Strengthening Community Foundations in Guanajuato, Mexico

About this grant

Beginning in late 2001, Espiral began the process of strengthening four community foundations — Celaya, Leon, San Miguel de Allende and Irapuato — in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. As the only state with more than one community foundation, Guanajuato has the potential to become a model for developing community foundations in the rest of Mexico.Second-year funding will enable Espiral to pursue objectives that include bringing visibility and positioning the community foundations as models that encourage citizens to volunteer their time, talent and resources; supporting exchanges among the four community foundations; promoting a state network of community foundations; developing and educating foundation staff and citizens on what a community foundation is and does; and presenting, both formally and publicly, the case-studies textbook developed during the project.During the past year, Espiral studied the partnership between Guanajuato’s government and community foundations; provided technical assistance on strategic planning; monitored and evaluated the organizational development process; and produced a case-study textbook on community foundations in the state.