ANNUAL REPORT - Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliancevegaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/VEG_AnnualReport_17... · Nestlé Maize Quality Improvement Partnership – new

ANNUAL REPORT 2016–2017

Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance

vegaalliance.org • 734 15th Street NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC • [email protected]

Members and Programs 1

Message from Chairman and President 2

VEGA By the Numbers 3

New VEGA Programs 4

Impact From the Ground Up and the Top Down 5

VEGA Corporate Solutions 7

Volunteer Impact 360º 8

Farmer-to-Farmer Special Program Support Project 10

VEGA Core Expertise & Values 11

New VEGA Members 12

Learning Activities 13

Financial Summary 14

What Our Partners Say About VEGA 16

VEGA Board of Directors and Staff 17

VISIONThe Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance envisions a world in which all people have access to sustainable economic opportunities.

MISSIONTo generate more prosperity through partnerships that bring together highly skilled volunteers with people around the globe seeking opportunities for self-reliance.

VOLUNTEERS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH ALLIANCE (VEGA) is a consortium of 28 member NGOs that generate prosperity worldwide by creating partnerships that bring together volunteers with people seeking skills for self-reliance. Since 2004, VEGA has impacted the livelihoods and futures of over five million people with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other partners through 65 programs in 50 countries, and more than 45,000 volunteer days.

CONTENTS

F R O N T C O V E R : VEGA’s Feed the Future Egypt Food Security and Agribusiness Support Project’s farmer partner at Trade Expo in Cairo, Egypt

I N S I D E C O V E R : Farmers working with VEGA Member Global Communities EMIRGE project in Rwanda, courtesy of photographer Matt Feldman and Global Communities

VOLUNTEERS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH ALLIANCE

WWW.VEGAALLIANCE.ORG 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 1

y Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) y Arizona State University Walton

Sustainability Solutions Initiatives y Australian Volunteers International

(AVI) – new Member! y Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) y Conservation Council of Nations

(CCN) – new Member! y Creative Learning/ Aid to Artisans y Cultivating New Frontiers in

Agriculture (CNFA) y Engineers Without Borders USA

(EWB-USA) y Financial Services Volunteer Corps

(FSVC) y Florida Association for Volunteer

Action in the Caribbean and the

Americas, Inc. (FAVACA) y Global Business School Network

(GBSN) y Global Communities y Institute of International Education

(IIE) y International City/County

Management Association (ICMA) y International Executive Service

Corps (IESC) y International Real Property

Foundation (IRPF) y International Senior Lawyers

Project (ISLP) – new Member! y Land O’Lakes International

Development y Mennonite Economic Development

Associates (MEDA) y National Cooperative Business

Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA)

y National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA International)

y Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OIC International)

y PUM Netherlands Senior Experts y Purdue University y PYXERA Global y Winrock International y Worldwide Foundation for Credit

Unions, Inc. (WOCCU) y World University Service of Canada

(WUSC) – new Member!

Leader with Associate Award Programs

y Afghanistan-Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises (ABADE)

y Albania-Financial Sector Development – extended!

y Bosnia Herzegovina-Workforce and Higher Access to Markets (WHAM) – new program!

y Cambodia-Capacity Building of Cambodia’s Local Organizations (CBCLO)

y Egypt-Feed the Future Egypt Food Security and Agribusiness Support Project (FAS)

y Mali- Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepreneurs (MFFSWE)

y Mexico-Emerging Markets

Development Advisers Program (EMDAP) – extended!

y Moldova-Technical Assistance to the National Bank of Moldova – new program!

y Nigeria-Feed the Future Nigeria and Nestlé Maize Quality Improvement Partnership – new program!

y Sri Lanka-Biz+ – extended! y Sri Lanka-Youth Employment and

Business Start-up Project – new program!

y Tanzania-Feed the Future Tanzania Enabling Growth through Investment and Enterprise

y Ukraine-Credit for Agriculture Producers Project (CAP)

VEGA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

VEGA PROGRAMS

RESOURCE PARTNERSMonitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialists

y Dexis Consulting Group

y International Business & Technical Consultants (IBTCI) y The QED Group, LLC y Social Impact

Local Capacity Development Specialist

y Claro KC

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS y Building Bridges Coalition y Devex y IMPACT 2030 y InsideNGO y InterAction y Society of International Development

- Washington, DC Chapter y U.S. Global Leadership Coalition


Farmer-to-Farmer Special Program Support Project

y FAMU India Farmer-to-Farmer Climate Smart Agriculture Project – new program!

y Farmer-to-Farmer: Colombia Agricultural Network Development Opportunity (F2F Can Do) – new program!

y Farmer-to-Farmer in Colombia’s Orinoquia Region

y Farmer-to-Farmer Project for Aquaculture in Kenya – new program!

y Improving Food Safety Systems Project in Ghana (IFSSP)

y Jamaican Sustainable Farm Enterprise Program

y Sustainable Animal Herding in Mongolia – new program!



Just before we went to print on this annual report, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new initiative to leverage volunteers in reaching U.S. global development goals: Volunteers in International Security and Prosperity (VISP). USAID describes the new VISP Annual Program Statement (APS) as “a mechanism through which USAID will maximize development impact and efficient resource use by mobilizing the creative capacity of volunteers globally.”

VEGA welcomes the VISP APS in that it demonstrates that Administrator Mark Green shares our view, and that of several members of Congress, that skilled volunteers offer great value to USAID in achieving its mission to end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies.

VEGA also endorses Administrator Green’s belief that “economic growth is the only sustainable solution to global poverty.” Economic growth is the surest way for countries to generate the resources they need to address illiteracy, poor health and other development challenges on their own, and thus move from dependence on foreign aid to independence and resilience. It is the driving force behind all that we do, and each VEGA program moves us closer to the day when U.S. foreign assistance will no longer be needed.

The urgency to stimulate economic growth is increasing because of little-noticed demographic trends across Africa, the Middle East and other developing regions that will produce huge increases in their youth populations over the coming 20 to 30 years. If more is not done to create job opportunities for the expanding youth bubble, a youth unemployment “time

bomb” could lead to growing instability in these countries. The implications for U.S. security and global stability are significant and potentially dire.

