LIN is Raising $4000 to Help Nonprofits in Vietnam

LIN is currently competing in GlobalGiving's Global Open Challenge. If they are able to raise at least $4,000 from 50 individual donors by April 26, they will be awarded an ongoing spot for their projects on GlobalGiving.org and have a chance to earn up to $6,000 in prize money.

By on March 28, 2010 • Topics: Current Affairs,Philanthropy & NGOs

This article was written by Guest Blogger Dana R.H. Doan of the LIN Center for Community Development (LIN). LIN is a new resource for local not-for-profit groups, individuals and corporate philanthropists based in and around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. You can see LIN’s other article on VTP about empowering Vietnamese women here.

As you may know, nonprofits in Vietnam are understaffed, underfunded and relatively new.  This limits their ability to expand and improve core programs and services.  LIN was founded to  provide much needed training, grants, volunteers & resources to these nonprofits.

LIN supports grassroots not-for-profit organizations in their efforts to effectively manage resources and provide programs and services to disadvantaged members of our community. LIN’s core services to NPOs include: targeted trainings, skilled volunteer matching, grantmaking, research and information sharing.

To date, LIN has formed strategic partnerships with forty NPOs addressing different community needs such as: basic needs (food & shelter), education, vocational training, sports initiatives, environmental protection, arts and culture programs and more. Our partners include the Audio Library for the Blind, Blue Dreams Volunteer Network, Disability Resource and Development, HCMC Child Welfare Foundation and the Hospitality School of HCMC. Although our target beneficiaries are local NPOs, LIN collaborates closely with the international NGO community and government agencies that work to achieve our shared goals.

Members of the North Star Donor Club (Cau Lac Bo Sao Bac Dau), which is hosted by LIN, discuss how to best invest their resources into the community.

Simultaneously, LIN offers local philanthropists, including individuals and businesses, a way in which to engage constructively and support local needs while providing a transparent mechanism through which their contributions can be tracked and monitored. LIN believes that the more informed donors are, the more likely we all are to effect lasting and positive changes in our community.

Whether they may be interested to volunteer their time and professional skills; donate products or services; and/or make a financial contribution LIN provides support services to help donors that want to meet the needs in the community. To date, LIN has provided donor advisory services to individuals, international donor organizations, international and domestic companies including Hamon Investment Group, EMpower, Megastar Media, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Irish Aid and many more.  Because we work closely with local not-for-profit organizations, we have an understanding about needs that are not currently being met and are therefore able to pass this knowledge along to prospective donors.

The LIN Center for Community Development is a licensed, Vietnamese, not-for-profit organization by authorization of Decision Number 741/QD-LHH of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association. LIN is an acronym for Listen, Inspire and Nurture.

Ms. Nghiem Hai Ly, CPA with an international accounting firm, takes time out of her weekend to train local NPO staff in financial accounting.

LIN CHALLENGE:

LIN is currently competing in GlobalGiving’s Global Open Challenge.  If we are able to raise at least $4,000 from 50 individual donors by April 26, we will be awarded an ongoing spot for our projects on GlobalGiving.org and have a chance to earn up to $6,000 in prize money for raising the most money during the challenge and attracting the greatest number of donors.

You can help us to raise money, earn a spot for our projects on GlobalGiving and earn GlobalGiving prize money just by spreading the word!  For example, you can:

  1. Make a donation to LIN by going to our project on GlobalGiving here
  2. Share LIN’s story and Global Giving fundraising to your friends, families and colleagues. It’s easy, just share with them this article’s link.
  3. Post this information on your Facebook page or “Tweet” it using a short appeal and our abbreviated link (http://bit.ly/LINonGG).
  4. Call your friends, send them a message by SMS, shout it from mountain tops (I think you are getting the idea by now…)

By just passing along this information, you are going to help the LIN Center because the only way we will get new supporters is if you help us to tell them about us. We sincerely thank you for your support!

The Author:

Vietnam Talking Points welcome guest posts by experts, community leaders, and writers with a fresh perspective. Email your submission to contactus@onevietnam.org for consideration.

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  • Neil Nguyen

    I’m interested the transparent mechanisms offered by LIN. Are you referring to the accounting methods? is there any other mechanisms?

    • http://www.LINvn.org Dana

      @Neil, while accounting is an important aspect of transparency so too is clear and open communication, formal agreements and reporting procedures. We facilitate this process by helping both the donor and the NPO to get to know one another better and to understand what is expected from a relationship before engagement. We help the two partners to draft an agreement that lays out the expectations of both sides. And, we provide direct or indirect support services to help with follow-up and reporting, depending on the needs and demands of both partners. Feel free to email me at: dana@LINvn.org if you want to know more…

  • http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=1015046651 Jefferson Saunders

    Where do we find a list of all of these groups?I wouls love to talk with some of them the next time I'm in Vietnam.

    • http://www.LINvn.org Dana

      @Jefferson’s comment, you can find a list of LIN’s current NPO Partners, and a link to information about each one, from our website at: http://www.linvn.org/?mod=npo. We are in the process of establishing relationships with more NPOs in HCMC and we would be happy to assist with introductions next time you are in HCMC. Feel free to contact us at: donor@LINvn.org.

  • http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=1210726 Neil Nguyen Huu

    You can expect the list and how to connect with them at OneVietnam Network after the launch this summer!

  • http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=617736644 David Regenold

    They made it to $4000.00 !!!

    • http://www.LINvn.org Dana

      Thanks so much for tracking our efforts… @Brian, Yay indeed!!!!

  • http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=6001419 Brian Luong

    yay@!