Introduction
The first stage of building a sustainable Highgate community is the organization of a leadership team that guides the development and growth of the community. It is the building of a cohesive and responsible community government and credible Non-Government Organizations. It involves the creation of planning board with qualified individuals taken from government as well as from the local citizenry that is responsible for creating a roadmap to economic and social development.
In addition to traditional challenges planners will face the discouraging task of raising monies to fund development projects. The fact is raising funds is simply a part of the planning process and, to experienced planners, is not unsurmountable. For, example city planners understand that primary sources of these funds are: grants, loans, donations, fundraising and taxes.
Grants
Grants outwardly are the most unlikely source because they require no collateral, bear no interest, and is non-repayable. However, hundreds of millions of dollars are available, as grant funding, to help build sustainable communities such as Highgate.
Examples of a few grant sources are:
- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This organization granted The Competitiveness Company, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Kingston, US$500,000 to launch the Jamaica Urban ornamental fish Cluster. This project consists of approximately 170 relatively small, mostly home-based aquaculture farms located primarily in urban communities in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Clarendon. It lasted from March 2014 to March 2016[1].The IDB granted US$500,000 to the Treasure Beach Cluster. This is a complex cluster of participants that include tour operators, sports and water sports related businesses, wellness and spa businesses, arts and crafts producers, farmers, institutional members, and proprietors of small hotels, villas and guest houses. The objective of the grant is to support the Treasure Beach community to develop the tourism potential of the area and to engineer and market a unique brand of tourism for Jamaica. The project lasted from February 2014 to June 2016.
- Japan Fund for Global Environment. These grants range (per year) from a Minimum 2,000,000 JPY (approx. US$18,000) to Maximum 6,000,000 JPY (approx. US$54,000)[2].
- The World Bank. This institution is committed to helping developing countries take on poverty and boost opportunity. It made available nearly $59 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees in fiscal year 2017 (July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017).There are literally hundreds of international grant opportunities to help communities throughout the Caribbean which includes Jamaica/Highgate intended to address issues of energy, poverty, social and economic development.
Loans
A well-known source for business loans are banks. However, banks also offer both large and small loans to communities for development projects. International banks also have full-fledged corporate philanthropy programs to financially support community welfare projects in poor and developing countries. In fact, some of these banks have set up independent foundations that handle disbursement of grants to Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).
Examples of a few loan sources are:
- The Citi Group’s Citi Foundation. This organization works for economic empowerment and financial inclusion of low – to moderate – income people in communities around the world by providing funding for NGOs.
- A loan of $64 million was awarded by French development bank Proparco and Dutch peer FMO. The facility will deliver electricity to the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited at a price of $85/MWh over 20 years. More than 40 businesses and 26 Caribbean countries have joined together in support of a $1bn project to create the world’s first ‘climate smart zone’ and help fast track low carbon development across the region[3].
- Others are the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation; Barclays Support for Communities; the Royal Bank of Canada’s Community and Sustainability Program and the American Express Corporate Social Responsibility.
Donations
Donations range from small amounts that individuals give to non-profit organizations and relatively large amounts from establish businesses for well-defined purposes. Donations may be goods and services other than money. The United Friends of Highgate has donated thousands of dollars in monies, products and services to the Highgate community over the last twelve years. With a responsible government entity leading the community the potential for getting millions of dollars in monies, goods and services is real.
Currently the UFOH website is being redesigned to seek donations from local and international sources by showing the organization’s accomplishments, the community’s needs and the way the donations will help to satisfy these needs. In addition, a Highgate community website will serve to earn significant donations for the development of the community.
Fundraising: For the past twelve years UFOH has been a responsible fundraiser grossing over seventy thousand dollars of funds yearly to pay for its social, health and education commitments. The organizations plans are to increase fundraising efforts. A responsible Highgate planning entity and other non-government organizations will increase fundraising efforts to obtain funds help in Highgate’s development.
Taxes
Local government may be able to generate funds from taxes gotten from the community as well as funds from central government directed through the Member of Parliament. These funds may be used for the development of the Highgate’s community.
Conclusion
Two major complications involved in the development of a Highgate community are: the formation of an organized Highgate community and raising funds for its development. The first problem is addressed in our article: Building an Efficient and Motivated Highgate Community.Now this article demonstrates that there is a practical method for raising funds in the amounts of hundreds of millions of dollars for Highgate’s use.
A responsible planning committee in Highgate will no doubt create a comprehensive plan for development. The plan will identify reliant projects and activities to benefit the community. One can imagine that two likely projects are: the creation of a power system to supply the community with affordable electricity and the creation of a water supply system that effectively serves the community.
The United Friends of Highgate -Florida Chapter, has already begun the process of identifying resources to making these and similar projects feasible. The first task of the United Friends of Highgate therefore is selling these ideas to community leaders. The vision is clear: a Highgate community that is one of the best places in Jamaica to work, live and
[1]http://competecaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/CC-Project-Highlights-Ornamental-Fish-JA.pdf
[2]https://www2.fundsforngos.org/environment-conservation-climate-change-and-ecology/japan-fund-global-environment-providing-grants-ngosnpos-engaged-environmental-activities-developing-countries-2/
[3]https://renewableenergycaribbean.com/tag/project-financing/