So what generates economic growth? The key is increasing productivity at the organizational or firm level—across all sectors and regardless of size—whether through better technology, better management practices, access to capital or investment in people and equipment. Business decisions are strongly influenced by the incentives and disincentives created by government policies and regulations, including the capacity of government to enforce the “rules of the game” in market-friendly ways.

U.S. professionals are well-positioned to provide leadership in building organizational capacity and strengthening policies and institutions. One of the great, largely untold USAID success stories has been its partnership with VEGA and our Members’ volunteers, who represent the generous spirit and skills of the American private sector. Our entrepreneurial tradition, dynamic capital markets, robust public and private institutions and deep expertise provide a real advantage in driving growth. Americans with expertise from financial services and engineering to agribusiness and technology have repeatedly demonstrated a desire to donate their valuable time and expertise to help give a hand up, instead of a handout.

Over the past 13 years, VEGA has mobilized more than 45,000 volunteer days by experts spurring economic growth in a wide range of USAID programs around the globe, including: Feed the Future projects in Egypt,

Tanzania, Mali and Nigeria; a Power Africa project in Kenya; Development Credit Authority and small and medium-sized enterprise strengthening programs in Ethiopia, Liberia and Mali; youth and workforce development programs in Sri Lanka; public-private alliances in conflict and post-conflict environments Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen; and institution-strengthening assistance for civil society and government ministries in Cambodia and Afghanistan.

This past year in Nigeria, VEGA brought together public and private partners to create innovative shared-value solutions that ensure responsibly and locally sourced high-quality cereal crops for Nestlé. By leveraging different funding sources and volunteer service in this public-private partnership, together we will generate more prosperity and improved health and nutrition for the Nigerian people (read more about this new program on page 8).

In addition to providing peer-to-peer mentorship to farmers, entrepreneurs and other business people, our volun-teers have helped to establish essential government regulations and rectify inconsistent public policies. Senior U.S. bankers, regulators, international law experts and other professionals—often commanding salaries far in excess of USAID’s maximum daily rates—mentor and act as trusted sounding boards to government officials in partner coun-tries that are committed to enacting reforms necessary to improve trade and investment. You can read some of these success stories on pages 5-7.

From getting the enabling environment right to addressing the human resource gaps in public, private, academic and civil society organizations large and small, VEGA Members generate self-

JOHN D. POMPAY Chairman

MICHAEL DEAL President and CEO

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT



reliance and entrepreneurship by tapping into the renewable resource of generous, skilled Americans. Our centerfold on the 2016 VEGA Volunteers of the Year highlights the difference they have made abroad and back at home—which we like to call Volunteer Impact 360º.

Indeed, VEGA has had a very productive and impactful year. VEGA has grown its network of volunteers and membership to include 28 outstanding, volunteer-sending organizations with deep and broad expertise (learn more about our newest Members on page 12). VEGA launched four new programs, including our premier public-private partnership with Nestlé, in addition to awarding four new small grants to minority-serving organizations through our Farmer-to-Farmer program (F2F).

We also have been busy raising awareness and advocating on behalf

of VEGA’s brand of economic growth generated by our Members, volunteers and local partners through our Volunteer Impact 360º campaign, congressional testimony, policy recom-mendations, support letters, briefings and other events. We are grateful for the support of our Members and their extensive networks of volunteers in educating members of Congress and the new administration on the value of volunteers in generating greater prosperity and security at home and abroad.

We also deeply appreciate the strong bipartisan support in Congress and that of Administrator Green for building on the success of VEGA’s legacy, rooted in the Volunteers for Prosperity initiative launched by President George W. Bush more than 13 years ago and expanded during the Obama administration. We are gratified that these champions agree that the American people are critical

partners for achieving our mutual goal of delivering development assistance that ends the need for it to exist.

VEGA looks forward to supporting Administrator Green’s new initiative to ensure that the U.S. government continues to leverage the cost-savings and expertise of highly skilled volunteers who not only generate economic growth but also convey the best of American values and ingenuity. It is time to seize this moment of opportunity to chart a new course for more effective global development assistance from the American people.

Sincerely, John D. Pompay

Michael Deal

65 PROGRAMSin 50 countries

U.S. GOVERNMENT PROGRAM INVESTMENTnearly doubled through VEGA cost share and leverage

MORE THAN $33 MILLIONU.S. taxpayer savings

45,482 DAYSof volunteer service

28 MEMBER NGOshave a combined pool of more than 100,000 highly skilled volunteer experts

5,059,699total beneficiaries

36,468jobs created

VEGA BY THE NUMBERS




Bosnia–Herzegovina Workforce and Higher Access to Markets (WHAM)

Bosnia is home to a growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are adopting international standards to supply European Union customers. For these enterprises to succeed, they must add value, increase their competitiveness and develop a highly qualified workforce. Despite seven years of private sector-driven growth, the Bosnian economy is still not generating enough jobs to offset an increasing number of unemployed—especially you-ng people.

In order to stimulate job creation and trade integration with and expansion into European Union and regional markets, VEGA Member International Executive Service Corps (IESC) was awarded a new three-year, USAID-funded cooperative agreement through VEGA. The Workforce and Higher Access to Markets Activity (WHAM) will improve the capacity and capabilities of high-growth, exporting and export-ready SMEs. The activity ensures local, private sector buy-in by offering assistance through a grants program that requires cost share, and expert volunteers will support a combination of technical assistance and training to address the interconnected issues of workforce development, market access, product quality and technology.

Feed the Future Nigeria and Nestlé Maize Quality Improvement Partnership (M-QIP)

In 2017, VEGA brought together public and private-sector partners for a new Feed the Future program that leverages the expertise of volunteers to train farmers,

workers and small agricultural businesses in Nigeria’s Kaduna State to reduce crop contaminants and increase the safety and quality of maize and soybeans, ultimately improving the health, nutrition and livelihoods of targeted communities. Please read our feature on this new partnership on page 7.

Sri Lanka YouLead!

Every year, nearly 300,000 Sri Lankans leave secondary school without a degree or with a degree but without admittance to university. The country recognizes the need to develop a skilled workforce to tackle its 20 percent youth unemployment.

