Lessons for the FFF

The Action Center is without a doubt an extremely valuable resource for the education of young people on the issue of world hunger and its underlying causes. Our experience last week was even more inspiring because we were not just another group of students, but the group of student directors of the Fast Forward Fund. Robert Sherman, the executive director, was very helpful and provided us with constructive advice.

He emphasized two aspects we should keep in mind when we make our investment decisions: projects must be sustainable, and the proposals must reflect acumen. A major problem with grants is that they create dependency on a single source of income. If projects are unable to sustain themselves beyond the funding received from donors, the investment is often not justified. Therefore, when we evaluate the proposals that were submitted to us, it is essential that we see beyond the writing and try to gauge the practical ability of the social entrepreneurs.

The mission of the Fast Forward Fund is to transform young people into successful social investors. Similarly to the MercyCorps initiative, its aim is to educate youth to take action and make a positive impact in the world. The Action Center offered visitors the possibility to contribute as much (or as little) as they were willing to. If you have only one minute, you can sign a petition to promote gender equity in HIV/AIDS relief programs. If you have a month, you can volunteer overseas. If you want to dedicate your entire life to the cause, you can become a member of the MercyCorps team.

If you want to help the Fast Forward Fund, you can take only a couple of minutes and help spread the word in your social network. If you want to support initiatives of your peers, you can donate as little as $5 with just a few clicks on the FFF website. And if you have an idea yourself, you can submit a proposal to one of FFF’s pipeline organizations.