Policy plan

The purpose of the Michael Foundation is to provide support to people in need in the broadest sense of the word, with a special focus on helping widows and orphans in the Middle East.

The foundation wants to be directly involved as much as possible in the help it will offer to those involved. The support can vary from a young couple who have insufficient means to get married in order to support them temporarily financially, to complex problems of families affected by war, poverty, and disease in the Middle East. The foundation will initially start modestly but has the ambition to expand significantly in the near future. It is evident that a strong involvement of the foundation will require a considerable number of volunteers and financial resources. It is the ambition of the foundation to grow within the time frame of 10 years to a permanent group of 10 volunteers and an annual budget of 100,000 Euros.

Michael Foundation will continue its activities indefinitely. The foundation wants to provide direct support to the needy whom it supports. In order to achieve these objectives, the foundation must bind a permanent group of volunteers in the coming years and secure sufficient financial resources to meet its objectives.

In the first 3 years, the focus will be on people in the immediate vicinity who need help and support. For the time being, the foundation assumes constant growth, with the ambition to expand the number of volunteers by 1 person and an increase in fundraising of 10,000 euros per year. With this, the foundation expects to have 10 volunteers within 10 years and an annual budget of 100,000 euros. In addition, it will raise donations through the website, newsletter, and specific fundraising campaigns. One of the important focus groups that the foundation wants to support is widows and orphans in the Middle East. Attention will be paid to this from the second year onwards. A country of choice has yet to be determined, in which case it is very important to get in touch with these widows and orphans in need via a reliable route. This is essential to operate effectively and safely. In the third year, the ambition is to expand this to 3 countries.

Michael Foundation has been established with ambitious goals. The foundation plans to start small and gradually expand its operations. We currently recruit volunteers and donations initially from friends and family in the immediate network. Initially, the focus will be on providing emergency aid to the local community to gain experience and establish a strong foundation. In the future, the foundation hopes to expand its operations to the Middle East.

To meet the objectives of the mission and vision of the Michael Foundation, this foundation has the following objectives and targets for the years up to 2027:

2023:

• Establish a fixed group of 2 dedicated volunteers who share the vision and mission of the Michael Foundation. Recruit volunteers with different backgrounds and skills that deliver efficient results.
• Develop the current website and social media accounts for the foundation to increase its online presence and awareness.
• Establish partnerships with local organizations that work with orphans and widows in the Middle East to share resources and collaborate on projects.
• Set up a fundraising campaign to secure enough financial resources to launch the foundation’s activities with a minimum of 5000 Euro.

2024:

• Expand the number of volunteers to 3 and increase the fundraising target by 10,000 euros per year.
• Establish direct contact with orphans and widows in one country in the Middle East through the established partnership. (Supporting 5 needs in the immediate vicinity)
• Provide immediate needs for the targeted group, including food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. (Supporting 10 families in the Middle East)
• Develop and implement a long-term program to support orphans’ education and provide financial assistance to widows.

2025:

• Increase the number of volunteers to 4 and the fundraising target by 15,000 euros per year.
• Expand support to orphans and widows in two more countries in the Middle East. (Supporting 10 needs in the immediate vicinity)
• Provide financial support for widows to start small businesses to support their families. (Supporting 10 families in the Middle East)
• Start a mentorship program for orphans to provide guidance and support to those who need it.

2026:

• Increase the number of volunteers to 5 and the fundraising target by 20,000 euros per year.
• Launch a fundraising campaign to build a shelter for widows and orphans in one country in the Middle East. 
• Supporting 10 needs in the immediate vicinity
• Supporting 15 families in the Middle East
• Provide scholarships for orphans to pursue higher education and vocational training.
• Develop and implement a psychosocial support program for orphans and widows to address their mental health needs.

2027:

• Reach the target of 10 volunteers and an annual budget of 30,000 euros.
• Expand support to orphans and widows in five more countries in the Middle East.
• Launch a microfinance program to provide financial support to widows to start and grow their businesses.
• Expand the mentorship program for orphans to include peer mentoring and career guidance.

The focus of the first year is to support people in need in the area with limited financial resources. In order to fulfill the Foundation’s larger objectives of supporting widows and orphans in the Middle East, it is essential to implement effective recruitment of volunteers and financial resources. The recruitment will be done through the website of the foundation, regular newsletters, and contacting people and organizations that would like to participate in this movement. From 2024, the foundation will aim to reach the first country in the Middle East to serve widows and orphans in need. In 2025, the second and third countries will be targeted. The foundation will expand its network of contacts in the Middle East to support these widows and orphans on the spot and come into contact with them in a safe and reliable manner. Through these on-site connections, organizations will ensure that the right resources reach the right people as effectively as possible.

Fundraising strategy for the Michael Foundation over the next five years:

1. Develop the current website and social media presence: Develop the current website and social media accounts for Michael Foundation to help raise awareness about the foundation’s mission and work. This will allow them to share stories of impact and progress, and help potential donors learn more about the foundation.
2. Host fundraising events: Organize fundraising events such as charity dinners, auctions, and benefit concerts to engage with donors and generate revenue. Plan events in different regions to reach a wider audience and raise awareness about the foundation’s work.
3. Launch a regular giving campaign: Encourage donors to become regular givers by setting up a monthly or yearly donation program. This will help establish a consistent income stream for the foundation, making it easier to plan and budget for future projects.
4. Apply for grants: Research and apply for grants from foundations, governments, and other organizations that support causes related to the Michael Foundation’s mission. 
5. Corporate partnerships: Partner with corporations and businesses that are aligned with Michael Foundation’s mission and values. This could include sponsorships, cause-related marketing campaigns, and employee giving programs.

Online crowdfunding: Use online crowdfunding platforms to reach a wider audience and raise funds for specific projects or campaigns. Be sure to create compelling content and share it on social media and other channels to maximize engagement and reach.

The foundation was founded in 2019 without financial resources and was financially supported by the board members till now. However, the goal is to start fundraising by the end of 2023 and the goal is to raise 10,000 euros for 2024. We expect steady growth over the coming years, with the ambition to realize exponential growth in the future in terms of projects, stakeholders, and donations.

Raising funds will initially take place from the immediate network, with friends and family. By means of word of mouth, social media channels, and our website. The foundation will work on  drawing attention to the foundation and its objectives, to gain sympathy for the widows and orphans in the Middle East with which we hope that the donations will increase and we hope to recruit several volunteers. In addition, we will set up recruitment campaigns to include religious denominations. Michael Foundation will establish cooperation and partnerships with foundations that have similar objectives to be more efficient and effective. In the meantime, Michael Foundation will research the possibilities of obtaining finance and grants from different national and international institutions to expand the foundation’s mission.

The foundation strives to keep its own capital as limited as possible in order to spend directly on the rated projects. However, a reserve of two years will be provided. Since the foundation works project-oriented with short but effective support and few long-term obligations and low overhead by working with volunteers, the financial reserve will be limited at any time and will never exceed 10,000 Euro. The surplus will be placed in a bank account.

Activities performed in 2020:  There were no activities in 2020

Activities performed in 2021: An amount of 9450 EURO is donated to support widows and orphans via The London Noah Trust as a donation. 

Activities performed in 2022:An amount of 4612 EURO is donated to support widows and orphans via The London Noah Trust as a donation.