Projectselection

Net4kids does not carry out projects itself, but works with on-site project partners with strong local ties that Net4kids can add value to with (additional) fundraising. Wilde Ganzen has taken over the selection, contracting and monitoring of almost all of our projects starting this year, contributing to the further professionalisation of aid. Read more about this joint venture with Wilde Ganzen under Joint Ventures.

Net4kids has stringent selection criteria for the projects it offers donors. In order to quality, project organisations must meet the following four major criteria, which stem from the Net4kids primary mission:

• Child aid: focus on structural improvements for children in terms of schooling, healthcare, hygiene (clean water, sewage disposal, etc.), housing and/or family support.
• Sustainability: projects must focus on lasting, long-term aid for the children involved. Emergency of ad hoc projects are not supported.
• Scalability: aid initiatives must have the potential for broader implementation. Net4kids preferentially focuses on concepts with intrinsic growth potential, that may be translated into additional initiatives within the region or outside of it.
• Local anchoring: regardless of the location of the (mother) organisation, projects must have strong ties to the local culture and structures. Involvement, support and acceptance of the direct environment children live in must be safeguarded effectively.

Projects that meet these four major criteria are then selected based on thorough analysis of the project structure, goals and management. Characteristics that are important in project partners are own efforts to raise funds, entrepreneurship, self-reliance and an innovative approach to finding solutions. Most applications for new projects run via the website, although Wilde Ganzen is playing an increasingly important part in the delivery and selection of new projects.

In some cases, Net4kids provides project partners with the required financial guarantees to get started immediately, thereby taking over some of the 'entrepreneurial' risk. Shortfalls due to a lack of donors are covered by Net4kids using the Max's Magic Money Fund and/or the Net4kids Continuity Fund. The goal remains to fund projects with donor funds. Projects are therefore offered to interested parties via the website distributed evenly over the year. This allows us to guarantee support without financial risk and we can expand or scale back the portfolio based on actual growth in donations. In 2007, there were 87 project applications. Eleven could be honoured. This is a small increase compared to last year; in 2006 there were 85 applications and ten projects were honoured.