Ghana Joins Philanthropy Platform to Foster Sustainable Development
Accra, Ghana, and New York, NY — July 9, 2015. Today, more than 80 leaders will meet in Accra to discuss how to join forces to collectively implement the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana. Participants from business, philanthropy, social investment, the UN system, non-governmental organizations, and government will have a rare opportunity to exchange information and share their ideas concerning the future of Ghana’s development. The leaders will discuss a broad array of challenges related to water and sanitation, education, livelihoods, youth employability, and more.
The workshop is organized by the Post-2015 Partnership Platform for Philanthropy — a project of the United Nations Development Programme, Foundation Center, and a group of leading foundations guided by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors — which is facilitating a more active role for philanthropy in the planning and implementation of the SDGs. The Platform receives guidance from leading funders, including the Conrad N. Hilton, Ford, and MasterCard foundations.
"The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has been investing in water projects in Ghana for over 25 years," said Edmund Cain, vice president for grant programs at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. "With the vision provided by SDG 6 (Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all) our foundation sees an opportunity to leverage its future investments with other partners to finally achieve this goal, and hopefully earlier than 2030."
Following a series of global stakeholder consultations, 17 SDGs have been proposed as part of the broader Post-2015 Development Agenda. When adopted in September 2015 by governments, the SDGs will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that come to a close this year.
"Effective partnership and resources mobilization are needed for the financing of the Sustainable Development Goals. Philanthropy can be the new and emerging partner to leverage its position and contributions to bring along other nongovernmental actors to engage in financing equitable and sustainable development," says Christine Evans-Klock, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Ghana.
The Post-2015 Partnership Platform for Philanthropy was launched in November 2014 to help grantmakers better understand the opportunities for engaging in global development goal processes. It also creates a means for philanthropy to participate more in the discussions on the Post-2015 agenda and to play a greater role in shaping future goals by giving a greater voice to grantee partners. Ghana joins Kenya, Colombia, and Indonesia as a country of focus for the platform.
"As philanthropy grows worldwide, so can its role in this effort to solve the globe's most challenging problems," said Bradford K. Smith, president of New York City-based Foundation Center. "The Partnership Platform will be enormously important to deepening understanding across sectors, fostering cross-sector collaborations, and accelerating progress on important goals in individual countries."
To encourage knowledge exchange globally, later this year the Platform initiative will launch SDGfunders.org, a free website that will provide data on philanthropic investments and serve as a worldwide hub for sharing case studies and online discussions.
Follow the discussion on Twitter: #phil2015 and @philSDGs
Cheryl Loe
Communications Project Manager
Foundation Center
(888) 356-0354 ext. 701
communications@foundationcenter.org
Bossman Owusu
Communications Analyst
UNDP Ghana
+233 302 215670 ext. 670
bossman.owusu@undp.org
Karolina Mzyk
Project Manager
UNDP
+90 545 854 94 56
Karolina.mzyk@undp.org
Heather Grady
Vice President
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
(415) 712-6557
hgrady@rockpa.org
About the United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org
About Foundation Center
Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 450 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230.
About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $200 million in annual giving by individuals, families, corporations, and major foundations. Founded in 2002 and continuing the Rockefeller family's legacy of thoughtful, effective philanthropy, RPA remains at the forefront of philanthropic growth and innovation, with a diverse team led by experienced grantmakers with significant depth of knowledge across the spectrum of issue areas. It has facilitated more than $3 billion in grantmaking to nearly 70 countries. www.rockpa.org
About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world's disadvantaged and vulnerable people. The Foundation currently conducts strategic initiatives in six priority areas: providing safe water, ending chronic homelessness, preventing substance abuse, helping children affected by HIV and AIDS, supporting transition-age youth in foster care, and extending Conrad Hilton's support for the work of Catholic Sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $1.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants, distributing $100 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2014. The Foundation's current assets are approximately $2.5 billion. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.
About Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization. For more than 75 years it has worked with courageous people on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. With headquarters in New York, the foundation has offices in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. For more information, please visit www.fordfoundation.org.
About The MasterCard Foundation
The MasterCard Foundation is an independent, global organization based in Toronto, Canada with over US$9 billion in assets. Through collaboration with partner organizations in 49 countries, it is creating opportunities for all people to learn and prosper. The Foundation's programs promote financial inclusion and advance youth learning, mostly in Africa. Established in 2006 through the generosity of MasterCard Worldwide when it became a public company, the Foundation is a separate and independent entity. The policies, operations and funding decisions of the Foundation are determined by its own Board of Directors and President and CEO. For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org.
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