
I think simply the transparency and desire to be accountable to the donor base is huge. The videos are a great way of communicating to those who give and serve the impact of those gifts. I also like to give to those organizations I have seen in action, and is one of the reasons I am eager to serve at some point on an upcoming trip.
Seth,
Let them come and see how accountable AIM have been in Swaziland. This is one of the big reasons our partnerships work. People can give to AIM and know that the money will be used for what it has been given for.