COMPONENT 4: SUSTAINABILITY OF IABIN

COMPONENT 4: SUSTAINABILITY OF IABIN IABIN GEF PROJECT __________________ April 8, 2005 Panamá República de Panamá

IABIN´S SUSTAINABILITY • During the last couple of years IABIN officials carried out an active campaign to strengthen the network, including fund raising, grant proposals writing, execution of projects, and capacity building. • Support came through grants from the OAS, the U.S. AID, the World Bank, and the Brazilian government, and by in-kind contributions from nations of the hemisphere. • A grant from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) in order to build IABIN (2004). This project and it funds are officially executed by the OAS, through the General Secretariat (GS/OAS), on behalf of IABIN

“Building IABIN” A GEF SUPPORTED PROJECT • The Project Implementation Plan outlines a $35 million project. • IABIN was awarded $6 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) towards this plan. • Co-financing of $28.9 million has been identified from 76 regional or national institutions and programs.

SUSTAINABILITY OF IABIN OBJECTIVE: To create an enabling environment for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the Americas

SUB-COMPONENTS • IABIN Secretariat • Partnerships and Communications • The IABIN Gateway • The Development Gateway • The IABIN Foundation

1. IABIN SECRETARIAT MAIN ACTIVITIES • Define an overall architecture for the network, in consultation with the pertinent technical working groups • Oversee the development of the network products and services • Promote the network

1. IABIN SECRETARIAT MAIN ACTIVITIES • Attract resources for the network´s activities • Facilitate the preparation of strategic plans • Manage all IABIN documents • Facilitate access to esential datasets

1. IABIN SECRETARIAT YEAR 1 WORK PLAN • Learn about IABIN • Identify and review IABIN documents • Develop Secretariat Work Plan • Become familiar with all IABIN Stakeholders • Form and coordinate a Fund Raising Team • Identify where financial and other support can be obtained to drive the network´s development

2. PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS MAIN ACTIVITIES: • Convene three IABIN Council Meetings during the lifetime of the project, scheduled in coordination with CHM meetings • Convene two IEC Meetings in between Council Meetings • Support the IABIN Council, IEC, ad hoc working groups and particularly National Focal Points • Negotiate agreements with key organizations and initiatives • Collaborate with CHM national focal points

2. PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS MAIN ACTIVITIES (continuation): • Participate in other global and regional biodiversity informatics initiatives, such as GBIF • Target better information access to indigenous people • Manage data on the status and availability of the Network´s capacity • Promote cooperation amongst the network´s partners through meetings, workshops, newsletters, etc.

2. PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS YEAR 1 WORK PLAN • Organize IABIN Council Meeting – April 6-8 • Identify and prioritize key organizations and initiatives • Analyze current IABIN communication tools and contract to improve them or develop new ones • Attend GBIF meeting • Identify where capacities are located in the network

3. THE IABIN GATEWAY MAIN ACTIVITIES • Manage the IABIN Gateway • Manage the directory of webpages that provide biodiversity information • Provide network and user support, possibly including a help desk • Monitor the needs of the user community

3. THE IABIN GATEWAY YEAR 1 WORK PLAN • Re-design the Gateway • Integration with DGF Project • Translation to Spanish and Portuguese

4. DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY MAIN ACTIVITIES • Coordinate maintenance of “Biodiversity in the Americas” link in the Development Gateway

4. DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY YEAR 1 WORK PLAN • Work out the overall topic page strategy and criteria for approval/rejection of content • Coordinate preparation of highlights and e-mail newsletters • Send requests for posting of upcoming events, reports, jobs, etc • Post resources

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR IABIN • Recurring funding for the operation of the Secretariat and other periodic activities (e.g., annual IABIN Council meetings) must be identified • Participating agencies and institutions must be assured of continued internal funding for IABIN-related activities that are their in-kind contributions to the development of IABIN • IABIN itself will not be a source of funding for projects; rather, it should facilitate the fund-seeking process by helping its members identify potential funding sources and potential partners with whom collaborations can be formed to leverage available resources.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS • Development Grant Facility of the World Bank approves project on “Developing Connectivity between Biological and Geospatial Data in Latin America and the Caribbean” for US$800,000 over 2 years (managed by City Of Knowledge, overhead) • The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation awarded the Office for Sustainable Development and Environment of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OSDE/GS/OAS) US$65,000 to produce and deliver the following with relation to IABIN: • Information on protected area management • Tools and mechanisms to gather, publish, and update the above referenced protected areas data on line fully developed and operational

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY • Currently IABIN does not have a “Legal Status” • IABIN projects are financially manage by other organization, thus overhead resources ca. 8-10% allocated to other institutions (>400K) • Need to explore the Legal Status (Secretariat and ad hoc committee)

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY • Funding strategy for IABIN should be a mix of activities, developed in conjunction with participating countries • Direct fundraising efforts at different types of funding sources: • Private foundations (e.g., Moore Foundation, Macarthur Foundation) • Government agencies (USAID, National Science Foundation International Competition, CIDA, SIDA, Agencia de Cooperación Española,) • Bilateral cooperation: AECI, USAID, JICA • Multilateral cooperation: European Union, World Bank (Dutch Funds, DGF), ADB,CAF, USAID • Partner organizations • Private sector (i.e., corporate sponsorship)

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY • Develop fundraising partnerships with similar initiatives, organizations, and programs • Establish a fundraising team: • IEC • Secretariat • OAS • CoK • Fundraising Professionals to seek and acquire support to: capitalize an endowment (using associated interest for fund development)

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY P O ‘S IEC SECRETARIAT FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONALS O A S NFP´S

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY • Develop a grant ideas and a proposals portfolio that: • Includes strategic, appealing and relevant bioinformatics ideas for decision-making processes • Is tailored to and targeted to previously identified funding sources • Is flexible

FUNDRAISING: PRELIMINARY STRATEGY • Write at least two (2) grant proposals during first year and three (3) during second year of Secretariat installation • Establish IABIN formal “Legal Status” • Obtain seed money from current IABIN projects managed by other organizations to capitalize an endowment

5. THE IABIN FOUNDATION MAIN ACTIVITIES • Explore whether the International Bioinformatics Foundation is the appropriate organization to serve as IABIN Foundation

SecretariatIván Valdespino, Executive Directorivaldespino@iabin.netRita Besana, Data Content Managerrbesana@iabin.netBoris Ramírez, Thematic Networks Coord. bramirez@iabin.netCiudad del Saber, Edificio 801, Clayton, República de PanamáTelephones: +507 317-1993 and 317-1994 Fax: +507 317-1992 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PREGUNTAS O COMENTARIOS

COMPONENT 4: SUSTAINABILITY OF IABIN