Under USAID’s YouLead! program, managed by VEGA and implemented by VEGA Member IESC, students, teachers and institutions will be supported to create a more skilled and flexible workforce. For students, YouLead! will improve the quality and availability of career counseling, aligning tools and counselor training with in-demand jobs and high-growth sectors. The project specifically targets traditionally underserved groups, including rural youth, young women and ethnic minorities. YouLead! will also work closely with key government ministries and private and public training institutes to design and improve educational and vocational training curriculum and will help develop master trainers and counselors. Finally, this new program helps to foster self-employment by connecting entrepreneurs with financial institutions and leveraging public and private financial resources to support youth entrepreneurship. Volunteers are integrated throughout the program, with more than 5,000 days of volunteer service expected.

Technical Assistance to the National Bank of Moldova

In 2014, Moldova experienced a severe

banking crisis followed by a recession,

in which the National Bank of Moldova

(NBM) was unable to adequately com-

municate to the public and sustain public

confidence in the country’s financial

sector.

To help NBM strengthen its ability to

manage shocks in the event of a future

banking crisis and improve external

communication capacity, VEGA Member

Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC)

will implement USAID’s project through

VEGA to assist NBM in setting up a single

central securities depository, using highly

skilled volunteers from the banking sector.

The Technical Assistance to the National

Bank of Moldova program will support

economic growth through improving

access to finance by enhancing the safety,

efficiency and reliability of the securities

settlement and registry infrastructure

in Moldova and enhancing NBM’s instit-

utional capacity.

Over the course of the past year, VEGA was awarded four new programs by USAID through the

Leader with Associate procurement mechanism, and made four new grants under the Farmer-

to-Farmer Special Program Support Project (see page 10).

NEW VEGA PROGRAMS

L E A R N M O R E AT

VEGAAlliance.org

VOLUNTEERShare your unique skills

with people around the globe




What if we lived in a world where there was no longer a need for U.S. foreign assistance? At VEGA, we do

more than envision this future—every VEGA program gets us closer to that reality. We work with our local

partners to create enduring, demand-driven solutions to today’s global development issues. Through

VEGA programs that build the capacity of local organizations from the ground up and strengthen

public and private financial institutions from the top down, highly skilled volunteers are sharing their

expertise to champion change from within and support those seeking a hand up, not a handout.

IMPACT FROM THE GROUND UP AND THE TOP DOWN

BUILDING LOCAL CAPACITYA number of VEGA programs focus on building the capacity of local organiz-ations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By filling technical and knowledge gaps, VEGA programs from Sri Lanka to Mali are giving our partners the best opportunity to succeed and grow.

VEGA’s eight-year Biz+ program in Sri Lanka, implemented by VEGA Member Land O’Lakes International Development, recently received a two-year extension due to its success in stimulating economic growth, job creation and increased

household incomes in post-crisis and under-developed areas of the country. By providing SMEs with technical know-how and investment grants requiring a 1:1 match by the SMEs, the program has created more than 10,000 employment opportunities, leveraged over $14 million private sector funds, benefited 8,090 households and increased incomes of Sri Lankans by more than $8 million.

Since 2011, 25 highly skilled U.S. volunteers have assisted entrepreneurs on a range of topics, from financial skills to marketing and branding. One such entrepreneur is Rejin Thileepan, owner of Yharl coconut mill, who felt compelled to support his community after the 26-year civil war that

ended in 2009. “Women were widowed

and without jobs. We wanted to help,”

he said. “That’s when we put in a grant

proposal to Land O’Lakes International

Development—we wanted to expand to

coconut oil production. That type of mill

would not only help our business grow

but also provide job opportunities.”

The business grew from just two

employees to 34, who now have steady

incomes, savings accounts and a supp-

ortive community to call home. Kanni

Mankaytkarasy has been working with

the company since February. With scars

on her hands as remnants from her time

fighting on the frontlines, she picks up a

Kanni Mankaytkarasy working at the Yharl coconut oil production mill in Sri Lanka with the VEGA BIZ+ Program implemented by Land O’Lakes



coconut and cracks it open with the swing of a machete. “We all rotate jobs each day. It makes me happy to see the process and the final product of our work,” says Kanni, smiling.

MENTORSHIP As part of the Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepreneurs program in Mali, volunteer Haoua Cheick Seip initiated a pilot mentorship program for women entrepreneurs. The program, implemented by VEGA Member IESC, aims to improve the lending environment for women SME owners and managers in targeted value chains. A key focus was to build the capacity of women by teaching them financial literacy and other essential skills needed to bring their businesses from the informal to the formal sector.

Having grown up in Mali, Seip understood

some of the challenges and cultural

sensitivities that women entrepreneurs

need to overcome. “They face lots of

discouragement,” she says. “As a woman,

no one tells you to study. So they need

to be able to turn to someone who has

experience.”

Seip also understood that the advice

would best come from other local Malian

entrepreneurs, so she helped create a

pilot group made up of four local mentors

from different sectors, such as agriculture

and textiles, who mentored 16 women

entrepreneurs. During the twelve-week

program, they talked through different

financial skills that would make the

women-owned businesses less of a

loan risk for banks, and the mentees

underwent training on the importance

of keeping a ledger, how to pay taxes and

the advantages of growing a business.

“They not only learn from me, but they learn from themselves,” Seip explains. “The fact that they are together in one room is a way for them to sit down and talk and learn. They help themselves.”

STRENGTHENING

SYSTEMS VEGA’s membership includes organiz-ations that specialize in strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks and financial systems. Through the utilization of high-level volunteers not typically available to USAID, these programs are able to improve commercial environ-ments, making them more conducive for entrepreneurs to operate and grow businesses.

VEGA Member FSVC’s work in Albania is a prime example of U.S. assistance helping a country put policies and systems in place that will allow it to quickly become self-sufficient and end reliance on outside help. FSVC has mobilized a number of New York and New Jersey state bank and insurance regulators and high-level Federal Reserve and FDIC officials to assist Albania to develop a strong financial system and enable the environment necessary to win the confidence of its citizens and investors.

In Ukraine, two major Ukrainian credit union associations are entering the advocacy arena to better serve members. Through the help of volunteer experts, such as Credit Union National Association

“They not only learn from me, but they learn from

themselves! The fact that they are together in one

room is a way for them to sit down and talk and learn.

