Background Note on NGO Council

Sent to the proposed committee members on August 18, 2005

Dear 
 
During the flooding crisis in Mumbai, as I interacted with BMC, I realised there is no established way for the Government authorities (or for anyone else, including NGOs themselves,) to interact easily with a group through which information to and from NGOs could be conveyed. So the need for a Council of Mumbai NGOs is imperative. And, I believe, the timing is also right.
 
I am taking the liberty to initiate such a move. I have put down my brief thoughts about such a Council and who should the Committee Members be. I have not had the pleasure of meeting you or indeed, several of the organisations that I have listed below. I seek your opinion on who should be included, who should be excluded, and the broad purpose and objectives of the Council and what it should strive to achieve in the first year. I would also very much appreciate your thoughts on what will make such a Council successful and what can make it fail.
 
There would be two names from each organisation - one as the formal representative (presumably the person heading it) and one as the person who would be likely to attend the meeting in the former's absence. So please let me also know the name of the alternate person from your organisation.
 
I would greatly appreciate if you can phone me any time at your convenience to discuss the matter. Thereafter, after I have received feedback from several others, I would like to meet you personally to discuss in greater detail.
 
I realise that we are the "new kid on the block" and this has its own strengths and weaknesses. I would request you to see www.karmayog.com if you have not done so recently so that you have a better idea about us.
 
Please do also let me know who, in your opinion, would be a suitable convenor for the Council. As I have met very few of the people heading the NGOs below, I am not able to judge. My own preference for the first year is for me to be so - simply because we have a general relationship with a large number of ngo's covering a variety of sectors, we will put in the internet and human resources required by the Council, we are not dependent on external financial support, and I am committed to see this through.
 
I would like to circulate the broad preamble and the proposed list of committee members after a week i.e. on Thursday, 18 August, to other NGOs, etc., for feedback, and would thus appreciate your response as early as possible. If you are not interested in being in the Council at this stage, please do let me know that too.
 
Thanks and Regards
Vinay Somani
Work: Direct 22000004
          Board: 22013535
Cell: ....
 
 
Preamble:


The Council would be representing all NGOs.
 
Purpose:
- Initial: Outside-In: for those who want to interact with NGOs e.g. govt agencies, media, event organisers, CSR depts of cos.
- Later: Inside-Out: NGOs wanting to interact with others
 
2 levels of membership:
- any ngo / trust - meeting once a year - nominal membership fee, say, Rs. 200 /year.
- committee - meeting once a month - little higher membership fee - to be decided by the Council.

 
Criteria for Committee members:
- Criteria for Organisations - Big, willing, generally considered as representative of their sector.
- Criteria for Individuals - well-respected by NGO sector for work, vision, achievements.
 
Objectives - to be decided by Council
 
Sectoral Cells - e.g. by beneficiary-type e.g. Children, by issues e.g. Health, by activity e.g. awareness - later by the Council
 
Core Team (from amongst the Committee Members) - to be decided by Council later
 
Tentative List of Committee Members: 51
(for some specific sectors, members can be as nominated by that sector - mechanism to be decided later)
Please give feedback on who else should be included, and who should be excluded.
Individuals have not yet been included in the list below.
 
Category - Organisation
 
Institution - TISS
Institution  - Nirmala Niketan - College of Social Work
Institution - SNDT
Institution - SPJIMR - DOCC
Institution - NMIMS
Facilitator - Karmayog.com
Facilitator - GIVE Foundation
Facilitator - CAP
Facilitator - Concern India
Facilitator - Times Foundation
Facilitator - BCCI
Facilitator - CONGO
Philantropic Trusts - Dorabji Tata Trust
International - UNICEF
International - UNDP
International - CARE
International - CARITAS
International - Red Cross
International - World Vision
International - Action Aid India
International - Ashoka India
Citizens - AGNI
Citizens - JAAG
Community - BCPT
Rotary District Governor
Lions District Governor 

Children - CRY
Children - Pratham
Children - Akanksha
Children - Childline
Children - Saathi
Children - Save The Children
Youth - Yuva
Youth - Yuvak Pratisthan
Seniors - Dignity or HelpAge
Women - Stree Mukti Sangathan
Women -
Human Rights -
Community - Apnalaya
Community - Sneha

Health - CEHAT
Environment - BEAG
Environment - CERE
                     Mumbai Medwaste
Urban Planning - Citispace
                     PUKAR
Nature - BNHS
Animals - PETA India
Cancer - CPAA or Cancer Aid Foundation or V-Care
Hearing Challenged - EARS
Mentally Challenged - Ummeed
Physically Challenged - ADAPT or NASEOH
Visually Challenged - NAB
Governance - PCGT
Microfinance / SHGs - ANARDE
Others - Population First