Synergos 2009 Annual Report

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Synergos

Report What We Do

3 Letter rom the Chair

& the President

Where We Work

6 India

Middle East & North Arica

8 Southern Arica

Canada

Latin America3 Global Networks

Synergos Services

6 Special Events

Year at a Glance

Financial Report Summary

Sustainability Report

Donors

Board o Directors

6 Sta & Oces


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What We DoTe name Synergos comes rom the Greek root meaning working together.

We address global poverty and social injustice by working collaboratively to

change the systems that keep people in poverty. Bringing together government,business, civil society, and poor and marginalized communities, we help create

sustainable systems change.

Over the course o more than years, Synergos has supported the development

o innovative leaders, organizations, and partnerships in Arica, the Americas,

Asia, and the Middle East.

Above: Jordanian man who benefts rom the work o

Rabee Zureikat, a Synergos Arab World Social Innovator

working to narrow socio-economic divides in his country.

Left: Global Philanthropists Circle members explore

philanthropys role in promoting systemic change to

overcome poverty .

Cover: The Arican Public Health Leadership and Systems

Innovation Initiative is creating a replicable model or

improving public health leadership and systems peror-

mance, beginning in Namibia.

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Letter rom the

Chair & the PresidentDear Friends,For many people, was an especially dicult year.Te global economic downturn that began in slowed progress in ghting poverty, and even increasedit in some places. According to World Bank estimates, million people ell into etreme poverty as a result

o the downturn, and an unacceptable number ochildren , lost their lives.

At the same time, the economic slowdown increasedthe challenges aced by organizations in raisingnancial support or programs to help communitiesrespond to these tremendous diculties.

Tis is the contet in which Synergos operated in

: a world o continued, and sometimes increas-ing, need, combined with a more dicult nancialenvironment.

Our response has been two-old. Te rst was toimplement measures to reduce our own costs andincrease our eectiveness and eciency, includingreducing the size o our sta in our New York head-quarters early in , and in our oce in Brazil later

in the year. We took these actions reluctantly and triedto lend support to those adversely aected to helpthem transition successully to new employment.

Te second major change weve implemented hasinvolved increasing the impact o our work in reduc-ing poverty and promoting social equity. We continueto believe that the best way to bring about and sustainsystemic change is by bringing together leaders romgovernment, business and civil society. Synergostaps into the wisdom, knowledge, and eperience o

everyone impacted by the system in need o changeby bridging the divides that separate them so they can

work together to identiy and implement long-lastinginnovations.

Our largest program, the Arican Public Health Lead-ership Initiative in Namibia, has ocused on strength-ening the senior leadership team o the Health Minis-try and improving maternal health. Te early successes

rom prototypes are now leading to a national roll-outo the change processes we implanted there to reducematernal mortality rates.

Our longstanding eorts through the BhavishyaAlliance to reduce child under-nutrition in India alsomade great strides orward. Participants in the ali-ated Girls Gaining Ground program have already

witnessed tangible improvements in their lives and

the lives o their amilies.

Peggy Dulany

Founder and Chair

Robert H. Dunn

President and CEO

Synergos taps into the wisdom,

knowledge, experience and

aspirations o everyone impacted

by the system in need o change

by bridging the divides that

separate them.

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I there is any positive side to the

challenging nancial environment

were in, it has been in the wider

recognition that we need to ocus

greater attention on long-term,

systemic interventions.

As you can see in the ollowing report,

that is the approach that we and

our partners are taking in working to

overcome poverty and injustice.

On Vancouver Island, in Canada, the AboriginalLeadership Initiative has leveraged business and gov-ernment resources or development priorities identi-ed by local communities, and the approach taken

will serve as the basis or a national conerence inOttawa in .

Work in South Arica with leaders o the childrenssector has resulted in numerous collaborative eortsand policy changes. Our initiative in that country andMozambique to strengthen community capacity tohelp isolated children in distress will also be epanded

and serve as the basis or an advocacy campaign aect-ing care givers and public policy in the region.

We have grown, deepened our relationship withmembers, and increased the interactions among ourthree leadership networks the Global PhilanthropistsCircle, Synergos Senior Fellows, and the Arab WorldSocial Innovators. Participants in these groups tellus the benets o their aliation with Synergos have

enabled them to be more strategic, scale up eistingeorts, collaborate more eectively, and better mea-sure the return on their social investments. Memberso these networks are also increasingly launching, lead-ing and supporting cross-sector partnerships to changethe systems that keep people in poverty.

During , we also stepped up our work withbusinesses and oundations, launching a new services

group to support these organizations eorts to workto address global poverty.

I there is any positive side to the challenging nancialenvironment were in, it has been in the wider recogni-tion that we need to ocus greater attention on long-term, systemic interventions.

As you can see in the ollowing report, that is theapproach that we and our partners are taking in

working to overcome poverty and injustice.

We want to epress our gratitude and appreciationto the many partners and supporters we have worked

with in . Tey continue to inspire us and help

us help others to meet their basic needs, enjoy theirundamental rights, and achieve their ull potential.