They help themselves.”– Hauoua Cheick Seip, Finance for Food Security and Women

Entrepeneurs Volunteer

F R O M L E F T: Credit Union National Associaton Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Donovan discussing the importance of advocacy with CAP program participants in Ukraine; Dialo Hawa Traorem producing soap for her company, Gie Djeyasso, supported by the Mali Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepeneurs

“Women were widowed and without jobs. We wanted

to help.That’s when we put in a grant proposal to

Land O’Lakes International Development—we wanted

to expand to coconut oil production. That type of mill would not only help

our business grow but also provide job opportunities.”

– Rejin Thileepan, Recipient of Biz+ Grant



In Nigeria, post-harvest losses due to poor farming practices and high levels of mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin, and other contaminants have plagued staple crops such as maize and soybean, making it harder for small-holder farmers to earn a decent income. These mycotoxins also threaten the health and lives of humans, causing cancer and fatal kidney and liver failure as well as stunting and immune suppression in children.

In 2017, VEGA brought together partners committed to reducing the threat of these dangerous crop contaminants. This new public-private partnership is comprised of USAID, VEGA, Nestlé and VEGA Member Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA). The team will also include experts from VEGA Member Purdue University and Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and Lifelong Learning in Nigeria. Together, the partners will leverage the expertise of volunteers

to train farmers, workers and small agricultural businesses in Kaduna State to reduce crop contaminants in order to sustainably increase the safety and quality of maize and soybeans and improve local health, nutrition and livelihoods.

Through a train-the-trainer appr-oach, the program will build the capacity of local associations and 150 local youth volunteers to train more than 20,000 smallholder farmers—including 40 percent women— and increase the sales of better quality maize and soybean by at least 17,000 metric tons annually. More than 200 for-profit private enterprises, such as farm service retailers, will also be trained and supported in improving their technologies and management practices. Empowerment of partic-ipants throughout the supply chain will create a culture of transparency and traceability, leading to decisions that ensure a high-quality and safe product. The resulting increased grain and maize sales will boost incomes and help farmers and small business operators improve their livelihoods.

This program is part of VEGA’s greater initiative to engage priv-ate-sector partners to build collaborative, shared-value solu-

tions across all sectors of society. VEGA understands that as public-private partnerships gain mom-entum to solve development problems, challenges remain in building partnerships that trans-late shared interests into lasting results on the ground that meet the goals of all partners and are delivered to scale. VEGA acts as a one-stop shop: Convening key stakeholders, coordinating design and implementation, conducting oversight and monitoring impact. VEGA combines sector insight with innovative methods to purs-ue opportunities for growth while leveraging the expertise and experience of our 28 Member organizations that have implem-ented projects in 100+ countries worldwide and bring decades of experience to the field. By working with leading corporations, mission-driven nonprofits and USAID ov-erseas missions, VEGA builds lasting relationships and helps our partners collectively develop enduring and market-based solu-tions that address economic growth, poverty and employmentchallenges worldwide.

Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Donovan, these associations have developed critical reforms for serving farmers and rural businesses in Ukraine. This progress has been possible through the support of the Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project, funded by USAID, managed by VEGA and implemented by VEGA Member WOCCU. Leveraging more than 60 highly skilled volunteers—including Ukrainian diaspora—CAP will improve the regulatory environment, creating the conditions needed to expand small and medium-sized agricultural producers’ access to financial resources.

Meanwhile, Steve Glueck, a Local Econ-omic Development Director in Golden,

Colorado and volunteer from VEGA Member International City/County Man-agement Association (ICMA), is a prime example of how VEGA leverages high caliber volunteers to add unique value to programs. Experienced in evaluating and refining organizational structures and regulatory frameworks and in creating public-private partnerships for local development, regional land use, and transportation, Steve was instrumental in establishing economic development support structures in Bulgaria and Sri Lanka.

CORPORATE SOLUTIONSICMA Volunteer Steve Glueck in Sri Lanka during local economic development training


because they speak from experience

are business savvy and are freely sharing their experience.

fostering business

innovation

expanding the role of women and youth in

business

promoting growth increasing

productivity in strategic industries

90 volunteers contributed to stability in Middle East +

North Africa

23 volunteers helped train 1680 Iraqis with business skills

106 volunteer days, $10m in grants to Lebanese MFIs, which disbursed

$35m across 15,000 micro loans

policymakers

businessmen and women

co-op managers

entrepreneursTheyadd

valueto:

policymakers


co-op managers

entrepreneurs

Cultural harmony in challenging

situations

Volunteers share their expertise

They add

value to:

25k volunteer assignments

in 140 countriesover 50 years

policymakers


co-op managers

entrepreneursTheyadd

valueto:



fostering business

innovation


business




North Africa




When you send a volunteer on an international development assignment, you send a passionate, experienced problem-solver who acts as a peer and has specific, real-world knowledge to discover and address the root causes inhibiting economic development in emerging markets. Hosts consistently report that they trust volunteers and value their advice and friendship.

Hosts say volunteers help them make their dreams come true. Many mentoring relationships far outlast the original assignment, and volunteers link hosts to industry players, technology, investment and know-how. This leads to more jobs, financial stability, new markets, higher incomes, better operations, and prosperity.

Hosts are business owners, public officials, cooperatives, women’s groups, producers, farmers, and nonprofits.

Back home, volunteers become “ambassadors” in their communities, workplaces and other circles – increasing

cross-cultural understanding as well as awareness of U.S. development programs. Often they inspire

new volunteers who continue the cycle.

VEGA Volunteer Impact 360° celebrates those Americans who contribute their skills to promote international development.

“What sets volunteers apart is that they are passionate about what

they bring. It’s not a job. They want to see that knowledge transfer, and they work in an extremely collaborative way.”

– Jennifer Brinkerhoff, Former chief of party of VEGA’s Sri

Lanka Biz+ Program


IMPACT Highlights

VEGA Volunteer Impact 360°: Skilled Volunteers Exemplify US Goals at Home and Abroad

GLOBAL NETWORKS

DEMAND-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

CITIZEN DIPLOMACY

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

SPECIALIZED SKILLS

TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

LEVERAGED RESOURCES

VOLUNTEER IMPACT 360°

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increasin

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fostering business

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North Africa




increasing value-added


increasing value-added




fostering business

innovation


business




North Africa




360ºVolunteer Impact

VEGA Member organizations have mobilized volunteers in 140 countries over the past 50 years.

