Thusanang - sharing and giving

Thusanang is a funding information website facility sponsored by USAID, launched a year ago and hosted by the SA NGO Network (SANGONet). The web-page provides details of funding and fundraising news and events, articles on creative fundraising plans, publications and other resources, and capacity-building tools.

Thusanang is developing a directory of grantmakers with their contact details, and showcases different donors, highlighting their areas of interest. The organisation is also preparing a national listing of volunteers.

Feedback from Thusanang's first Focus Group Discussion, held in August 2003, was very positive, with participants creating and enjoying a warm, proactive meeting of ideas, energy and collaboration. The Thusanang team said that they are encouraged, but also challenged, to provide information, tools and referrals around issues and needs such as:

• capacity-building;
• guidelines for responsible grant-making and grant-seeking;
• financial sustainability;dialogue and relationships with donors;
• access to government funding.

Amongst those organisations present at the focus group session were: the AIDS Consortium, Catholic Institute of Education, Coalition of Anglican Children's Homes, Girl Guides Association of South Africa (GGASA), Lifeline South Africa, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-SA), NICRO, Wits Law Clinic and the Youth Development Network (YDN).

For more information about Thusanang, contact:
PO Box 31, Johannesburg 2000
13th Floor, Longsbank Building, 187 Bree Street, Johannesburg 2001
Telephone: (011) 838 6943
Fax: (011) 492 1058
Email: thusanang@sangonet.org.za
Website: www.thusanang.org.za

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