Warmly,

Peggy Dulany Robert H. DunnFounder and Chair President and CEO

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Where We Work

5

Senior Fellows

Global Philanthropists Circle Families

Arab World Social Innovators

Board Members

Key Program Countries

Synergos Oces

As o June 1, 2010


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A Partnership orChild NutritionSynergos work in India ocuses on addressing childunder-nutrition through our work with the Bhav-ishya Alliance, a multi-sectoral partnership we created

with Hindustan Lever, various Indian governmentalagencies and non-governmental organizations, andUNICEF.

A key Bhavishya initiative is Girls Gaining Ground,which empowers girls (between the ages o -years) to become more condent, aware and respon-sive toward the health and nutrition o their amilies

and themselves. Te program, which is supported bythe Nike Foundation, is reaching about , girlsrom over communities in the state o Maha-rashtra. Girls rom Latku village provide an ecellenteample o the impact o Girls Gaining Ground.

With condence and learning acquired rom a train-ing workshop, they conronted Latkus sarpanch(elected leader) about inaction in spending moneyallocated or water sanitation. Te result was govern-

ment action to provide a clean water tap.

Other Bhavishya achievements include improving thequality o ood in supplementary eeding programsat daycare centers through a partnership with theaj Group o Hotels; teaching mothers o inantsimproved breast-eeding behaviors and comple-mentary eeding practices; the provision o literacy,health and nutrition training to over , women in

thirty villages; and getting the Indian government toprovide day care acilities or migrant workers at threeconstruction sites in Mumbai.

India

GGG teaches us how to make decisions about

our own rights, maintain cleanliness, and

communicate with others.

Girls Gaining Ground participant rom

Thane district, India

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Strengthening Public HealthTe Arican Public Health Leadership and Systems Innovation Initiative aimsto transorm policies into actions with the ultimate result being increased access,quality, and eciencies in health service provision.

Te eort began in in Namibia, with support at the highest levels ogovernment. It is unded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and theGlobal Alliance or Improved Nutrition (GAIN). McKinsey & Company andthe Presencing Institute collaborate with Synergos on this eort.

In , the initiative ocused on maternal and young child health and nutrition

as a high-impact strategy. Maternal health captured the interest o Cabinetbecause o its poor perormance in the light o the countrys commitment to theMillennium Development Goals, one o which is to cut maternal mortality by% by , says Len le Rou, who heads Synergos partnership-buildingprograms in Arica.

A key element o this work has been recognizingand augmenting capacity that eists within thenational health system including not only

diverse government agencies but also romcommunity-based service providers, civil societyand the private sector.

So ar, improvements have included a reorganization o the Windhoek ambulancesystem that has resulted in a reduction in response times and improved operationsat health acilities that has reduced waits or epecting mothers during ante-natalvisits. In one case, nurses successully pressed the government to open an ante-natal care acility that had been constructed but had lain dormant or over a year.

In addition, community-based acilities are now providing services to women whowould otherwise have to walk hours or care, or choose between buying a meal ora tai ride to an ante-natal care acility.

Southern Arica

Weve already shown a remarkable dierence in the workingatmosphere, improving the environment, the requency o

communication, the openness o communication, and the

preparedness o our management sta. We are thinking

about solutions and we are designing solutions.

Dr. Norbert Forster, Deputy Permanent Secretary,

Ministry o Health o Namibia

Above: Mothers wait with their children to receive inant healthcare in Windhoek, Namibia.

Left: The initiative involves government at the highest level in Namibia, including the engagement

and leadership o Prime Minister Nahas Angula (right, with Synergos Len le Roux).

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Supporting

Community-ocusedPhilanthropySynergos serves as acilitator and convenor o theSouthern Arican Community Grantmakers Leader-ship Cooperative, a vibrant partnership that harnessesthe collective capacity o independent developmenttrusts and community grantmakers rom Mozam-bique, Namibia, South Arica, and Zimbabwe. Te

underlying premise o our work with the Cooperativeis that social justice grantmaking can be a powerulvehicle or change. Trough workshops and otherlearning events, the Cooperative provides opportuni-ties or peer learning and planning or joint action bygrantmakers in the region.

[We benet rom the] high quality o dialogue members

engage in, the ease with which we exchange ideas, and the

diverse experiences I am exposed to and can tap into, both

within the Cooperative and The Synergos Institute.

Chris Mkhize, Chie Executive Ofcer,

uThungulu Community Foundation, South AricaTop: Children in South Arica participate in education

programs supported by the Community Development

Foundation Western Cape, a member o the Cooperative.

Above: Cooperative learning event.

Southern Arica

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StrengtheningAboriginal Leadership

Te Aboriginal Leadership Initiative is modeling newways Canadian First Nations, government agencies,businesses, and nonprot organizations can worktogether.

Te eort is being piloted rst with three FirstNations on the West Coast o British Columbia.Known locally as Ahp-Cii-Uk, meaning going theright way in the Nuu chah nulth language, the initia-tive advances practical economic and social develop-ment priorities o participating communities whilesimultaneously building relationships o trust and

understanding between First Nations and others.