Volunteer Impact 360°

360º

Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance



Lynda Swenson Nominating Member: International Executive Service Corps (IESC)

As a retired banking executive, Lynda Sw-enson has volunteer-

ed on more than 50 assignments for several VEGA Members, including CNFA, IESC, Land O’Lakes International Development and Winrock Inter-national. She has trained and partner-ed with cooperatives, community-based financial organizations and private companies in business and financial management and has worked with farmers, agro dealers, seed producers and microfinance institutions on agricultural value chains. Remarkably, Lynda is hoping to

lend her skills to another 50 assignments in the future. On one such project in Egypt, Lynda helped managers at economic and agricultural development organizations build their organizational capacity through good financial management practices. Lynda taught a four-day training and provided direct assistance to 44 people. With better control of their resources, these organizations are able to spend more time focusing on their missions and beneficiary communities. Lynda’s passion for volunteering won’t end any time soon. Why? Because she truly knows the impact of her work and because “…the friends I have made and continue to know are priceless.”

“I volunteer to give back some of the knowledge and

experience I have gained from a world-class education

in the USA and throughout my career as a banker and

finance professional.”

– Lynda Swenson, Volunteer

John Turner Nominating Member: Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC)

Since participating in one of FSVC’s inaugural projects in East Africa in 2012,

John Turner has served as a volunteer expert for nine different projects in the past six years. He has spent the equivalent of 137 days volunteering or preparing for FSVC projects and has trained 196 beneficiaries from public and private sector institutions in East Africa.

One of his significant contributions to FSVC’s programs has been his support for the development of a regional pension savings product for the informal sector, which had previously been unreachable by government-funded social security schemes and corporate-funded pension funds. In 2015, John also helped the East and Central African Social Security Administration (ECASSA) to develop a training curriculum on the inter-national practices in pension and soc-ial security management, investment and regulation. He conducted the first training in March 2016, and future training programs will be incorporated into the overall curriculum of ECASSA.John developed an affinity for the African continent when he lived there

VEGA’s skilled volunteers are peer-to-peer diplomats who create economic opportunity and cultural

understanding abroad and back home. At VEGA, we call this Volunteer Impact 360º, and we celebrate

some of the best examples each year on International Volunteer Day, December 5. In 2016, VEGA

hosted the International Volunteer Day Forum and Awards Celebration in Washington, DC, with co-

sponsors Building Bridges Coalition, Service Year Alliance, IMPACT 2030, the International Association

for Volunteer Effort and Partners of the Americas. Thought leaders and doers, including keynote speaker

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, gathered to celebrate the vital role of American volunteers, discuss

the special value of volunteers in multi-stakeholder efforts to meet this century’s global development

challenges and call for prioritizing effective volunteer programs and policies in the new administration.

The highlight of the day was an awards ceremony for remarkable volunteers with powerful stories of

impact. Here are the 2016 VEGA Volunteers of the Year:

VOLUNTEER IMPACT 360º


as a child. Throughout his career and life, he has endeavored to help the people of Africa, and his involvement with the FSVC program in East Africa has allowed him to fulfill that goal. John has become a confidant and resource for the East African Community whom they have come to trust as they continue to reform their financial sector.

“I thought I’ll devote my life to helping Africa and I chose economics as my career because that gave

me the opportunity to have the skills to do that.”

– John Turner, Volunteer

Neelam Canto-Lugo Farmer-to-Farmer Volunteer of the Year Nominating Member: Winrock International

In May 2016, Neelam Canto-Lugo comple-

ted her first Farmer-to-Farmer assignment with the Women Development Advocacy Center (WDAC) in Nepal, assisting youth, women and community organizers on technical proposal writing, career development strategy and effective communication techniques. Neelam ret-urned home determined to raise funds and collect computers for WDAC’s digital literacy project, which provides computer training to economically disadvantaged women and places them as teachers in

rural schools, and for its micro-enterprise acceleration project that helps empower and provide resources to small business owners. To date, Neelam has raised $9,800, donated 11 laptops for these projects and returned to Nepal once to lead trainings for WDAC with as many as 150 women at a time. Neelam was recently notified that WDAC is creating a “Teacher of the Year” award and naming it in her honor.

Neelam is a retired professor of Yuba College, in Yuba City, California, with more than 36 years of experience in education, communications and global business consulting. She recently returned from another Farmer-to-Farmer assignment in Nigeria.

“Very rarely have I encountered such kindness

and affection in the countries that I have traveled. I

encountered so many young men and women who have become my lifelong friends.”

– Neelam Canto-Lugo, Volunteer

Charlene Nash Farmer-to-Farmer SPSP Volunteer of the Year Nominating Member: NCBA CLUSA

In 2016, Charlene Nash volunteered for 48 days with NCBA CLUSA F2F

projects. In Zambia, Charlene supported the Chipata District Farmers Association and Community Oriented Development Program members in improving peanut seed production. She introduced com-

post tea and demonstrated how a solar air and water pump can be used to brew the tea, which is poured over soil and compost. Charlene left the device and instructions on how to operate it so farmers could each brew tea for their fields and then pass it along to other farmers.

Charlene also worked with a group of farmers on marketing strategies for selling their peanut seeds. She helped them design a logo and used her own money to get the first 1,000 labels printed. As of September 2016, these farmers are now selling their peanut seed to local buyers in the newly labeled packaging.

In 2012, Charlene started a nonprofit called Soil Resources Initiative to raise funds to purchase inputs and training supplies for her F2F assignments. Over the past four years, she has raised approximately $15,000!

Charlene, originally from Columbia, South Carolina, is the Senior Horti-culturalist at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she has worked since 1992.

“We have to change that word ‘sustainable’ to

‘regenerative.’ We have to regenerate the soil

and then we’ll have something to sustain.”– Charlene Nash, Volunteer

L E A R N M O R E AT VolunteerImpact360.org

F R O M L E F T: Justin Finnegan, USAID Bureau for Food Security; Lynda Swenson, volunteer; Melissa Golladay, Partners of the Americas; Cathy Healy, volunteer; Charlene Nash, volunteer; U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT); Corey Arnez Griffin, Global Government and Industry Partners; Former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford; David Caprara, Building Bridges Coalition; Kathleen Denis, International Association for Volunteer Effort; Steven Rosenthal, volunteer; Neelam Canto-Lugo, volunteer; John Turner, volunteer; Yasmeen Shaheen-McConnell, Service Year Alliance; Amanda MacArthur, PYXERA Global; Michael Deal, VEGA; Peter Ter, volunteer


This year was VEGA’s fourth year implementing the F2F Special Program Support Project (SPSP) to test innovative approaches for using volunteers, draw from non-traditional volunteer sources, develop the capacity of non-traditional volunteer organizations and foster learning and knowledge sharing within the F2F community.

