Alfons Tiñena: We must strengthen an organized associativism and increase its financial empowerment

We must strengthen an organized and coordinated associativism

The associative sector of our country has traditionally had the ability to strategically contribute to the improvement of social harmony and to the deepening of democratic values. But the sector includes companies of diverse typology and nature which makes necessary the creation and promotion of efficient spaces for participation and associative coordination in order to meet their needs.

Now more than ever, we need to implement organizational models that promote the establishment of cooperation agreements between associations to manage new projects, joint identification and optimization of resources and services and the creation of interassociative communication mechanisms to establish a collaborative dynamics of work. In addition, the associations should be provided with an ethical code of sector that becomes a reference tool and certify their associative quality.

It is essential to expand the financial empowerment of the institutions

Unfortunately, resources are increasingly limited and must be carefully managed to multiply their reach, which forces us to review the model of economic relations with public administrations and to adapt it to the current context and to the reality of the entities. But organizations also need to work to minimize its dependence on the public sector. Networking between organizations to share resources and join forces to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of financial management, thus creating shared services of support and advice to legal, financial or accountability issues, or making joint purchases of equipment among other measures, is essential.

However, diversifying funding sources helps to prioritize efforts: strengthening own ways of financing the provision of services or rents, establishing patronage and sponsorship agreements, promoting new projects that address self-management, crowdfunding and time banking, or sounding out the potential value of relating the professional profile of their own associates.

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Originally published by xarxanet.org, 16 september 2013