One eample o Ahp-Cii-Uk is eorts to build eco-tourism in the Ahousaht First Nation. With supporto new partners rom BC Parks, the BC ransmissionCorporation, erasen Gas, and others, the AhousahtFirst Nation was able to re-establish a path called the

Walk the Wildside Heritage rail through parts oits territory with cultural and historical signicance.

Partners helped bring the communitys vision to liewith nancial support and know-how on marketingand tourism development. Te Ahousahts commis-sioned a master carver to create a welcome gure,signiying the communitys openness to receivingvisitors. Te welcome gure, supported nancially bythe Donner Canadian Foundation and others, enabledyoung Ahousahts to apprentice with elders and arti-

sans in the process, helping youth to reconnect withtheir traditional culture.

Canada

Left: Cratsman at a newly established artists market.

The Ahp-cii-uk eort is not only bearing ruit in British Columbia, it is also

modeling ways in which the Government o Canada and First Nations people

can work together more eectively on poverty and social exclusion. The

program brings about tangible change in communities and is also building

hope and trusting relationships between First Nations and others. Our vision

in the coming years is to work with First Nations, government, business and

nonprot partners to expand this approach across Canada.

John Heller, Senior Director, Partnerships, Synergos

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Synergos Senior Fellows are civil society leaders commit-ted to using collaborative approaches to address povertyand inequity in their own countries, regions and globally.Trough the Synergos Fellows program, these leaders arelinked to a worldwide learning, support and action network,thus creating a laboratory or proven innovators to epandtheir work through cooperation with other sectors o societyand in tandem with the communities they serve.

Senior Fellows provide strategic and technical advice to one

another and, on occasion, to third party civil society orga-nizations through peer consulting sessions, echanges, andeld assignments in their area o epertise. Tese echangesand assignments not only grow the capacity o others, butalso epand the Fellows own networks and skills. Fellowsalso take advantage o a variety o learning events.

In , Synergos selected twelve new Fellows to begin theirthree-year ellowships in , ollowed by a permanent net-

work membership. Among them are Ayla Gksel, who leads

eorts in urkey on education, womens empowerment, andrural development, and Wangsheng Li, who makes strategicphilanthropic investments in public health in China.

Other eamples o the Fellows work includes Celso Greccoo Brazil launching a Social Stock Echange within EuronetLisbon (a major stock echange in Portugal) and Pushpa

Aman Singh and Hui-Jung Chi (Fellows rom India and ai-wan, respectively) bringing inormation on best practices innonprot organization accountability rom India to aiwan.

In , Fellows gathered in New York City in Septemberor their Annual Global Meeting to eplore Leadershipor Creating Equitable Societies. In August, the second

All-Arica Senior Fellows Meeting held in Johannesburgeplored the same theme rom an Arican perspective.Fellows also shared ideas and perspectives or cooperationthrough the social networking site.

Global NetworksSenior Fellows Network

Now I more strongly believe that the issues o poverty and social injustice cannot

be eliminated only by implementing projects without simultaneously giving equal

attention at all levels, including international policy ramework. This cannot be

achieved without building bridges and partnerships at all levels.

Maryam Bibi, Chie Executive, Khwendo Kor, Pakistan

Top: Photo taken as part o study o gender roles in

economic development in the Philippines that was

supported by Senior Fellow Felicitas Rixhon.

Above: Maryam Bibi, a Senior Fellow rom Pakistan,

works on development o women, children, and

strong amilies in the remote areas in her countrys

northwest.

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Te Global Philanthropists Circle is a network oleading philanthropic amilies rom across the worldcommitted to using their time, infuence and resourcesto ght global poverty and social injustice. Foundedin by Peggy Dulany, Synergos Chair, and herather, David Rockeeller, the GPC increases theimpact o members philanthropy and allows themto become more eective social investors by oeringopportunities or learning and collaboration.

In , Synergos organized a journey in Kenya and

anzania or members to learn about innovative workon issues including micronance, education, water,and the environment. We also conducted workshopsand other events in South Arica, the United Kingdomand the United States on philanthropy, and philan-

thropists role in addressing critical issues such aspoverty and climate change.

Te lynchpin event or the network was its AnnualMeeting in September which brought together mem-bers rom around the world with other eperts andspeakers to eplore topics such as investing in socialentrepreneurship and how philanthropists can pro-mote collaboration or social change. A highlight wasa session eaturing personal refections among threegenerations o the Rockeeller Family on philanthropy.

In addition, Synergos worked directly with individualmembers and amilies in places rom Colombia(described on page ) to Indonesia to South Arica.

Synergos opened a whole new world or us. . . it made

us think globally. Were still working locally in Mexico

but were global in our vision.

Jos Ignacio Avalos, President, Un Kilo de Ayuda,

Mexico

Global Philanthropists Circle

Top right: Agricultural project visited during the learning

journey to Kenya and Tanzania.

Above right: David Rockeeller talks about philanthropy at

the GPC 2009 Annual Meeting.

Left: Participants at a Global Philanthropists Circle workshop

on strategic philanthropy to address climate change.

