Collaboration with a Side of Stroopwafels

Last week I had the pleasure of spending time across the Atlantic with Rosien Herweijer and her colleagues at the European Foundation Centre… and eating way too much sugar. We timed my visit around a working group meeting in Amsterdam for a new GrantCraft publication on investing in women and girls by European foundations.

Created in collaboration with and support from Mama Cash, the oldest international women’s fund, this guide will build upon a landmark study released in the May 2011. Untapped Potential examined the scope and distribution of European-based funding for women and girls and noted the gap that exists between European foundations’ stated interests and their actual engagement.

Untapped Potential found that while 90 percent of surveyed European foundations expressed an interest in issues related to women and girls, just 37 percent of these funders actively supported programs benefiting this population. The new GrantCraft report, to be launched in Belfast at the EFC’s Annual General Assembly in June 2012, will address the lack of peer-to-peer “how-to” guidance for European foundations on expanding and deepening investments in women and girls. In addition to interviews, Rosien will draw upon stories shared by European foundations of new initiatives or adjustments that include a more intentional focus on women and girls.

Nicky McIntyre and Esther Lever at Mama Cash provided everything we needed for a great meeting: strategy, substance, and stroopwafels! At the train station after our work was done, I loaded my bag with souvenir packages of these most delicious caramel-filled crusty layers of baked dough.

Back in Brussels, home of the EFC and Godiva, my somewhat risky gift of craft chocolate from Brooklyn with embedded treats like serrano peppers and Stumptown coffee beans, was a hit. Jacked up on sugar, Rosien and I covered a lot of ground on the day-to-day work of GrantCraft: everything from objectives, target audiences, and stakeholders to new content, translations, and fundraising to analytics, inventory management, and a web site refresh. As individuals with deep experience working with collaboratives, we know that collaboration can be hampered by issues that remain unspoken. Face-to-face meetings allow for frank conversations that are difficult to carry out via phone or email. After several days of big picture yet detailed work – punctuated by laughter, shared personal stories, and spikes in our blood glucose levels – viewpoints that were a bit mysterious became clear. We’re starting to understand how the other thinks and the context in which we work, and we’re excited about our joint plans for 2012. Happy holidays from both us!