Country: Kenya

Organization: Elfu Bob [

3) Strategy Summary:
The idea behind the Elfu Bob Club is to have a simple and no-overhead mechanism that provides a one-time shot of financing (usually in the form of equipment and materials) to small worthwhile projects in Kenya. The "Elfu Bob Club" (elfu=one thousand; bob=shilling) was formed in Nairobi in August 2003. The approximate equivalent of US$10 in cash is collected each month from individual members, who are in large part UN personnel in Nairobi. Most people already contribute to one or more causes, but we tap into the extra "pocket change" (i.e. US$10) that people generally carry around with them. 100% of the funds collected go directly to projects in Kenya. Each month we support a different local project.

4) How the Strategy Works:
Step 1: get together a group of 3-4 people who work well together and are willing to volunteer their time.

Step 2: identify small worthwhile local community projects to support on a monthly basis, preferably where there is a personal connection to ensure accountability and where there are no other external donors to ensure that your support will have maximum impact.

Step 3: promote the scheme among your co-workers and sign up members to contribute.

Step 4: use the money collected to support small worthwhile community projects with material, financing or technical support (using outside volunteer expertise when necessary).

Step 5: keep your monthly reporting simple. Maintain accountability and transparency and ensure that all members know where their money is being spent through regular email updates.

Step 6: expand your network of donating members to a manageable number and offer opportunities for interested individuals to assist with decision-making, labour or other tasks so that those who want to have the chance to feel more involved.

Step 7: use your international network of contacts to expand your financial resource base.

Step 8: encourage members and interested people in your network to initiate their own similar small fundraising networks to support local organizations wherever they are in the world.

5) Key Strategy Elements:

i. Mobilizing Citizen Support:
We have approximately 60 members in Nairobi who donate on a regular basis, which is a perfect size given the amount of time it takes to collect. There is a high turnover rate among UN staff in Nairobi, but this figure can be maintained with a minimal effort. We get about 3-4 new individual members each month, and lose about 3-4 to transfers, retirement, etc. We are four UN personnel who volunteer in our free time to raise money, identify and support projects, expand our network and report on activities. We also engage volunteers from time to time to provide physical labour/undertake extra tasks depending on the type of project we are supporting in any given month.

ii. Generating Financial and Nonfinancial Resources:

iii. Establishing Relationships with Strategic Partnerships:
Material donations are secured from time to time from the private sector depend on the individual project that we support each month.

v. Developing Information and Spreading the Message:
Message is spread through our local and international networks and to the public via email, website, word-of- mouth, bulletin boards and articles in newsletters.

6) Increasing Self-sufficiency and Social Impact:
The organization is self-sufficient because it is run by volunteers with no overhead costs.

Social impact is optimized because a large network of people become more involved in assisting local community organizations. In addition, the projects selected (a) are those that do not already receive any external funding, meaning that small one-time support can go a long way; (b) are encouraged to contribute to the Elfu Bob support in- kind; and (c) are encouraged to use the funds towards developing the sustainability of the organization's activities.

8) Organization Mission and Vision:
To encourage those who can afford it to donate a small portion of their money, and sometimes time, to worthwhile local community projects through a quick, efficient and no- overhead cost mechanism run by volunteers.

Looking Forward to the Next Three Years:
1 - Maintain or expand slightly the existing manageable member base to facilitate money collection.

2 - Utilize international network of contacts to leverage more lump sum funds from overseas. Set up an independent bank account to receive international money transfers if oversea contributions increase substantially.

3 - Encourage personal contacts and members in the network to initiate their own similar on-going and simple fundraising scheme.

Contact Information:
Matthew  Woods
GRASP Technical Consultant
Elfu Bob [
DEC T-219, United Nations Environment Programme (U
Kenya
Tel: +254 20 62 46 29
Fax: +254 20 62 43 00
Email: matthew.woods@unep.org
Website: www.geocities.com/elfu_bob (being updated)