Mexico Health Review spoke with Katty Beltrán, General Director of Fundación Dibujando un Mañana on how foundations can be an ally for companies’ efficient social investment.
Q: What advantages do companies get from participating in social projects with Fundación Dibujando un Mañana (FDM)?
A: The foundation has over 21 years of experience in social projects that boost social development in Mexico. Our investment model is based on transparency, efficiency and significant social impact. Therefore, companies that work with us can be certain that their money will be wisely invested and generate the maximum possible impact. To achieve this, the foundation analyzes each project and social organization to measure its ability to generate impact and operability. Later, it determines the investment risk that each represents so it can recommend only those projects that will have the greatest impact and visible results. For the duration of the project, organizations are audited by the foundation at different times and the money is conditioned to the results they deliver.
Organizations have the responsibility to implement the project as presented, with the correct procedure in time and form. If this does not happen, the organization is penalized, financing stops and the money that was invested needs tobe returned to the foundation. This year, FDM did a study to measure the social impact it generates and the results showed that a peso invested in the foundation equates to five pesos invested in social impact.
Q: How does FDM measure the impact of a project?
A: We are a second-floor foundation, which means we are a social investment organization. Our strength is the measurement of impact and the analysis of civil organizations. We are work with more than 900 organizations nationwide and four in Costa Rica. Measuring social impact begins with the selection of the organizations that apply for a project. We only select organizations that have the experience and capability to implement the project. FDM’s goal is to find the best organization in which to invest and generate the greatest impact. Subsequently, Fundación Dibujando un Mañana measures results by stages and the impact through reports elaborated by the organizations and an audit done by the foundation.
Q: What have been the most emblematic projects in which FDM has participated in the health sector?
A: The foundation has completed two projects in the health sector and has one in the making. The first project, called A Hospital for All, was based on the remodeling and equipping of Mexico’s General Hospital Dr. Eduardo Liceaga pediatrics’ area with the collaboration of the Naro Contigo Foundation. Through this collaboration, the Ministry of Health donated MX$15 million (US$780,000) and the foundation gathered another MX$15 million (US$780,000) through donations from different companies. The second project is an Alliance with Promotora Social Mexico called United to Give. This collaboration has been operational for four years and has benefited 38 institutions that work with over 21,000 children and adolescents with disabilities and a variety of health conditions in 13 states.
FDM’s most recent project is the remodeling of the hospital in Valle de Bravo. This transformation will strengthen the hospital’s capability to provide healthcare to ensure it covers the needs of the municipality and nine others in its periphery. The remodeling goes beyond infrastructure, since FDM is working to create a health network in the municipality and avoid saturation at its only clinic. The project is in the initial stage of deciding its construction model. Once this is finished, the foundation will seek to involve all industry sectors: government, private companies and nonprofit organizations.
Q: How do private companies get involved in projects?
A: Their participation depends on the type of project and the company’s expertise. For example, FDM developed a project called Community Integral Development Center (CEDIC) that sought to improve the lives of children of workers and residents near the communities of Chimalhuacan and Nezahualcoyotl. Children live close to the recycling work in the Xochiaca Board, which is the biggest open-air trash dump in Latin America, so the goal was to provide them with a place where they could have access to health, education and nutritional services. For this project, a PET recycling company invested for nine consecutive years after FDM made sure the project’s objectives aligned with the company’s value chain to foster a circular economy and generate an impact on society. The best thing is that this type of project can be exported to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Fundación Dibujando un Mañana is an ally in efficient social investment. The company has 21 years of experience advising enterprises in which organizations and projects to invest, generating sustainable changes to give children, adolescents and youth better life opportunities
