ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Oxfam Investment Fund (OIF), which is an integral instrument for achieving the confederation strategy needs to be aligned with the financial realities of the confederation, Oxfam Strategic Framework (OSF 2030) and the Diversified Network model. After completing five investment cycles (OIF started in 2016), OIF 2.0 is an attempt to transform the fund into a ‘sustainable’ mechanism that aims at exponential unrestricted income growth for the confederation coupled with increased transfer of financial resources to the global south. The key propositions for OIF 2.0 are:
• OIF to be bifurcated into two separate funds, viz. ‘Solidarity Fund’ and ‘Investment Fund’ with separate budgets and separate governance structures. The Investment fund to be promoted as a perpetual fund that will expand through a reinvestment model, thereby eliminate its dependence on MOCA over time. The management and administration of the fund would be financed by the returns from the investments.
• The Solidarity Fund is a grant tool to pursue the global balance agenda and continue to support the footprint and sustainability of existing and new (southern) affiliates in the confederation. The support will be through financial and non-financial transfer of resources from the north to the south. Apart from the OIF (MOCA) component, the CRA allocation for countries that will transit to affiliation will be managed by this unit. The Solidarity Fund to be governed by a committee chaired by the OI COO and will draw members from southern affiliates representing EB committees including CDC, PEC and DEVKIF. The fund committee will be accountable for the outcome of the fund.
• The Investment Fund to have three components. The fund will be governed by the OI Executive team and chaired by the OI COO. The OIF Manager will be responsible for the returns of the fund and achieving the milestones for the fund.
- A Growth Optimization Fund (GOF) specifically targeted at growing the unrestricted income of the confederation in short term. The total MOCA investment during the next five-year period will be €25 M.
- A New Ventures Fund (NVF) supporting existing and new ‘southern’ affiliates with long term investments in UNR growth, primarily low investment models. It will also provide ‘deficit financing’ for existing southern affiliates’ public fundraising activities.
- A Strategic Opportunities Fund (SOF) aimed at optimizing high potential, institutional fundraising opportunities in the confederation that require quick turn-around time.
The project involved analyzing the fund, preparing a user guide which would contain possible governance structure of the funds, application process, monitoring and evaluation format for the affiliates, so accordingly the fund will be managed by Oxfam International according to the user guide.
KEY WORDS: OIF, Solidarity fund, Investment Fund, Oxfam.
