Dear students, family, friends and everyone else, how are you? I have been very busy as usual. Today our interviewee is Leona Forman. She lives in Manhattan, New York, and she is the founder of Brazil Foundation, a not-for-profit in the US and a Public Interest Organization in Brazil, that was created in 2000, and has been mobilizing a growing philanthropic community focusing on social development in Brazil. She is a Brazilian-American with a Russian- Jewish background who was born in China. Wow! J Querida Leona, it’s a pleasure to interview you! I know how busy you are and want to thank you for taking the time to be interviewed by Luso.Luso - Why and when did you actually decide to start the Brazil Foundation?
Leona - It was at the point of retirement from a 20 year career in public information at the United Nations, when a strong pull to reconnect with Brazil and to give-back to the country that so generously received my refugee family in 1953. Having worked with non profit organizations from all parts of the world, I knew how difficult it was for them to raise resources, how important it was for the non profits build confidence among the other two sectors – the private sector and the government sector – in their work in order to form partnerships and jointly face challenges faced by marginalized communities in all countries. The Brazilian population in the US that is calculated in over 1.2 million people, includes a very successful, talented, sought after professionals in all sectors, industries and services – financial, banking, industrial, steel-gas and oil industries, fashion, new media, film, health, academic, designers, musicians ,etc. In talks with people it became clear that although far away from their home-states in Brazil they were deeply attached to their families and communities and what I heard most is that they wanted to share the success they had in the US by making social investments in lives of others back home. BrazilFoundation became a trusted vehicle for them to participate, to make a difference and in the nine years since its founding, we raised more than $11 million dollars that were directed to over 286 non- profit social organizations in all states of Brazil.
Luso - Your organization basically raises funds for social projects in Brazil and I know that you have an annual selection of projects. What types of criteria does your group use to evaluate the projects?
Leona - In 2002, the first year we had resources to give - $30,000 - we made a call for project proposals. We received 72 proposals and were able to make three grants of $10,000 each and still had some money due to favorable dollar/real exchange to create an incentive prize to a very promising project.
Our grants have a one-year time line, a maximum budget of R$30,000 (approximately US$16,600.00) at current exchange rates and provide us with four implementation reports during the period. We closely monitor this implementation – for the success of the project is our own success. We provide two project-coordinators with an initial capacity building “boot-camp” in management, administration and communications. These workshops often are considered even more important for the small and medium organizations we work with than the grant itself , providing the organization with the tools and skills they need for their growth and ability to form partnerships.
We seek projects in the fields of education, health, human rights, participatory development and culture. The criteria we use in the selection process – and this year we received 1116 proposals! – is first and foremost, that the people or community the project is intended to benefit, embraces the project, wants and needs it. Secondly, that the project is innovative, creative, efficient, effective. And thirdly, that in the long run, it has potential to influence public policy.
Luso – After the project is chosen, what type of follow-up do you have to guarantee that the funds are being used for that project?
Leona - As stated above, we require quarterly reports on implementation of the project proposal where the benchmarks and indicators are already clearly defined. As grantees are selected, they receive half of the grant immediately and six months later, considering all is going as planned, the second half. This provides us with endless opportunities to be in direct communication with each projects, provide them with assistance by telephone, e-mail or in rare cases, visits by project analysts. Rare is the year when a project is unable to complete its objective. This close monitoring and supportive relationship has produced amazing results for the relatively small social investment.
Luso – The majority of the social projects that I’ve known in Brazil are in one way or another related to Arts, mainly music and dance. Professor Freire used to say that Arts have an important role in the process of transformation of the entire society. I know that Brazil Foundation supports many Artistic- Social projects. How do you see the presence of Arts nowadays? Do you agree with Professor Paulo Freire that Arts are important tools to transform the human being and, consequently, the society?
Leona - I think arts and culture are most crucial elements in any society and in Brazil the talents are found in the most far-flung communities. The projects we get in the fields of art and culture usually have to do with the promotion and preservation of the traditions and production of artistic heritage, whether it is afro-brazilian, Brazilian-indigenous or the cultures imported from Europe and the Americas. Providing young people with the opportunity to learn and perform and create, whether it is music, painting, design, theater the projects are most creative in fomenting talents. Many of the grantee-organizations we have made grants to in the field of culture caught the eyes of the Ministry of Culture and have become Points of Culture , national centers for the promotion of arts, music and culture supported by the Ministry of Culture. There is an amazing story of the Banda Revoltosa in Nazare da Mata, Pernambuco, that exemplifies the potential of a grantee!
Luso – Open space for your input
Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the work of BrazilFoundation. I hope your readers will want to go to our website to learn more – www.brazilfoundation.org
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