Global Networks

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Synergos was able to get honest

perspectives rom stakeholders

we could not have reached

ourselves. We listened to that

direct eedback, and shited to a

better course as a result.

Mallika Janakiraman,

Vice President, Health

and Wellness, PepsiCo

Synergos launched an initiative earlier this yearormalizing our work serving as a strategic advisor toglobal corporations seeking creative and sustainable

ways to invest and operate in the emerging markets

o Arica, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.As more companies aim to realize both nancial andsocietal return on investment, many are turning to usor guidance.

Synergos Services provides business leaders deepinsight into developing country contets, our etraor-dinary network o contacts, and our ability to conceiveand help implement creative solutions that advance

corporate goals in ways that also achieve meaningulsocial impact. Service oerings include stakeholdermapping and situation research, corporate team eldlearning visits, strategy development or social engage-

ment, partnership design and management, andprogram implementation.

As part o this, in we organized two eld learn-

ing visits to Arica (to Malawi and Nigeria) or corpo-rate eecutives rom a Fortune Global companyseeking to address under-nutrition globally. Synergoshelped the company assess the potential or partner-ship with government as well as relevant nonprotorganizations to develop and distribute low-costnutritionally benecial processed oods. Senior eecu-tives were also immersed in the market meeting

with producers, retailers as well as consumers to gain

better insight and knowledge into the local contet orthe companys products.

Synergos Services

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Synergos held a number o special events throughthe course o the year to build upon our etensiveglobal networks and provide opportunities or shar-ing ideas and approaches to address poverty and othercritical global issues. One eample was a roundtablediscussion we organized between U.S. Global AIDSCoordinator Eric Goosby and business, nonprot andacademic leaders in New York.

Our largest special event University or a Night is held annually and combines these networkinggoals with undraising or our programs as well asrecognition o achievement in bridging leadership.University or a Night took place in Septemberin New York, and eatured a conversation betweenKo Annan, the seventh Secretary-General o theUnited Nations, Sheela Patel, Chair o Shack/SlumDwellers International, Guilherme Leal, Co-Chair oBrazils Natura Cosmticos, and Synergos Chair PeggyDulany.

Mr. Annan and Ms. Patel were honored with theDavid Rockeeller Bridging Leadership Award, pre-sented by Mr. Rockeeller and Ms. Dulany. In accept-ing his award, Mr. Annan described the importanceo multi-sector partnerships and leadership in tacklingthe challenges o the world. Ms. Patel talked aboutthe importance o community voice in setting devel-opment priorities in cities.

Synergos also held its rst University or a Night inArica, which eatured a plenary discussion with GraaMachel and Synergos Senior Fellows, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi and Achmat Dangor. Like the global event inNew York, the evening concluded with discussionsover dinner led by Distinguished Faculty innova-tive leaders sharing their insight and epertise.

[W]e must also remember, when we talk o

leaders, that leadership doesnt mean one

must always be right, and one must alwayswin, and one must always be in the lead.

We should remember that a good leader is

also a good ollower.

Ko Annan, seventh Secretary-General,

United Nations

Special Events

Right: Kof Annan speaks at University or a Night

as Synergos Peggy Dulany looks on.

Far right: Sheela Patel (right) o Shack/Slum

Dwellers International and Guilherme Leal o

Natura Cosmticos at University or a Night.

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Area Overview Progress in

Southern Africa Synergos is helping improve health servicesin Namibia, strengthening local capacity tohelp orphans and other vulnerable childrenin Mozambique and South Arica, andstrengthening community philanthropyacross Southern Arica.

Te Arican Public Health Leadership and Systems Innovation Initiative in Namibia ocused on improving maternal healthas a high-leverage strategy. Prototype projects have reduced response times or ambulances in Windhoek and wait times orante-natal visits by epecting mothers. Si clinics, including one completely new acility, are bringing ante-natal services to

women in previously underserved outlying areas o Windhoek.In South Arica and Mozambique, we are helping to provide sustainable care or orphans and vulnerable children aectedby the HIV/AIDS crisis. In partnership with the Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund in South Arica, the Foundationor Community Development in Mozambique, and Synergos Canada board member Kim Samuel-Johnson, this eortcombines traditional and Western practices to enable communities to reduce the isolation and vulnerability o children indistress, and maimize the social inclusion o children and caregivers.Te Leadership and Innovation Network or Collaboration in the Childrens Sector (LINC), with key support rom Capri-corn Investments, is developing leadership capacity to improve services or orphans and vulnerable children in South Arica.Seventy-ve Fellows, rom government and private sector agencies engaged in work on children, have ormed thematicteams to design and pilot initiatives.Te Southern Arican Community Grantmakers Leadership Cooperative, which consists o twenty-eight community grant-makers and grantmaking trusts, has emerged as a signicant network in advancing strategic philanthropy in the region.

Middle East &North Africa

Our Arab World Social Innovators programsupports talented women and men romEgypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, andPalestine who are leading social ventures.

With the support o the US Agency orInternational Development (USAID) andother donors, Synergos helps innovatorsincrease the capacity and impact o theirorganizations to serve more people in theircommunities and beyond. At the sametime, we are connecting our networks oInnovators, philanthropists, and SeniorFellows in the region to create new collabo-rations.

