41013 No. 108 /April 2007 Community Foundations ­ A Tool for Preservation of Cultural Heritage Culture is increasingly understood as a resource for economic and social development. While existing World Bank instruments have proven suitable for financing infrastructure projects, including projects that preserve material culture such as historical buildings, structures and landscapes, it is often much more difficult to support preservation and use of small and intangible cultural heritage. Community Foundations present a practical instrument to supplement larger cultural heritage projects and to support the preservation and use of cultural heritage applying community driven development (CDD) approaches. Culture is "the set of distinctive spiritual, material, collective purpose. For example in Rwanda, the Twa intellectual and emotional features of society or a ethnic groups are known for their pottery. This cultural social group, and it encompasses, in addition to art and heritage has enabled them to form associations and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value market their products. Countries value their cultural systems, traditions and beliefs."1 Cultural heritage is heritage; for some cultural assets constitute a major the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes part of their national resource base while others of a group or society that are inherited from past emphasize the income-generating potential of generations, maintained in the present and bestowed community cultural enterprises. for the benefit of future generations. Cultural heritage manifests itself in diverse forms, from mega-structures, The appreciation of peoples' own culture and heritage like pyramids, medieval cities, monastic complexes has important impacts on social development. and museums, to languages and dialects, songs, art, Investment in cultural heritage can increase the folk stories, customs, practices and dances awareness of a community's own identity, boost confidence and can be a factor in social mobilization Among other things culture is a resource for and empowerment. Appreciation of cultural heritage economic and social development. When poor may promote inclusion and complement capacity communities preserve and develop their cultural assets, building; sense of local ownership and economic they are also generating new economic opportunities. incentives also encourage good governance practice. It is possible for communities to generate income from cultural heritage and this creates employment, The Role of Community Foundations promotes tourism, stimulates micro enterprise development, fosters private investment and can Community Foundations (CFs) are independent reduce poverty. Cultural heritage tourism is a fast organizations that provide grants to support a variety growing segment of the tourism industry, creating and of projects identified and implemented by local sustaining jobs including providing opportunities for citizens. They are formed as partnerships between marginalized groups. It also strengthens social local civil society organizations, the business networks and cohesion as groups come together for a community and governmental bodies and are independently registered. The grantmaking undertaking of Community foundations responds to a 1Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity adopted by the United broad spectrum of needs and opportunities. Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Community foundations are distinguished from other 2002. forms of local independent nonprofit organizations by In Mexico, a Tijuana based CF funded the Musical the combination of the following six characteristics: Band Sentimiento Purhepecha, to buy instruments to 1. They act as grant-making foundations preserve and transmit their traditions to their children 2. Their mission is broadly defined (e.g. to and to share them with other ethnic groups. They have improve quality of life in a community) also received a grant to record all their music. 3. They serve geographically defined communities ­ a city, district or province The Modra Torysa CF in Slovakia regularly supports folklore festivals and projects of local folklore groups, 4. They are supported by a broad range of donors including their participation at festivals abroad. and seek philanthropic contributions primarily from inside the community Preservation of Historical Monuments 5. They are governed by multi-sectoral local Aluksne Community Foundation in Latvia provided a boards reflecting the community grant to a group of volunteers to improve and clean a 6. They build capital endowment, which is an historical Livonian settlement and ancient burial field, a important element of sustainability cultural heritage monument of local significance. Another grant was provided for renovation of a historical wall in a The CF governing board decides on the type of manor complex, a cultural heritage monument of national projects to support, a decision that is intricately linked importance. Nitra Community Foundation in Slovakia to local context. CFs have a limited funding base supported children groups to preserve the ruins of four anchored primarily in donations from local individuals medieval castles near the city. Under the guidance of an and families, businesses and in some countries also enthusiastic history teacher, the young people learn about governmental sources. This means that CF grants are the history of region and do simple maintenance and clean much more suitable to support small initiatives than up work. During the winter children meet with various large infrastructure projects. The average size of grants historians and archeologists to deepen their knowledge of depends on the strategy chosen by the board and local history. typically range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. CFs may also consider different grant size categories ­ small grants for beginners, and larger for advanced groups with a track record. CF's grantmaking is driven by communities and responds to grant proposals submitted by various eligible community-based organizations. Proposals are evaluated by CF's Board or grant committee. Some CFs are proactive and allocate part of their budget specifically for cultural initiatives or hold special rounds of grants dedicated to culture. Examples of Cultural Heritage Projects Supported by Community Foundations Music In Estonia, the region covered by the Viljandi Community Foundation is distinguished by its Mulgi culture and dialect. Folk music festivals, launched in Viljandi in 1993, have evolved into an annual four- day-long folklore festival, the largest of its kind in the country. The Community Foundation supports the festival by providing additional funds to buy folk music instruments for students, and by contributing towards the fees of children attending a camp for a training course on folk music. The festival also serves as an excellent place to promote the foundation, to A group of activists, supported by the Healthy City Community gather support and donations. Foundation in Slovakia, repairing a historical monument on a tourist trail 2 Strengthening Cultural Identity crafts and costumes of their tribal ancestors, presenting A group of youth in Talsi region in Latvia received a their products at exhibitions and selling them at local grant from the Talsi Community Foundation to markets in northern Baja. participate at an expedition to research and document the cultural heritage, architectural and natural monuments in the region. Photographs of the project were included in a local Calendar. