I am very touched by the opportunity to share with our readers the reasons for my involvement with this small, great North American foundation. I met Loren Finnell in 1986 when he was beginning to give form to what would become The Resource Foundation. I had just launched a Spanish foundation with the similar focus of empowering local nonprofit organizations in developing countries. Over the years, Loren and I remained in touch and in 1992, he invited me to join The Resource Foundation’s Board of Directors. I accepted with the profound belief that synergy must be the keyword for those of us working in the international collaboration sector.

A few years later in 1995, I began a vital initiative when I founded the Fundación Desarrollo Sostenido (Foundation for Sustainable Development). I invested all of the energy and experience I had garnered over the prior 10 years into this new, stronger organization which has, since its start, sought to foster socioeconomic development in developing countries, particularly in Latin America. Since its founding, Fundeso has built a very close relationship with The Resource Foundation in order to optimize the impact of both of our efforts.

It is important to note that the effectiveness of The Resource Foundation’s work over the years is due in part to the strong relationships it maintains with its network of affiliates. Those of us who work in the international sector know that the needs for assistance are enormous, that our contributions no matter how large will always be insufficient, and that only the constancy of our labor can reap significant results. Over more than 20 years, The Resource Foundation has focused its efforts on a select group of affiliated organizations. This focus has had an undeniable impact thanks to TRF’s consistent and tireless efforts.

Another element about The Resource Foundation that must be highlighted is its regional focus. This broader perspective enables it to generate synergies based on its knowledge of the work and needs of the organizations it supports. The training events it has helped to organize illustrate the usefulness of this approach.

Equally important is The Resource Foundation’s global vision, which can be seen in its combined work with European entities such as Fundeso. Through such collaborations, The Resource Foundation has been able to facilitate greater funding for its members. It is clear to me, just as it is to The Resource Foundation, that greater interaction in this area has the potential to result in huge benefits to its network.

Friends, I hope that these few lines can express my high regard for this North American foundation and my certainty that its impact will only grow if it continues to operate as it has until now.

Warm regards,
Rafael Guardans Cambó

Read more testimonials from The Resource Foundation's Board of Directors.