Inaugural class o Social Innovators was inducted at the regional convening in Amman, Jordan.Innovators received technical assistance on strategic planning and organizational design rom the Social Entrepreneurship

Assistance Program (SEAP aliated with consulting rm Booz Allen Hamilton), as well as grant support to scale-up theirprograms to serve more constituents. Teir programs are epanding at a much aster rate when equipped with these servicesand seed unds.Social Innovators participated in international and regional events including the Skoll World Forum, the World EconomicForum in the Middle East, and briengs Synergos organized with USAID, the US State Department, universities, and oun-dations generating interest and support or innovators and the growing eld o social entrepreneurship in the Arab region.Documentation underway o Innovators programs delivering services to thousands o women, youth, and people withspecial needs.

India Synergos is helping the Bhavishya Alliance,a groundbreaking multi-sectoral partner-ship we established in cooperation withHindustan Lever, various Indian govern-mental agencies and non-governmentalorganizations, and UNICEF to createsustainable, systemic solutions to childundernutrition.

A Food Diversication Project on supplementary eeding programs at daycare centers created in partnership with the ajGroup o Hotels.Te Girls Gaining Ground initiative, with support rom the Nike Foundation, has trained twenty-our new acilitators orits second phase; it is empowering , girls to serve as change agents in nine villages.Mothers o inants are being taught improved breast-eeding behaviors and complementary eeding practices with materialsdeveloped by Project Yashoda, led by Hindustan Lever.Over , women in thirty villages received literacy training, health education, and nutrition awareness.Bhavishya Alliance gets Indian government to provide day care acilities at construction sites in Mumbai or migrant

workers.

Year at a Glance

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Area Overview Progress in

Latin America Synergos strengthens social justice philan-thropy and provides capacity-buildingservices to the NGO sector in Latin

America. We also seek to promote greatercommunity participation in developmentprograms, particularly in cooperation withour Senior Fellows and members o theGlobal Philanthropists Circle.

In Meico, Synergos worked with several members o the Global Philanthropists Circle, as well as groups such as theAmericas Business Council and Podermagazine, on a series o events aimed at strengthening the role o philanthropy in atime o social and economic challenges.In Colombia, we helped Global Philanthropists Circle member Mara Eugenia Garcs and her amilys AlvarAlice Founda-tion increase international participation in a groundbreaking symposium on micronance and peace. Te event resulted in

widespread attention among the Colombian public and government on the potential o micronance to help ensure stabilityin that country.In Brazil, we worked with a partnership o nonprot groups in Rio de Janeiro to increase community participation in publicpolicy.

Canada Synergos is working through the AboriginalLeadership Initiative to improve the abilityo Aboriginal communities, governmentagencies, businesses, and nonprot orga-nizations to collaborate on projects thatimprove the quality o lie or indigenouspeoples.

Local projects are moving ahead with three Nuu-Chah-Nulth communities on Vancouver Island: the Ahousahtcommunity is developing an ecotourism project around their Walk the Wild Side Heritage rail; the seshahtcommunity has established an artists market; and the Ehattesaht community is developing pre-employmenttraining or youth.Te Initiative has built sel-esteem, respectul and equitable partnerships, and respect or culture and traditions among themembers and partners o the First Nation communities, according to an evaluation conducted in early .

SynergosServices

In , Synergos launched an advisoryservice or global corporations seeking

creative and sustainable ways to invest andoperate in the emerging markets o Arica,

Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.Te aim is to better enable companies torealize both nancial and societal returnon investment. Synergos service oer-ings include stakeholder-mapping andsituation research, corporate team eldlearning visits, strategy development orsocial engagement, partnership design andmanagement, and program implementa-tion.

We organized two eld learning visits in sub-Saharan Arica during which corporate eecutives interacted withconsumers and other stakeholders to deepen their local knowledge.

Synergos provided ongoing consultation to business leaders on innovative ways to work with government, civic groups andother stakeholders related to malnutrition in the developing world.Discussions underway with more than prospective clients.

GlobalNetworks &Events

Synergos networks allow members tolearn rom each other, make new connec-tions, develop their skills, and take their

work to new levels. We support two globalnetworks: the Senior Fellows network omore than civil society leaders rommore than countries, and the GlobalPhilanthropists Circle, with a member-ship o more than amilies (includingapproimately individual philanthro-pists), rom more than countries.

Te Senior Fellows welcomed seven new Fellows into the class o and recruited Fellows or the class o .Synergos runs the Senior Fellows program in part on behal o Synergos Canada, with major support rom Synergos CanadaBoard member Kim Samuel Johnson, Heidi Honchariw, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foun-dation.Global Philanthropists Circle members went on a learning journey to Kenya and anzania to visit initiatives in health, water,education, environment, and microenterprise.Te Global Philanthropists Circle Annual Meeting was held with the overall theme o leading collaboration or social change.Circle workshops and events were held on topics including addressing climate change and developing bridging leadership.