Small Grants and Program Development Projects

Through the F2F SPSP, VEGA offers sub-awards and capacity building assistance to grantees in two categories—Small Grants and larger, longer-term Program Development Projects (PDP). In 2016-17, three PDPs, in Colombia, Ghana and Jamaica, were ongoing, and VEGA concluded four successful Small Grant projects in Kosovo, Mali, India and Madagascar.

2017 Small Grant Competition for Minority-Serving Organizations

From the start, minority inclusion has been a goal of SPSP, and in January 2017, VEGA held a small grants competition tailored to the needs of minority-serving organizations to increase the number of minority implementers participating in F2F. Through the competition, VEGA acted on the findings of two earlier SPSP studies, which called for including robust and targeted outreach efforts, revising the competition to be more collaborative and enhancing the resources available to potential applicants. Through this competition, four organizations—including three new F2F implementers—were awarded small grants:

y Development Solutions International will send eight volunteers to Mongolia

to provide training on innovative livestock methods and encourage en-trepreneurship among herders in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the livestock sector.

y Eleven volunteers from Florida At-lantic University, partnering with VEGA Member Aquaculture Without Frontiers, will conduct technical trainings for small- and medium-scale farmers to aid the expansion of aqua-culture in Kenya.

y New Mexico State University is implementing a project with ten volunteers to improve the quality and availability of agricultural extension services in post-conflict rural Colombia.

y Florida A&M University’s ten volunteers will support soil and water analysis training and the development of

For more than 30 years, the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program

has promoted sustainable economic growth, food security and agricultural development

worldwide. Funded by USAID through the U.S. Farm Bill, volunteer technical assistance from

U.S. farmers, agribusinesses, cooperatives and universities helps developing countries improve

productivity, access new markets, build local capacity, combat climate change and conserve

environmental and natural resources. Since 1985, more than 16,000 volunteers have served in

111 countries with more than 11,000 local host organizations, benefiting more than 1.2 million

people.

FARMER-TO-FARMER SPECIAL PROGRAM SUPPORT PROJECT

F R O M L E F T V E G A’ S S P S P : IESC Volunteer Ernst Neering with IFSSP program staff member, Samuel Arku-Kelly, in Ghana preparing food safety system for EU audit; FAMU Volunteer Velma Gwishiri speaking in India; farmer with the FAVACA project in Jamaica


a demonstration farm to support adaptation to climate change in India.

Learning and Knowledge Management

VEGA fosters learning and knowledge sharing among the F2F community of practice and the general public through Farmer-to-Farmer.org, a popular mon-thly e-newsletter, a new LinkedIn com-pany page and on social media. To help implementers craft stories that engage the public, VEGA created a guide on How to Write a Great Volunteer Story along with a sample template. Through F2F communication channels, VEGA highlights the experiences of volunteers, showcases the success of the program and provides learning opportunities. This past year, VEGA made major structural improvements to Farmer-to-Farmer.org, completed a special

study to investigate the estimated value of volunteer contributions and organized four learning seminars for implementers.

SPSP Impacts and Accomplishments Since 2014

As of March 2017, SPSP has deployed 279 volunteers to train 18,986 people and strengthened 224 host organizations in Bangladesh, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kosovo, Madagascar, Mali, Moro-cco, Mongolia, Uganda and Zambia. These volunteers completed 6,027 vol-unteer days, donating an estimated $2,832,690 worth of professional time.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

Please visit Farmer-to-Farmer.org

VEGA CORE EXPERTISE & VALUES

F R O M L E F T V E G A’ S S P S P : Development Solutions International Volunteer Dr. Notter with Mongolian herders; Sleeping Camel employee, a partner of Browse and Grass Growers Cooperative (BGGC) in Mali; vanilla farmer in Madagascar working with NCBA CLUSA

Quick Farmer- to-Farmer Facts

Since 1985:

y Leveraging over $31 million worth of volunteer time

y Volunteers provided hands-on training to over 1.2 million people

y Over 16,000 volunteer assignments completed in over 110 countries

Our Core Values

y We believe economic growth that emphasizes innovation, local partnerships and integrated solutions is the best way to promote prosperity

y We believe in the power of volunteerism y We believe in the spirit of collaboration as an

alliance of NGOs partnering with donors and corporate, philanthropic and community organizations

Sectors

y Agriculture & Food Security y Banking & Financial Services y Energy & Environment y Health System Strengthening y Information & Technology y Trade & Investment y Urban Development

Cross-Cutting Themes

y Engineering y Enterprise Development &

Entrepreneurship y Financial Inclusion y Strengthening Systems & Capacity y Value Chains y Women’s Economic Empowerment y Youth & Workforce Development


NEW VEGA MEMBERSThis past year, VEGA gained four new Members that strengthen the scale, impact and value of the

alliance with additional qualifications, skills and volunteer experts.

F R O M L E F T: EWB-USA Volunteer Mike Paddock teaching villagers how to do routine maintenance on water pumps in Ethiopia; Credit for Agriculture Producers Project launch event to develop Ukraine credit unions; smallholder Farmer in Tanzania Market with USAID Program, Photo Credit Fintrac Inc.

Australian Volunteers International(AVI) is a not-for-profit organization committed to achieving economic and social development outcomes across Asia, the Pacific and the world. AVI invites change. They connect people to bring about change by sharing their skills, knowledge and experience through international pathways and networks. AVI combines their extensive cross-sector networks with an evidence-based approach, which contributes to economic, social and environmental change for communities in the region and beyond. And as AVI supports and co-designs locally driven initiatives that help stimulate sustained outcomes, rewarding relationships between Australians and international peers are made.

