HIP is a transnational organization, whose network of grantmakers extends across the Americas. We use the word "transnational" because we recognize that the strong economic ties, the profound emotional bonds, and the enduring cultural responsibilities of many Latino communities transcend geography and borders.
Our transnational programs are designed both to strengthen relationships, connections and collaboration among civil sector leaders across borders, as well as to increase resources for the Latin American civil sector.
Rooted in a spirit of collaboration, our transnational programs reflect the reality of the contemporary world, where global economic and institutional structures make decision-making and problem-solving across borders increasingly necessary.
Developing models of philanthropy that recognize that transnational challenges require transnational solutions is critical. Studies reveal that more than six million Latin American immigrants in the U.S. send money to their families on a regular basis, totaling 45 billion dollars annually. Hometown Associations (HTAs), organizations formed by groups of immigrants hailing from the same communities of origin, known in Spanish as "clubes de oriundos", are working to support immigrant communities in the U.S., as well as sponsoring community development projects in Latin America.
Indeed, the emergence of such transnational trends makes it strikingly clear that for organized philanthropy to be effective, it must think in transnational terms.
HIP’s involvement in transnational issues dates back more than ten years, when we began exploring philanthropic strategies to connect Latino communities in the U.S. with their communities of origin.
In the mid 1990s, HIP launched a program of staff mentoring and internship exchanges between U.S. and Latin American foundations, as well as sponsoring research aimed at strengthening the links between transnational communities. More than a dozen Latin American foundations have since become members of HIP, and their senior staff and trustees participate in HIP’s annual meetings and workshops and rotate on the Board of Directors.
In recent years, as HIP has grown as an organization, so too has our ability to make an impact transnationally. In 2001, HIP’s strategic plan listed Transnational Programs as one of its top priorities. By 2002, as part of the Funders’ Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities, HIP’s first two Transnational sites had been launched. In Argentina, HIP’s partners include Fundación Minetti, Telefónica de España and the University of Córdoba. In Córdoba, the site of the Argentina Funders’ Collaborative, HIP raised more than half a million dollars and disbursed three rounds of grants that have benefited 65 organizations. In the Dominican Republic, HIP’s partners are the Fundación Falconbridge, the Levi Strauss Foundation, and another eleven local donors. There, we raised more than 200 thousand dollars, serving 17 organizations.
HIP now has the opportunity to replicate its transnational experience in ways that are relevant to other Latino communities in the U.S. HIP wants to build upon the extensive links that exist between Mexican migrants in the U.S. and their sending communities in Mexico, and strengthen the impact of philanthropic and cultural contributions across the border. More than half of HIP’s grantees are Mexican-American-led or focused, and HIP has established sites where there are significant numbers of Mexican immigrants, such as Southern California, Chicago, Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Florida.
Looking ahead, HIP seeks to continue collaboration, exploring new models for transnational grantmaking and devising new strategies for strengthening the Latin American civil sector.