Self-examination the goal of fund’s strategic plan

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) has embarked on a three-year strategic plan that includes a “significant commitment to evaluation and learning,” said executive director Cheryl Curtis.

Approved by the fund’s board at its November meeting, the central goal of the plan is “to go through a learning review process that will equip PWRDF to meet the challenges of the next decade (2010-2020), strengthened in its tradition as an innovative and strong partner in work on development, relief, refugees and global justice at the local and global levels,” according to the fund’s Web site. PWRDF is also marking its 50th anniversary in 2009.

Part of the preparation of the strategic plan included a review of the fund’s 37-year relationship with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the federal government’s international aid agency, said Ms. Curtis.

CIDA is a significant contributor to the Primate’s Fund. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, out of total receipts of $6.646 million, the CIDA contribution was $1.239 million, or nearly 19 per cent. An additional $199,600, or three per cent, was related to the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster.

However, said Ms. Curtis, new CIDA reporting systems had the potential to increase the fund’s administrative work and create a burden on its overseas partners (recipients of development aid). The changes included additional quarterly financial, narrative, programmatic and analytical reporting, she said.

However, the fund’s board decided to continue the relationship with CIDA “as long as the supports adhere to PWRDF core values,” said Ms. Curtis, which include being “people-centered,” supporting “partner-driven sustainable development, a commitment to the Gospel call and with an Anglican identity attached.”

Ms. Curtis said the fund has also not seen an appreciable effect from the establishment of a development organization by conservative Anglicans. The Anglican Relief and Development Fund, based in Pittsburgh, was established in 2004 by American Episcopalians who disagreed with some of the theologically-liberal actions of the Episcopal Church. ARDF’s Web site reports that it has distributed more than $2.2 million in funding to 56 relief and development projects.

“We are in the midst of looking at calendar 2007, but we have not seen any indication of loss of income,” said Ms. Curtis.

In another development: at least two donors to the Primate’s Fund have reported a telemarketing scam soliciting donations on behalf of the “Primate’s Fund” or some related name. The donors were in eastern Ontario and Newfoundland. The fund sent advisories to diocesan offices clarifying that it does not solicit donations via telephone or use a telemarketing company to do so.