Annual Plan 2008

The art is making a bouquet with the flowers you can reach...

It's the humbling realisation we made while attending a large, inspiring meeting of the Online Social Marketplaces Network in Washington DC, USA, in 2007. It became clear to us that despite our good intentions, we were stuck trying to achieve maximal results with minimal means. Our conviction that our online fundraising model works was confirmed, but we also saw how much investment comparable internet platforms had needed, both in terms of people and money.

No matter how great our volunteer network, we hit its limitations back in 2006. In 2007 it become all the more clear that not only time, but also the unavoidable lack of focus among volunteers mean that there is only so much you can do as an organisation, and that we had effectively already gone beyond that limit. Jokingly, we said we were trying to be a tablecloth with the means of a napkin. Net4kids also made the conscious choice to face the consequences of its ambitions in 2008. We want to and can be a tablecloth, but we will have to invest in people.

In 2008 we want to professionalise our organisation, with an ambitious business plan in hand. This plan links our ambitious goals to the required means for the next 3 to 5 years. We will need to make choices this year. Because a business plan does not stand along, we will strive for limited growth within the limits of our organisation's capabilities and the already implemented policies. In concrete terms, we want to grow by 30% in 2008, and collect € 800,000 in donations. We want to achieve this by attracting two new major donors and increasing existing donations by 10%.

Active relationship management is very important in achieving these goals. The results of the donor survey held in 2007, which will be published in 2008, can help us in this endeavour.
In order to strengthen our added value in the area of social involvement, we will continue to develop our proposition for businesses.

We want to innovate not only in what we do, but also in how we do it. The lowest possible costs remain an objective. This means we cannot simply pay more people to close the gaps in the organisation, but we must think about how to solve these problems in a creative manner.

In 2008, we want to expand our existing partnerships with Wilde Ganzen (Projects), Tracks (HRM), Whizpr (PR), Fit4finance (F&A), Attached (translations) and Bestebroers (website) with a partner to whom we can outsource the entire marketing department. Just like our partnership with Tracks, the marketing manager for the partner in question will join the Net4kids MT.

We also want to make some changes on an ICT level. In 2008, in addition to existing partner Bestebroers – who designed, maintains and overhauled our new website – we want to find parties who can provide Net4kids with a permanent professional foundation for ICT developments and implementation. But you can't outsource everything. In order to maintain and continue developing a strategic vision on ICT within Net4kids, and coordinate various parties, Net4kids will attract a salaried Chief Information Officer (CIO) in 2008.

Additionally, a new General Manager will be appointed to fill the void left by Juul Coumans' departure. He or she will – on a full-time basis – play a crucial role in implementing the business plan, and in addition to managing daily operations will also be actively involved in fundraising.

The need for constant financial support and the imminent departure of Matthieu Blauwhoff, Manager F&A, mean we are looking for a new controller to implement our transparent financial policy. There is work still left to do in areas such as defining performance indicators and drafting management reports.

In order to further professionalise our operations, we are also looking for new office space. Once again, we are looking to rent and make use of existing facilities at little to no cost within the framework of a partnership agreement.

In summary, the above objectives mean that operating costs for 2008 will increase by about 95%. That is why we want to attract an additional € 50,000 in organisational sponsorship. Together with the current organisation sponsors and returns on the Continuity Fund, this will allow us to achieve our goal of covering all of our operational costs through sponsorship.

The good news is that we will be able to spend more on the child aid projects this year. This year, we have € 800,000 to spend on project support. That's € 180,000 more than last year. Most of the funds will go to existing Net4kids projects. It is unthinkable, after all, to support a child for 1 year, feed, clothe and educate them, only to send them back home the second year. Oftentimes, however, donations to existing partners allow project partners to expand their activities. Scalability, in addition to sustainable aid and local anchoring, is an important criterion for Net4kids when it comes to project selection. It is fantastic to see the maximum potential of many of our partner’s projects develop locally. What these project partners achieve in often difficult conditions is unbelievable. The combination of social and person-centred aid with a businesslike approach is something we can all learn a lot from.
           
In addition to funding and expanding existing projects, we also want to add new projects to our portfolio that fit into the overall mix, offering donors a broad range of possibilities. Additionally, we want to expand geographic coverage by including more projects in Africa.

In 2008, visits will be paid to projects in Gambia, Ghana, India and Nepal. These trips have a profound effect. Sometimes we here in the Netherlands feel like we're fighting a losing battle – climate change, rising food prices, armed conflict, the spread of HIV/AIDS... Abstract concepts that become harsh realities when we visit our project countries and talk to the people affected. If we see, with our own eyes, that we can truly make a difference in children's lives with shelter, education or access to water, we know why we make the effort.

In order to share what we experience, we are working on expanding the image materials – photographs and videos. Our website, with MyNet4kids, is the crucial link between donors and children the world over who are given a chance at a better future thanks to your contributions.

We would once again like to thank you for your contribution – whether money, means or supportive words – to helping Net4kids achieve its goal of improving the lives of vulnerable children. Without your support, we are nothing.

* Due to three projects in particularly, the number of children helped in 2007 grew disproportionately – water reservoirs in Uganda, primary health care units in Sudan and an IT Service Centre for schools in Kenya. These three projects accounted for over 10,000 of the 16,196 children helped in 2007. We do not expect to match this figure in 2008. With the current project offerings and expansion of projects with existing partners, we expect to support at least 7000 children. Any more depends on the final choice of new projects for 2008.