World Congress of NGOs

Due to the changing security situation in Nairobi, Kenya, the 2012 World Congress of NGOs is cancelled.

Nairobi has long had a reputation as a safe haven from the terrorism found in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. When Nairobi was selected as the site of the 2012 Congress, the only travel advisories issued were related to the more remote areas of Kenya, and WANGO held a successful conference in Nairobi in 2010. However, all of this began to change in March, as terrorism and threats of terrorism visited Nairobi. We have been made aware by the US Embassy of potential terror attacks targeting Nairobi hotels, with intelligence information showing the planning of the potential attacks to be in the final stages. In addition, several nations have recently changed their travel advisories to now include travel to Nairobi, referencing the high threat of terrorism in Kenya.

Because of this updated information, the Conference Committee has decided that the safety and security of the participants -- which include NGO leaders, governmental officials, and business leaders -- make it prudent to not hold the Congress at this time.

We deeply regret any inconvenience this has caused.

Sincerely,

Taj Hamad
Secretary General, WANGO

Grant Writing Seminar with Dr. Michael Gershowitz

On July 5, 2012, as part of the pre-conference program for the World Congress of NGOs in Nairobi, Kenya, fundraising expert Dr. Michael Gershowitz will offer a comprehensive workshop on writing successful grants. The program will run from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Sentrim 680 Hotel, the site of the World Congress of NGOs.

Writing persuasive and successful grant proposals is an important skill for non-governmental organizations. But it is also an often-daunting task. This comprehensive grant writing workshop will cover the major cornerstones of successful grant seeking.

Participants will receive an overview of the process, and guidance on creating a winning proposal, from start to finish. Participants will learn how to think about their projects in ways that will entice funders. The seven critical questions to ask will be revealed. Participants will gain skills in writing a proposal that attracts funding and finding the single best funding prospect.

Those who bring their grants to the session will have them evaluated, those working on grants will develop them during this session; and those with only a germ of an idea will be able to start their grant writing process.

This pre-conference seminar is not an official part of the World Congress of NGOs. Individuals wishing to take the seminar must register independently of the World Congress. The cost for the seminar is only $80 if one registers before April 5. After April 5, the cost of the seminar is $90. Participants register prior to the seminar but payment is collected on the morning of the seminar.

In a grantwriting career spanning 30 years, Michael Gershowitz has raised over $100 million for public and non-governmental organizations in the United States and internationally. He works with clients to identify and design fundable projects, search for the best prospective funders, and write and market proposals. He also gives seminars and workshops on grant development, and has written two books on grantseeking. Dr. Gershowitz currently holds a full-time position at Rutgers University as a professor of public administration and Director of Grants for the School of Public Affairs and Administration. He is teaching grantwriting and grant management courses, among others. He previously was part of the faculty of Long Island University, where he concurrently wrote grant proposals for the university and for private clients. He also is founder of Gershowitz Grant & Evaluation Services, a firm of several grant professionals, which has been very successful in its grantwinning efforts. Dr. Gershowitz earned his undergraduate degree from City College of New York, and his M.A. and Ph.D.degrees in Government from New York University.