Conservation Council of Nationsis dedicated to building political will for conservation in the developing world and providing on-the-ground conservation solutions. CCN works with

partner nations to develop and support parliamentary conservation caucuses; fosters interparliamentary interaction to build consensus and cooperation on conservation issues across borders; hosts educational programs and missions in partners nations; and promotes public-private conservation partnerships. CCN’s International Conservation Corps selects from an elite class of skilled workers to form the most effective volunteer mechanism for international assistance to address partner nations’ conservation needs.

International Senior Lawyers Project(ISLP) provides pro bono legal assistance to low-income country governments, CSOs and marginalised communities, supporting transparent stakeholder engagement and community-inclus-ive development. ISLP leverages high-level legal expertise to address regu-latory, contractual, investment and trade structures within the context of large-scale development, helping governments and civil societies build just and accountable legal and regulatory

frameworks. ISLP offers solutions to direct investment challenges, from its growing program of work focused on social impact and the structuring of investment vehicles to advising governments on tax competition, base erosion and profit shifting.

World University Service of Canadais a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to providing education, employment and empowerment oppo-rtunities to disadvantaged youth around the world. It envisions a world in which all young people can grow up in safe, secure and supportive environments; have access to high-quality education opportunities; are able to secure fair, decent and fulfilling employment; and can actively participate in all aspects of their society’s development.


LEARNING ACTIVITIES Learning is core to all VEGA programs, and VEGA also provides its Members, partners and the public

with special learning opportunities geared towards building organizational capacity. VEGA participates

in conferences and other events as a thought leader in the fields of international development,

volunteerism and economic growth. During the past year, VEGA offered several learning opportunities

including webinars, panel discussions and trainings, and developed several resource tools.

Panel Discussions

On a quarterly basis, VEGA conducts meetings for its Members, providing a forum for learning through interactive panel discussions. The panelists are often VEGA Members, volunteers and outside experts sharing best practices and perspectives on a range of issues. One such panel covered the topic: What Makes a Good Volunteer Assignment. Five panelists, with sign-ificant volunteer experience, shared their perspective about the keys to an impactful assignment. This discussion was opened up to F2F implementers in an effort to share information within the wider volunteer-sending community. A summary of each volunteer’s pres-entation along with a recording of the presentation can be found on the VEGA and Farmer-to-Farmer websites. Other panel topics from the past year included Integrating Volunteers into Programs and Project Sustainability through Enterprise Development.

Resource ToolsIn the past year, VEGA developed and launched the Volunteer Value Reporting

System (VVRS). The VVRS requires VEGA implementing Members to gather data from implementing partners, host organizations and volunteers after each volunteer assignment. The data is being used by VEGA and its Members to establish and demonstrate the advantages of volunteer contributions to donors, host organizations, beneficiaries, volunteers and the public. The VVRS will also enable VEGA and its Members to analyze, learn from and improve its volunteer-sending programs.

Via its website, social media sites and its Members’ sites, VEGA officially launched its Volunteer Impact 360º campaign to raise awareness about the impact that highly skilled volunteers have abroad and at home. The campaign highlights the accomplishments of VEGA volunteers via several modes, including case studies, short videos and volunteer success stories. Visit www.VolunteerImpact360.org to learn more.

VEGA also updated its Members Only section of its website, making it more robust, user-friendly and secure. The

Members Only site contains several learning resources for VEGA Members, including program management, com-munications and business development information.

Training

In November 2016, VEGA hosted a training

session with Jeffery Bell, Vice President of

VEGA resource partner Claro KC. A retired

Contracting and Agreement Officer with

20 years of experience working directly

with USAID, Bell presented to Members

on volunteer cost share versus volunteer

leverage and how to accurately calc-

ulate both for reporting purposes.

M O S T O F T H E S E R E S O U R C E S C A N B E F O U N D O N

www.VEGAAlliance.org A N D YO U A L S O M AY I N Q U I R E AT

[email protected]

F R O M L E F T: F2F Winrock International Volunteer Johnson Ndi discussing opportunities with youth entrepeneurs in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Photo Credit Winrock; Farmer with VEGA and CNFA Feed the Future Egypt program; F2F Volunteer Jeremiah Kidd with FAVACA program supported by VEGA in Jamaica



Audited by Calibre CPA Group, PLLC

Total Federal Programs Expenditures Afghanistan-Assistance in Building Afghanistan by 32,392,250

Developing Enterprises (ABADE)

Afghanistan-Capacity Building & Change Management 8,195,294

Program II (CBCMP II)

Afghanistan-Capacity Building & Change Management (25,753)

Program I (CBCMP)

Albania-Financial Sector Development 886,156

Cambodia-Capacity Building of Cambodia’s Local 357,548

Organizations (CBCLO)

Emerging Markets Development Advisers 73,164

Program (EMDAP)

Egypt-Feed the Future Egypt Food Security and 2,711,134

Agribusiness Support Project (FAS)

Kazakhstan-Business Connection (5,850)

Lebanon-Investment in Microfinance (LIM) (7,080)

Liberia-Investing for Business Expansion (IBEX) 364,525

Mali-Financial Technical Assistance (FinTAP) 547,592

Sri Lanka-Facilitating Economic Growth (FEG) 14,854

Sri Lanka-Biz+ 2,645,276

Tanzania-Feed the Future Tanzania Enabling Growth 1,012,749

through Investment and Enterprise

Ukraine-Credit for Agriculture Producers Project 255,327

(CAP)

Yemen-Competitive Agriculture Systems for High 2,728

Value Crops (CASH)

John Ogonowski Farmer-to-Farmer Special 1,853,593

Program Support Project

VEGA Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Assets 2015 2016Cash $1,657,310 $1,925,867 Grants Receivable 1,086,732 1,119,282 Advances to Sub Recipients 529,522 1,571,692 Prepaid Expenses and Miscellaneous Receivables 38,847 21,905 Security Deposits 99,184 74,289

TOTAL ASSETS $3,411,595 $4,713,035

Liabilities 2015 2016Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses $274,702 $221,389 Due to Sub Recipients 1,395,707 1,603,409Refundable Advances 1,408,053 2,528,295Deferred Lease Incentives – 44,791

Total Liabilities $3,078,462 $4,397,884

Unrestricted Net Assets $333,133 $315,151

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $3,411,595 $4,713,035

VEGA Statement of Financial Position DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2016




