Social Development

1. (a) The Cape Care Fund is an initiative of the Western Cape DSD and the Health Foundation NPC to establish a trusted entry-point for corporate and private donors wishing to support NGO-run social sector projects in the Western Cape. The Cape Care Fund has a banking account opened for the purpose of receiving said donations and sponsorships by the Health Foundation.

(b) Shrinking state finances and reduced government support are hampering the NGO sector’s efforts to sustain social services to communities at a time when they are most needed. The Cape Care Fund is being established to reverse this downward trend and increase resources available for much needed social services in communities.

(c) The Cape Care Fund will aim to help corporate CSI leaders to identify the best possible projects to support with their CSI investments. The long-term goal is to support and promote a thriving and sustainable NPO sector in the Western Cape.

(d) The Cape Care Fund’s target projects will include disabled homes, children’s homes, food relief programs, homes for the elderly, homeless shelters and many others, all of which are geared toward improving the quality of care to vulnerable citizens in particular.

(e) The Department of Social Development has partnerships with over 1000 NGOs in the province, as well as with private sector organisations, municipalities and other government departments. The Department will leverage these networks to assist in making the Cape Care Fund a success. Through the Cape Care Fund, we also wish to broaden non-monetary partnerships like internships, by connecting corporates or individuals to organisations that may benefit, so that we provide a greater geographical and sectoral safety net.

2. The Cape Care Fund will be marketed jointly by the Department and the Health Foundation, including a launch and ongoing media campaigns, and potential donors, both local and international, will be engaged on an ongoing basis. A user-friendly web-portal is being developed which will serve as an entry point to the fund and also showcase the positive impact of donations received. The Health Foundation has the organizational capacity to manage partnerships and provide ongoing specialised support and advice to potential donors on how they can maximise the benefits of their CSI spend. Full assurance will be provided on the use of all donated funding, including reporting on performance and financial information, and all necessary governance systems and controls are in place at the Foundation. We believe this will have a whole-of-society and whole-of-government benefit, and to this end we believe the success of the Cape Care Fund can be achieved when more people take responsibility in spreading the word about the initiative.