An online social networking and knowledge management website launched or the Circle, Senior Fellows, and Synergos stawith support rom the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.Te Senior Fellows gathered in New York City in September or their Annual Global Meeting to eplore Leadership orCreating Equitable Societies. In August, the second All-Arica Senior Fellows in Johannesburg eplored the same theme

rom an Arican perspective. Te Arican Fellows meeting was preceded by the rst University or a Night in Arica.

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December 31, 2009 2008

ASSES

Cash $189,559 3,902,001

Short-erm Investments, at air value 2,395,225 1,737,094

Pledges and Other Receivables, net 2,610,618 6,279,714

Investments, at air value 11,819,079 8,366,211

Prepaid Epenses and Other Assets 100,010 106,687

Property and Equipment, net 1,628,407 1,927,154

otal assets $18,742,898 22,318,861

LIABILIIES AND NE ASSES

Liabilities:

Accounts payable and accrued epenses $494,372 723,526

Capital lease obligation 50,282 41,680

Deerred rent and lease incentive 1,339,404 1,382,975

otal liabilities 1,884,058 2,148,181

Commitments and Contingency

Net Assets:Unrestricted:

Invested in property and equipment 1,578,125 1,885,474

Designated or long-term investment 9,825,792 8,348,844

Undesignated 1,625,820 1,894,376

otal unrestricted net assets 13,029,737 12,128,694

emporarily restricted net assets 3,829,103 8,041,986

otal net assets 16,858,840 20,170,680

otal liabilities and net assets $18,742,898 22,318,861

Financial Report SummaryA complete set o audited nancial statementsis available online at www.synergos.org/publications and upon request.

Consolidated Statements o Financial Position

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2009 2008

Unrestricted

emporarily

Restricted

otal

Summarized

Information otal

SUPPOR AND REVENUE

Contributions:

Foundations 286,476 49,392 $335,868 1,442,514

Individuals 661,274 42,631 703,905 798,979Contributed services 59,225 - 59,225 -

GPC membership dues 1,540,019 - 1,540,019 1,602,273

Gates Foundation grant - 28,824 28,824 110,572

Government grant 458,233 - 458,233 163,320

Special event, net 634,707 - 634,707 666,122

Return on investments available or operating activities 17,125 13,241 30,366 159,469

Other income 678,090 - 678,090 556,341

Net as sets re leased rom rest rictions - sa ti saction o program and time rest rictions 4,346,971 (4,346,971) - -

otal support and revenue 8,682,120 (4,212,883) 4,469,237 5,499,590

ExPENSES

Program services:

Networks 3,076,227 - 3,076,227 3,339,095

Partnerships 809,081 - 809,081 732,757

Gates-Namibia 2,033,991 - 2,033,991 1,994,329

Southern Arica 780,711 - 780,711 982,153

Communications and Outreach 245,360 - 245,360 405,422

otal program services 6,945,370 - 6,945,370 7,453,756

Supporting services:

Management and general 1,380,639 - 1,380,639 1,787,108

Fund-raising 873,785 - 873,785 905,040

otal supporting services 2,254,424 - 2,254,424 2,692,148

otal epenses 9,199,794 - 9,199,794 10,145,904

Results o operations (517,674) (4,212,883) (4,730,557) (4,646,314)

Return on Investments on Board-Designated Funds or Long-erm Investments 1,369,324 - 1,369,324 (2,310,603)

Foreign Currency ransactions Gain (Loss) 49,393 - 49,393 (118,352)

Change in net assets 901,043 (4,212,883) (3,311,840) (7,075,269)

NE ASSES

Beginning 12,128,694 8,041,986 20,170,680 27,245,949

Ending 13,029,737 3,829,103 $16,858,840 20,170,680

Consolidated Statements o Activities

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Sustainability ReportIn the interest o being a transparent and ethically driven organization, Synergos works to ensurea sustainable organization. Tis report summarizes our eorts toward this goal in .

OverviewSynergos ocuses on supporting and connecting networks o leaders so they can work togetherin partnership with others to change the systems that keep people in poverty. At the beginningo , we launched Synergos rst online social networking site (available at network.synergos.org), which will enable members o our networks to share ideas and work together via theInternet. Synergos oers workshops, trainings, convenings, peer learning opportunities and reedownloadable resources on our website.

GovernanceIn , Synergos had a -member Board o Directors with ve standing committees: nance(with investment and audit subcommittees), nominating and governance, development, pro-gram and planning, and eecutive. At the end o , there were nine emale board members,twelve directors were rom countries outside the United States, and nine were rom countries

where Synergos works. None o the Board members are compensated or their service.

Te Synergos CommunityTe nature o Synergos work requires the engagement o a diverse set o stakeholders, includingcivil society organizations, philanthropists, business and government, as well as representatives opoor and marginalized communities. We work to identiy and engage all stakeholders in chang-ing the systems that maintain poverty. Synergos also works to strengthen local capacity to createsocial change.

Fiscal ResponsibilitySynergos is committed to being a scally responsible and transparent organization. Every yearSynergos hires an independent rm to conduct a nancial audit. We are also accountable toour donors, submitting regular reports and sometimes providing more ormal evaluations. Our

systems are designed to track organizational epenses and sta time so we can accurately reportto donors on the use o their unds.