Statement of Functional Expenses YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016

FINANCIAL SUMMARY (CONTINUED)

3.44% Subagreements Under F2F1.45%

In-Kind Contributions

4.99% VEGA Secretariat

90.12% Subagreements Under LWA

Audited by Calibre CPA Group, PLLC* Does not include Management and General

Program Expenditures* BETWEEN 2005 AND 2016

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Pro

gra

m A

mo

un

t M

anag

ed (i

n $

Mill

ion

s)

$50

$40

$30

$20

$10

$0

Program Management Services and General Total

Subagreements Under LWA $48,503,264 – $48,503,264 Subagreements Under F2F 1,853,593 – 1,853,593 In-Kind Contributions 782,033 – 782,033 VEGA Secretariat: — Salaries 104,709 1,229,462 1,334,171

— Employee Benefits 27,602 380,852 408,454

— Bank Fees – 8,080 8,080

— Furniture and Equipment 456 7,432 7,888

— Insurance – 32,932 32,932

— IT Support 3,060 24,198 27,258

— Meetings – 28,093 28,093

— Occupancy – 216,545 216,545

— Other 2,732 12,210 14,942

— Outreach Activities 566 30,425 30,991

— Postage and Delivery 8 130 138

— Printing and Production – 600 600

— Professional Fees 42,674 387,782 430,456

— Supplies 3,018 23,269 26,287

— Telecommunication 1,760 18,988 20,748

— Travel 15,561 81,103 96,664

GRAND TOTAL $51,341,036 $2,482,101 $53,823,137

$13,562,000

$51,341,036




WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY ABOUT VEGA

“VEGA is valuable to the U.S. taxpayer, to USAID Field Missions and to meeting our foreign

assistance objectives.”Bipartisan Representatives French Hill, Gerry Connolly, David Cicilline, Dan Donovan, Brad Sherman, Carol Shea-Porter, Don Beyer and Chris Stewart

“The Biz+ program is remarkable because it is made up of determined women and men who

not only want to succeed but are also committed to seeing their communities improve,

That is why a hallmark of Biz+ businesses is their focus on how they can employ, train and

partner with their community so that they benefit as a whole. This is how Biz+ is helping to

provide war widows, the disabled, survivors of gender-based violence and other vulnerable

populations with hope for a brighter tomorrow.”Andrew Sission, USAID Mission Director Sri Lanka

“These projects are the perfect kinds of things where the United States can connect with

local Lebanese communities so they can fulfill their ambitions and meet their economic

needs.” David Hale, Former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon

“Nestlé fundamentally believes that for a company to be successful, it must create value

for society. By partnering with VEGA, Nestlé’s focus on rural development, nutrition and

responsible sourcing can better enhance the well-being of farmers, rural communities and

suppliers. VEGA’s integration of expert volunteers and decades of experience strengthening

the small-farm sector provides a valuable complement to Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value

business approach.”Mr. Mauricio Alarcon, CEO and Managing Director, Nestlé Nigeria

F R O M L E F T: Volunteer Matt Cleaver with mushroom farmers in Malawi; Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander congratulating their constituent and VEGA Volunteer of the Year Charlene Nash; Engineers Without Borders volunteers joining hands with villagers in Bohol, Philippines




VEGA STAFF y Michael Deal, President and CEO

y Laura Alexander, Senior Program Manager

y Angela Canterbury, Managing Director of Communications and Advocacy

y Jennifer Cong, Staff Accountant

y Kathryn Deaton, Communications and Advocacy Associate

y Coy Isaacs, Director of Programs

y Katie Lazar, Executive Assistant Intern

y Long Nguyen, Managing Director of Finance and Administration

y Elena Sheidu, Senior Accountant

y David Simpson, Managing Director of Programs and Compliance

y Sheila Sullivan, Program Manager

y Anjali Upadhyay, Farmer-to-Farmer Intern

y Daniel Wolf, Director of Corporate Partnerships

Special Thanks for Contributions y Leah Breevoort

y Leia D’Amboise

y Rachael Diniega

VEGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

y Chairman, John D. Pompay, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Financial Services Volunteer Corps

y Vice Chair, Ambassador (Retired) Thomas J. Miller, President and CEO, International Executive Volunteer Corps

y Secretary, Jennifer Brinkerhoff, Director of New Business Development, Land O’ Lakes International Development

y Treasurer, John Grossman, Director of Global Program Management, International City/County Management Association (ICMA)

Board Members y Michael Deal, President & CEO, Volunteers for Economic

Growth Alliance, ex officio

y Elizabeth Adams, Technical Specialist for Agriculture, Global Communities

y Susan Fickling, Director, Participant Training Programs, Institute of International Education

y Daney Jackson, Director and Technical Lead Agricultural Extension, Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture

y Kuralai Kunz, Director of Enterprise and Community Development, PYXERA Global

y Carola Mandelbaum, Managing Director, Creative Learning, Inc.

y DeAnn McGrew, Director of Volunteer Technical Assistance, Winrock International

y Alex Moseson, Managing Director for Global Engineering Programs, Purdue University

y Gulbahar Okyuan, Business Development Manager, World Council of Credit Unions

y Nick Ramsing, Senior Project Manager, Private Sector Development-Agriculture, Mennonite Economic Development Associates

y David Roche, Executive Director, Coffee Quality Institute

y Dan Waddle, Senior Vice President, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International

Emeritus Members – Past Chairmen of the Board y Dr. Donald E. Hawkins, SAVE Travel Alliance, 2013 - 2015

y Tom Campbell, Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture, 2011 – 2013

y Michael Levett, CDC Development Solutions (now PYXERA Global), 2009 – 2011

y Spencer King, International Executive Service Corps, 2007 – 2009

y David Norman, Winrock International, 2006 – 2007

y Malcom Butler, Partners of the Americas, 2004 – 2006


VOLUNTEERS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH ALLIANCETEL 202.223.7012 | FAX 202.223.7240

www.VEGAAlliance.org | [email protected] | Facebook: VEGAalliance | Twitter: @VEGAalliance

VEGA PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED PRIMARILY BY

VEGA’S 28 NGO MEMBERS

Documents

ANNUAL REPORT - Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliancevegaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/VEG_AnnualReport_17... · Nestlé Maize Quality Improvement Partnership – new