Camp Finance Officer Ashley Moulder elaborates on the grant writing process Peace Corps volunteers undergo to secure funding for camp:
So,
as anyone who's ever run a camp or other event knows, these awesome fun filled
days take money. Now, as I have yet to find the money tree (blasted map reading
skills), we have to get our funds for camp from a different source.
The majority of our funds come from something called a VAST grant. These grants can be used for a variety of different things, but we use them mostly for camp. Grant money has to come from somewhere, and ours come from PEPFAR funds.
PEPFAR stands for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and was started by President Bush in 2003 and renewed in 2008. The current structure of the program has countries forming partnerships with PEPFAR agencies to prevent and treat HIV/ AIDS. While the majority of the funds go to providing treatment, our camp is one of the ways PEPFAR helps to prevent AIDS.
Because of this funding, our camp has to have 51% of our programming aimed at achieving the PEPFAR goals and objectives. This means our camp focuses on life skills and AIDS prevention. But, as we focus on these very serious topics, we are also very serious about having fun.
One of the ways we meet our PEPFAR obligations is through gender empowerment and youth leadership programs. This is another avenue where we find support. Though often not monetary in nature, organizations and communities throughout the country provide invaluable resources and support. This helps to keep the actual costs of camp down.
Ethiopia has one if the largest numbers of nonprofit and aid organizations working within its borders in Africa. Out here in the western part of the country, we have lots of regional offices for UN agencies and other organizations. All of these help to support our camp through donated time, training resources, and expertise. Sometimes they also donate materials for the different sessions.
Perhaps the most valuable resource for camp is our partnership organizations. This year, we are lucky enough to have two partners for camp - Mettu College of Teachers' Education and Mettu University. The college has agreed to provide the space where we will host the camp, and the University had agreed to provide the necessary materials to house the campers for the week. Both institutions have offered the use of their staff and vehicles.
Finally, we are lucky enough to have friends and family from all around the world who donate materials for us to use at camp.
The majority of our funds come from something called a VAST grant. These grants can be used for a variety of different things, but we use them mostly for camp. Grant money has to come from somewhere, and ours come from PEPFAR funds.
PEPFAR stands for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and was started by President Bush in 2003 and renewed in 2008. The current structure of the program has countries forming partnerships with PEPFAR agencies to prevent and treat HIV/ AIDS. While the majority of the funds go to providing treatment, our camp is one of the ways PEPFAR helps to prevent AIDS.
Because of this funding, our camp has to have 51% of our programming aimed at achieving the PEPFAR goals and objectives. This means our camp focuses on life skills and AIDS prevention. But, as we focus on these very serious topics, we are also very serious about having fun.
One of the ways we meet our PEPFAR obligations is through gender empowerment and youth leadership programs. This is another avenue where we find support. Though often not monetary in nature, organizations and communities throughout the country provide invaluable resources and support. This helps to keep the actual costs of camp down.
Ethiopia has one if the largest numbers of nonprofit and aid organizations working within its borders in Africa. Out here in the western part of the country, we have lots of regional offices for UN agencies and other organizations. All of these help to support our camp through donated time, training resources, and expertise. Sometimes they also donate materials for the different sessions.
Perhaps the most valuable resource for camp is our partnership organizations. This year, we are lucky enough to have two partners for camp - Mettu College of Teachers' Education and Mettu University. The college has agreed to provide the space where we will host the camp, and the University had agreed to provide the necessary materials to house the campers for the week. Both institutions have offered the use of their staff and vehicles.
Finally, we are lucky enough to have friends and family from all around the world who donate materials for us to use at camp.
As complex as this all sounds, we are able to do so much with only a small amount of money.
Last year’s camp cost about $5,000 and we expect this year’s week-long
camp for 30 students to run the American tax payers $6,000 via PEPFAR.
Without all of these different partners helping us, we wouldn't be able to put on such an amazing, fun, and educational event. We will do everything we can to make sure your investment in Ethiopia’s children pays off.
Without all of these different partners helping us, we wouldn't be able to put on such an amazing, fun, and educational event. We will do everything we can to make sure your investment in Ethiopia’s children pays off.
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