He manages donor fund at SUF

Strathmore University Foundation Executive Director Maurice Omondi during the interview on Monday, July 30, 2018. PHOTO| DENNIS ONSONGO

What you need to know:

  • Right from childhood I have always had the desire to help people in different situations of need.
  • The Strathmore culture drives our staff and students to give their best and give back to the community.
  • Winning grants and signing new partnerships gives me a lot of motivation.

Maurice Omondi is a development and fundraising professional with over 15 years’ experience in international development.

He has previously worked with Plan International, ActionAid International and Youth for Conservation. He is passionate about promoting access to education for all children irrespective of their background.

What are three key things that SUF do?

Strathmore University Foundation is a subsidiary of Strathmore University and was established with the main goal of mobilising resources for the sustainability and advancement of the University.

At the foundation, we mobilise resources by first raising awareness about philanthropy and fundraising, we develop sustainable partnerships with private organisations, the government as well as individuals; and build a sustainable endowment for students studying in our university at both undergraduate and post graduate levels.

How do your personal goals, marry with the goals of SUF?

Right from childhood I have always had the desire to help people in different situations of need. When I was in campus, a friend had a heart condition and I was at the centre of mobilising both the staff and fellow students to come together and help.

I also run the Tambua Wasichana Initiative in Migori which is a holiday camp for girls, aimed at empowering young girls to gain self-confidence and life skills necessary for growth.

I am also a member of the Catholic Men Association and we have started a Boy Child mentorship program called the Beacon Boy program. The aim of this program is to mentor young boys and teenagers to be responsible men in society.

So far, SUF has over 2000 donors What endears donors to the foundation?

The Strathmore culture sets us apart. We have a culture that has been embraced by our students and partners over the years.

This culture drives our staff and students to give their best and give back to the community. We have zero tolerance on corruption and vices such as nepotism, tribalism or even sexual abuse.

As a result, we have developed lasting partnerships with individual and institutional donors. We have a vibrant alumni body which act either as direct donors to the university projects or links us up to their organisations and other friends.

We ensure that we use the resources that we have raised according to what we have promised the donors and we keep them updated on the progress and impact.

For accountability, we send them regular reports and welcome them to see what we do with their donations, like scholarships given to needy students. This includes scholarships based on academic excellence and sports.

What is the most challenging thing about working with donors? Any extreme lows?

Matching donor needs and those of the foundation can be a challenge because some donors prefer to give for immediate causes such as drought or emergencies, which is not our primary target. Ultimately, this has limited our scope for fundraising.

There is also the perception that Strathmore is a rich University and as such, many people fail to understand why we have a charity. We thus have to continuously highlight the needs that ought to be addressed in order for us to raise funding.

There are also the changing priorities of donors and the fact that Kenya is now being viewed as a middle-income country has had many donors put priorities in other countries which, presumably, have more need.

How do you identify donors that you want to work with? Also, give a quick walkthrough for young charities still setting themselves up?

To be successful in fundraising, the organisation needs to fully understand itself, be clear about its program objectives and have a clarity about its area of operations – before venturing out. The organisation must also have a legal or social identity and a defined constituency.

The organisation must develop a project proposal that exhaustively underlines all the important details about the project in a way that any prospective partner will understand. This includes a clear description of the problem that needs to be addressed and opportunities available as solutions.

Describe also how you intend to solve the problem, the resources you have and what areas of assistance you need from a donor. Remember to explain the results you expect and how these will be measured.

You will also define the sources of funding that you need; whether through partnerships or donations, whether to approach individuals or donors in the private sector, the government, international bodies, NGOs or foundations.

After that, one has to conduct a prospect research where you do intensive research about the possible donors; get to know about their expectations and conditional ties, their eligibility criteria, what they fund and the procedure they use to make donations.

Another key step is to develop a data base with all potential donors and partners and approach them while tapping into your networks.

What key learning points has the organisation had under your directorship?

Before meeting any donor or potential donor, always carry out enough background research; know about their priority areas and even know about the specific individual that you will be meeting, if that information is available.

This way, you will know what to say and what not to say in order to avoid using words or approaches that can offend instead of attracting a donor.

Also, share reports with the donors in good time so that they are continually updated about what is happening – if you take too long, they can move on and give priority to other organisations that care about them.

How did your first job prepare you for the position that you hold today?

My education in the social sciences greatly exposed me to community work and my first two jobs, first with Plan International and ActionAid International strongly drew me to community development work.

What are the grey areas that a young person getting into fundraising should be aware of?

It is tough to convince people to give you their money. The job requires a lot of patience. You will also need to have high levels of integrity in both your private and public life because there is no telling who is watching.

Realise that you can face rejection and when one door is closed, it does not mean that there is no hope. Go back and reflect on the possible causes of the rejection.

Learn from the experience, equip yourself with more skills, a lot of information and training in fundraising is available online; be proactive and flexible.

What is the most exciting thing about your job?

Winning grants and signing new partnerships gives me a lot of motivation.

I also work with a vibrant team of young people – watching them grow, make their own decisions which benefit the organisation and become assertive excites me.

As a manager, I have learnt to accept other people with different abilities, aspirations and what drives different people.