Comments on: "The Burn Rate" – Media's Impact on Aid http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate An honest conversation about the impact of aid Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:47:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Tracy http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-4785 Tracy Fri, 11 Feb 2011 05:28:45 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-4785 It is quite unfortunate that the media does in fact dwell not on the ways in which organizations like yours help to facilitate aid after a natural disaster, but rather on the rate at which you are spending the funds as though the quicker you get rid of it, the better the outcome. If you use any other example of smart financing, one would see this thought is quite backwards as any effective decision can only be made when it is carefully thought out overtime. I find it atrocious that the media then has the ability to assert negative attention upon organizations that are out there doing good for mankind and can cause much detriment to their reputation so that they are unable to lend a helping hand the next time a disaster strikes. How effective then is it that we dissolve the reputations and work of those organizations that are making some kind of difference??? I say if they are helping at all, let them, and the reforms of the acquisition and distribution of funds will come later. It is quite unfortunate that the media does in fact dwell not on the ways in which organizations like yours help to facilitate aid after a natural disaster, but rather on the rate at which you are spending the funds as though the quicker you get rid of it, the better the outcome. If you use any other example of smart financing, one would see this thought is quite backwards as any effective decision can only be made when it is carefully thought out overtime. I find it atrocious that the media then has the ability to assert negative attention upon organizations that are out there doing good for mankind and can cause much detriment to their reputation so that they are unable to lend a helping hand the next time a disaster strikes. How effective then is it that we dissolve the reputations and work of those organizations that are making some kind of difference??? I say if they are helping at all, let them, and the reforms of the acquisition and distribution of funds will come later.

]]> By: c-sez http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1600 c-sez Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:00:49 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1600 Nice post. Yeah, perhaps the ultimate example of a readily measurable & superbly quantifiable* metric being used in place of something more meaningful. The bottom line thought is much more challenging though to have reliable systems in place across an organisation that allow for commitment, activity, output and/or outcome reporting that can be aggregated in a timely way. And as we know, NGOs typically have significant investment gaps brought on by donor/media focus on 'overhead'. Even so, I have had front-line programme managers disagree with me on moves towards more forward looking and activity-based commitment reporting to support their own decision making on the ground, away from rear-view-mirror expenditure reporting - because, and I quote, "cash doesn't lie". Le sigh. * don't make me talk about managing exchange rates, I'll cry. Nice post. Yeah, perhaps the ultimate example of a readily measurable & superbly quantifiable* metric being used in place of something more meaningful. The bottom line thought is much more challenging though to have reliable systems in place across an organisation that allow for commitment, activity, output and/or outcome reporting that can be aggregated in a timely way. And as we know, NGOs typically have significant investment gaps brought on by donor/media focus on ‘overhead’. Even so, I have had front-line programme managers disagree with me on moves towards more forward looking and activity-based commitment reporting to support their own decision making on the ground, away from rear-view-mirror expenditure reporting – because, and I quote, “cash doesn’t lie”. Le sigh.

* don’t make me talk about managing exchange rates, I’ll cry.

]]> By: Carla http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1599 Carla Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:45:43 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1599 Re: the TV station contacting you, that is good news. Re: the TV station contacting you, that is good news.

]]> By: admin http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1598 admin Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:29:22 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1598 Sonya, We're actively trying to change how reporters cover aid and development issues. I can say that this particular blog led to a TV station contacting me before they put out a series of stories about the recovery effort in Haiti. So there's hope. Sonya,

We’re actively trying to change how reporters cover aid and development issues. I can say that this particular blog led to a TV station contacting me before they put out a series of stories about the recovery effort in Haiti. So there’s hope.

]]> By: Sonya Thimmaiah http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1597 Sonya Thimmaiah Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:18:44 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1597 Gosh, this is astounding. The use of only one metric to judge a nonprofit should surely be behind us now, just as it is slowly being left behind in the business world as well. If the triple bottom line can challenge the financial bottom line as the sole measure of a company's value, what needs to happen to change the way the media reports on a nonprofit's effectiveness in the arena of humanitarian aid? This also points to the larger problem of the flood of money that engulfs calls for aid when a humanitarian disaster strikes and the trickle in the absence of one. Do you think, though, that the active development blogosphere and insightful posts such as yours are finally presenting a countervailing force to the media's ineptitude in reporting on these issues? Gosh, this is astounding. The use of only one metric to judge a nonprofit should surely be behind us now, just as it is slowly being left behind in the business world as well. If the triple bottom line can challenge the financial bottom line as the sole measure of a company’s value, what needs to happen to change the way the media reports on a nonprofit’s effectiveness in the arena of humanitarian aid? This also points to the larger problem of the flood of money that engulfs calls for aid when a humanitarian disaster strikes and the trickle in the absence of one. Do you think, though, that the active development blogosphere and insightful posts such as yours are finally presenting a countervailing force to the media’s ineptitude in reporting on these issues?

]]> By: Sam Gardner http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1596 Sam Gardner Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:52:12 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1596 The same goes for institutional donors themselves: the allocated money should be spend before the end of the year. A partner not burning the money as planned causes major headaches, budgets must be reassigned, etc.. The same goes for institutional donors themselves: the allocated money should be spend before the end of the year. A partner not burning the money as planned causes major headaches, budgets must be reassigned, etc..

]]> By: Kris B. http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1595 Kris B. Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:18:41 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1595 Gah -- so frustrating! Gah — so frustrating!

]]> By: @booksquirm http://goodintents.org/common-aid-problems/the-burn-rate/comment-page-1#comment-1594 @booksquirm Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:33:58 +0000 http://goodintentionsarenotenough.com/?p=30#comment-1594 I wish this blog had been around ten years ago when I had my first conversation along the lines of ‘But if that’s the best way of doing it, why don’t we do that everywhere?’ ‘Because it takes too long and it doesn’t cost enough.’ Your explanations are essential. I wish this blog had been around ten years ago when I had my first conversation along the lines of ‘But if that’s the best way of doing it, why don’t we do that everywhere?’ ‘Because it takes too long and it doesn’t cost enough.’ Your explanations are essential.

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