Starting a new ILP Chapter

1) STARTING A CHAPTER:

A chapter usually starts with 3-4 people who believe in the cause of literacy, and usually folks who like to start something and be part of a growing organization. You can send out a summary on ILP to friends, mailing lists inviting people to join.

Usually, the first set of people will need to put in atleast 2 hrs a week to meet + some time to follow-up on actions. Over a period of time when more vols join, delegation is possible and the time commitment stabilizes.

The initial group gets together to internalize the cause of ILP (as represented on our website, the presentations we have shared, etc).

 

2) INITIAL FUNDS:

Since 100% of funds raised go to the programs, administrative expenses are borne by volunteers. Some volunteers in a chapter can make a targeted donation to ILP's administrative pool. The initial amount required depends on the initiatives the chapter plans to undertake for the year.

 

3) KEY INFRASTRUCTURE:

• Setting up a PO box to receive mail.
• Creating a chapter mailing list (Yahoo Groups works great!).
• Setting up a bank account (Not always necessary).
• Setting up a chapter specific web page on our website with contacts and initiatives.
• Initiating monthly/periodic meetings to identify objectives and initiatives, resources (personnel and finance) and report on progres. CA chapter has found that meeting once a month, at a preset date/time really helps, so people can plan their social/personal activities around this time.

 

4) NEW CHAPTER GOALS IN THE 1st YEAR:

A typical new chapter's goals and activities for the first year may include:

• Publicity and Volunteer Sign-ups: setting up ILP table at local events, presentations to the Indian/local community specifically requesting people to sign-up. The idea is to get volunteer sign-ups. Some of the other activities listed below may also be included. (A tabling kit is available for use.)
• Spread awareness and raise funds: Corporate and individual donor presentations, organize events. At least 7-8 people are required to organize a small event. Alternately, you may approach local cultural groups (drama, music, dance) to donate proceeds to ILP. This again spreads the word while raising some funds.
• Ten dollar Club: we have a $10 club where $10 per month (or more if the donor wants to) is automatically charged to a donor's credit card. This is a great way to raise funds. Getting 10 people to sign-up raises $1200 per year - funds a typical project for 6 months.
• Participate in Scrips program: escrip.com is a nation-wide initiative where scrips are provided by grocers, and other businesses. A portion of the purchases made by the scrip buyer goes to ILP.
• Other fund raising options include:
  • Partnering with other foundations/corporations to fund one or more of ILP's projects.
  • Approach potential donors who would like to adopt one or more of ILP's projects.
  • Approach corporations to sponsor events and/or adopt a project.

  However, these options require an in-depth understanding of ILP, and are better started off in the 2nd year once a volunteer base of 10-12 active volunteers is established.

 

5) PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL LEVEL TEAMS:

Projects, ILP Website and Finance are national level teams where 1-2 representatives from each chapter participate in the process.

• The Projects team consists of Project Stewards who understand the project in-depth and articulate the successes of the project towards fund raising, in addition to conducting periodic audit on the progress and financial usage of the funds sent. The team members work closely with ILP-India.
• The Website team consists of chapter-specific web masters who work with the National co-ordinator for the website to align the chapter information with the org level information.
• The Finance coordinator for the chapter works closely with the National Finance co-ordinator in preparing budgets, reporting actuals and allocation of funds to projects as identified by the Projects team.

More about ILP:

 

• ILP's unique participatory evaluation of the programs we fund ensure that 100% of the funds we raise go towards the program.
• You must have read the history of ILP ideology. This gives the background of ILP's evolution and how closely interlinked we are with the nation-wide programs run by the Government.
• Over the years, we have learned the following:
  • We can only fund programs that would become models/good examples for the State to emulate. We must engage the State to channel their budgets to the right programs, and the NGOs who have closer connections with the community and understand the community's needs can develop such models that we can fund.
  • Community mobilization/participation in determining the education/literacy needs is very important. This is a multi-step process that begins with educating the public first of their rights/responsibilities - one step more than functional literacy.
  • ILP-India should focus on developing a repository of such models and network with the right NGOs/community bodies to engage with the State.