Synergos investment policy places roughly % o our board-restricted und in mission-driveninvestments.

Program ImpactsOur programs have in place evaluation tools or rameworks that will help us better documenttheir impact. In Namibia, the Arican Public Health Leadership and Systems Innovation Initia-tive, as indicated earlier in this report, has already improved maternal health services by reducingprocessing and wait times or epecting mothers, made services more accessible through moreecient transport, and increased provision or ante-natal care in under-served communities.

In , the Girls Gaining Ground project in India trained about , girls in lie skills. Posi-tive impacts were already demonstrated in among girls interviewed by graduate studentsrom New York University. Te girls showed greater awareness o available government services

and a desire or continued schooling, had taken steps to improve their own nutrition, and sharedwhat they had learned with their amilies and communities. A ull evaluation o the project willbe available in .

Te Arab World Social Innovators Program has built evaluation into its training and conveningsin addition to tracking the Innovators individual and organizational progress. A ull evaluationo the program will be completed in . In , initial results o the comprehensive intakeand monitoring system developed in or the Global Philanthropists Circle will also beavailable.

Environmental ImpactsSynergos is dedicated to reducing our impact on the environment. We purchase carbon creditsto oset the ootprint o our international travel and other activities. In we purchasedcarbon credits to oset one million miles o travel, equivalent to tons o carbon, or $,.

About % o the paper we use is recycled or sustainably produced.

Workplace Policies and Practices

At the end o , Synergos had ull-time and three part-time sta, refecting sta reduc-tions at headquarters and in Brazil, as well as turnover during the year. Te sta gender ratio was% emale to % male. In December , % o the sta was based in the eld, comparedto % in December . Since then, stang patterns show a trend towards a higher percent-age o eld-based sta in response to program needs.

Synergos aims to strengthen sta competencies through targeted training, eposure to networkevents, and a perormance management system that involves sta in goal setting and peror-mance evaluation. Diversity continues to be a hallmark o the Synergos sta, who come rommore than a dozen countries and are fuent in more than a dozen languages.

As a global organization, Synergos uses computer technology to be globally connected to allour oces. We also continue eploring technologies to support online collaboration among ourSenior Fellows and other networks.

Our ValuesSynergos seeks to model our core values o social justice, collaboration, innovation, integrity andcompassion in our relationships with all o our stakeholders and in all our programs and activi-ties. Our sta and Board are governed by a confict o interest policy, and we compensate staon a merit-based system.

FeedbackSynergos welcomes your comments and suggestions about this report and ways it could beimproved in uture years. Please write to [email protected].

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DonorsSynergos programs and operations weresupported by the ollowing group o oundations,corporations, governments and international agencies,

and individuals.

You can join them in supporting our work by visitingwww.synergos.org/donate.

Donors Providing$, or MoreTe Atlantic Philanthropies

Alberto and ere Baillres and FamilyCarlos BulgheroniPeggy DulanyPhilipp EngelhornTe Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationDorian Goldman and Marvin IsraelowTe William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Marcos de MoraesLcia R. Moreira SallesTe Charles Stewart Mott FoundationNike FoundationDavid Rockeeller, Sr.Te Rockeeller FoundationInstituto RukhaKim Samuel JohnsonUS Agency or International Development

Donors Providing

$, to $,Ford Foundation

JPMorgan ChaseVincent and Anne MaiShell International Ltd.Michael Sonneneldt and Katja Goldman

Additional DonorsAckerman FamilyAmerican EpressAnonymousMuna AbusalaymanMiriam Adams

Wanda Engel AduanCities Alliance

Hylton and Wendy AppelbaumLoreen ArbusValentin von ArnimDavid and Dorothy Arnold

Jos Ignacio and Vernica Avalos and FamilyJanet AverillRonda and Mark AelowitzEmilio Azcrraga Jean and FamilyRichard BaylesIan BenjaminOthman and Leila BenjellounEdward Bergman

Stanley and Marion BergmanRichard A. Berman

Angelica Berrie

Te David Bohnett FoundationWilliam BohnettAmy BrakemanJames M. Brasher IIIRon BruderMagalen O. BryantBsaibes FamilyH.E. ButtGreg Carr

Te MCJ Amelior Foundation and Ray ChambersLaura ChasinDhanin and awee Chearavanont and FamilyMark ChenPetr Chitipakhovyan and Family

Aime ChristensenChristiesFrederic Corneel

Alejandra Corts De Milmo

Joy CratElizabeth Strong de CuevasRichard Debs

Alan DetheridgeYousse DibJudy DimonDonner Canadian Foundation

William H. DraperSam Dryden and Sandy McLeodRobert H. DunnDynamicaEmirates Investment Group

