Travelers' Philanthropy Handbook - Center for Responsible Travel

• What Have Been Staff Reactions?Because philanthropy is at the core of everything wedo, all employees are devoted to our mission.• Have You Provided Staff Training toSupport the Philanthropic Work?As a young company that is inventing a new productwe are always training and learning as we go.M-Lisada Orphanage for street children, Kampala,Uganda. Slogan is Music to the Rescue.Credit: GoPhilanthropic• How are Funds Raised?Our clients learn about the projects during the planning stages of their trip. Before traveling theydecide how they would like to support the project. We offer advice and provide options to ourtravelers, based wish lists made by each non-profit organization.Examples include: funds for a water well, library, micro-finance loan, classroom, scholarships,repairs to buildings, or things as simple as school supplies. During the trip, our clientsparticipate in an on-site meeting with a representative of the local partner organization to seewhere their funds went. Most importantly, this meeting gives our clients the opportunity to seeand experience the value of their contribution.Some of our groups fundraise before traveling. In those cases, we ensure that the donationscollected go toward true program needs, as opposed to what the traveler thinks the programshould get. Ten percent of our clients want to meet, see, and learn about the program beforegiving their financial contribution. We support this approach too because our focus is oneducation and bringing people to the door of these great organizations. When there is a desireto support, we then make sure it is channeled appropriately.• How Do You Solicit Donations?Anyone who travels with us has already self-identified as being interested in philanthropy. Aportion of the company’s net profits will automatically be given to our partners. In addition, eachtraveler has the option to support the organizations and projects they visit, but it is neverrequired. We believe education is the first step and that our clients may decide later to give. Weoffer a variety of avenues for our clients to support our partner organizations.In the latter part of 2010, we launched a Grassroots Giving Campaign whereby donors couldsupport our partner non-profits by funding items small and large. Donors are given theopportunity to travel to the locations or simply fund them.In Southeast Asia, GoPhilanthropic donors raised funds for five village water wells in SiemReap, a community water system in Phnom Penh, scholarships for university students,assistance for women's empowerment in Thailand, and several mobile libraries in Vietnam withthese organizations.84