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of a local school in Spare the same CF awarded a grant that allowed pupils, teachers and parents to collect historical materials and establish the Spare school museum. Nitra CF supports cultural events for local citizens and tourists animating Nitra history in a nontraditional way. Living statues representing prominent personalities of the city history populated city's pedestrian zone, while bridges across the local river were used for an exhibition of artistic work of local elementary school pupils, reflecting the history of the place and region. The project culminated in a night theatrical show in the city's main square. A member of Mujeres Artesanas demonstrating her craft. Cultural Tourism Supported by a small grant from the Talsi community Culture of Minorities and Marginalized Groups foundation, the Arlava region history and cultural A grant made by Saratov CF in Russia supported the heritage was documented and a tourist route around Arlava surroundings developed, including a tourism establishment of a small studio for production of brochure. Supported by the Healthy City Community "speaking books" for blind people recorded by Foundation in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, a group of volunteers. The recording studio tapes literary pieces local activists reconstructed part of historical Via of local authors, including some books in the Tatar Dolorosa, which is now a segment of a tourist trail and language. The Volga Regional Museum in Saratov bike path. received support for their project "Volga region ­ melting pot of nations." This aimed to document and Traditional Arts and Crafts present the ethnic diversity of the region and educate Simunye Community Tourism Association is located citizens about the region's history and ethnography in South Africa's Zululand region known as the with special focus on women's heritage and arts. In a Elephant Coast. The region is part of the Greater St. different region of Russia, Pervouralsk CF contributes Lucia Wetlands Park, a World Heritage Site known for to preserving cultural heritage of various Ural ethnic beautiful flora, fauna and cultural history. The groups by supporting the Ural's Peoples Folklore Association provides information and entertainment to Festival. In Baja California, a group of native Kumiai's visitors to the Zululand region. Uthungulu Community received a grant of $900 for a project called Adobe por Foundation grants supported the Association's arts and Adobe ­ Building the Future of Our Kumiai Culture. crafts work program, including woodwork, beadwork, The grant helped to build the capacity and skills of sewing and marketing. Grants made by the Saratov youth in traditional techniques of making adobe and Community Foundation in Russia facilitated a regional created jobs in the community. Slovakia's Healthy exhibition "Crafts of Saratov region", a unique City CF awarded over years several grants to "Theater opportunity for craft masters and their pupils to present from the Passage" that integrates mentally their products. The theme of the event was `love of handicapped young people into community through motherland'. The goal of the project was to attract their theatrical performance. New endowed fund youth, people with disabilities, pensioners and all others towards the rebirth of traditional folk crafts as dedicated to supporting the Theater on sustainable well as towards non-traditional and innovative basis was recently established by a gift from a private directions in decorative arts. In Mexico, a group of donor to the Healthy City CF; revenues from investing indigenous women artisans Mujeres Artesanas in Baja this fund will be used to annually support new projects California, received funds from the Tijuana based of the Theater. community foundation to buy tables and equipment to sell their crafts. The group preserves the traditional 3 Focal Points for Community Foundations and practitioners that support the promotion of cultural Cultural Heritage Work at the World Bank: heritage within the World Bank. The CHSD works in partnership with cultural organizations, donor Community foundations work at the World Bank is governments, foundations, private organizations, and coordinated by the Community Driven Development and regional organizations to mainstream the protection Local Governance Group (www.worldbank.org/cdd). and proper use of culture assets as a vehicle to CDD is an approach that gives control over planning sustainable development and poverty reduction. decisions and investment resources to community groups and local governments. CDD programs operate on the In 2000, the Italian Government established the Italian principles of local empowerment, participatory governance, Trust Fund for Culture and Sustainable demand-responsiveness, administrative autonomy, greater Development (ITFCSD). The trust fund aimed to downward accountability, and enhanced local capacity. further strengthen the World Bank's work in the field Currently, the CDD portfolio at the World Bank amounts of cultural heritage. The ITFCSD Is a major source of to approximately $ 2 billion a year. grant resources for cultural heritage activities at the World Bank. The ITFCSD provided about US$ 4.2 Development of Community foundations in client million in 21 grants from 2002 through 2004 and has countries is supported by grants from Global Fund for contributed to strengthening the Bank's capacity in the Community Foundations (www.wings-globalfund.org). field of cultural heritage. It has created opportunities to The World Bank contributed to establishing this build knowledge, establish practices, evaluate policies Global Fund through a grant from the Development and foster coordination and partnership with other Grant Facility as well as by participation in its design specialized agencies. and governance. The World Bank's work on cultural heritage is This note was prepared by Juraj Mesik. It is part of a series supported by the Cultural Heritage in Sustainable intending to disseminate good practice and key findings on Development Thematic Group (CHSD) based in the community driven development. This series is edited by Social Finance, Economics and Urban Development Development Department of the Sustainable Development Network of the World Bank and additional copies can also be Department of the Bank. The CHSD is a community of requested via e-mail: socialdevelopment@worldbank.org 4