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Emirates Sunland Group

Kurt A. Engelhorn and FamilyEnshaa PSCCorinne Evens

Anthony EvninDaniel Feer and David FeerFeirstein Capital Management

James FerrariTe Flora Family FoundationMimi Frankel

GAIN - Global Alliance or Improved NutritionNili GilbertEleanor GimonGive to ColombiaTe Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.Donald Gordon FoundationGrassroots Business FundEileen and Paul GrowaldMimi and Peter Haas FundNadine HackRoland HarrisSarah Hashwani

Pamela HawleyMargaret HellerMarlene Hess and James ZirinLinda HillConrad N. Hilton Foundation

Jerry HirschFrank and Sorcha HolmesHeidi Honchariw

Jerey Horowitz & FamilyBarbara L. HuntHelen Hunt FamilyPatricia S. HuntingtonInstitute o International EducationInternational Development Research Centre

Ita Unibanco Banco Multiplo S.ARaza and Neena JaarDale E. JenkinsFranklin and Catherine JohnsonCynthia JonesPatricia KahaneDr. Natalia KanemH. Peter KaroKele Contracting

Peter KellnerShiv Khemka and Uday KhemkaStephen Killelea

John and Pat KlingensteinDaniel KropFrieder KrupsMuslim Lakhani FamilyDeborah and Rocco Landesman

John P. LennonBobye ListLaura LopezOscar Lopez

John D. and Catherine . MacArthur FoundationJoshua MailmanDarren ManelskiMannheim LLCCornelio Marchn

Strive aputair MasiyiwaChris MathiasMaria Matilde BonettiSally McDanielFelipe MedinaFerne MeleMrieu Family

Above: Olive Luena (center), a Synergos Senior Fellow rom Tanzania,

works to support people in the inormal economy by providing credit,

training, marketing, technology, and low-cost housing.

Above: Welcome fgures in a community that participates in the

Aboriginal Leadership Initiative in Canada.

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Peter MiscovichCynthia and George Mitchell FamilyDeborah A. MooreMario MorinoPatrice and Precious Motsepe

Kenneth F. MountcastleEnrique MuozElizabeth MunsonMvelaphanda HoldingsGeorge and Abby ONeillOpen Society Foundation or South AricaOpen Society Institute

Ayen and Hsn zyeinSergio Palleroni

Ann PartlowPepsiCoPeter G. Peterson and Joan Ganz CooneyMartin PingFern Portnoy

Alejandro Ramrez MagaaMarie RautenbergMichael RennieRockeeller Brothers Fund, Inc.

David Rockeeller, Jr.Carlos Rodrguez-Pastor PersivaleShelley and Donald RubinTe Shelley and Donald Rubin FoundationInstituto RukhaCynthia RyanMichael SacksScandia FoundationS. Bruce SchearerLinda Schejola and FamilyDaniel Schwartz

sugiko and William ScullionMaria Alice Setubal

Adele SimmonsPedro SirotskyCharles Slaughter

Alan B. Slika FoundationJames SligarGordon V. Smith

John SpencerTeodore and Vada Stanley and FamilyDavid StewartChristopher Stone

Jon StrykerMichael von Stumm

Washington SycipLynn TomanLaura TornRobert C. impson and and Peregrine Whittlesey

Sarah impsonTeo oburney seUN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy or MalariaStephen M. Unried

United Nations FoundationDiderico van EylRichard A. VoellMiriam and Ira D. Wallach FoundationHermine WarrenCurtis M. Webster

Western UnionTe Whitehead FoundationMalcolm Hewitt Wiener Foundation

Winsor FamilyWolensohn Family FoundationRichard Woo

Right: An early outcome o our

Arican Public Health Leadership

initiative in Namibia is reduction

o ambulance response times in

Windhoek by about 75%.

Photos in this report are thanks

to Christine A. Butler, Dominic

Chavez, Fanie Jason, William

Vzquez, and Synergos part-ners, interns and staf.

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Staf as o June 1, 2010

Karin Sonja Batista

Sarina BegesVirginia Briones

Yvonette BroomesBeth H. Cohen

Justin DakeJessica DolanDaniel DomagalaRobert H. DunnSteve Ferrier

Hilda GertzeAnna M. GinnLulekwa Gqiba

John HellerAnna JantjiesHusam JubranGeorge KhalaNelago KondomboloLen le Rou

Chong-Lim LeeLaura LopezMan MakLeslie Meek-WohlFerne MeleKasee MhoneyKen NeroKatherine PotaskiSurita SandoshamMartha Shikwambi

Marilyn ShivangululaPratima SinghDileepan Siva

Abigail SmithBarry SmithShannon St. JohnIlona Szab de Carvalho

John omlinsonAdle WildschutDsire Younge

Tanks also to ormer staf who

served at Synergos in 2009:Daniel Becker

Janet BeckerManisha Bhinge

Alissa DesmaraisAle DolanKathleen Freis

Joanna HomanCristina Parnetti

Imran RiatHisham El RoubyHumberto Saddler

Azeen SalimiRowena SisonRuth Yaeger

Sta & OcesGlobal Headquarters

Robert H. DunnPresident and CEO

Madison Avenue, st FloorNew York, NY USAel: + --Fa: + [email protected]

Middle East and North Arica

George Khala

Director, Middle East andNorth Arica Region Madison Avenue, st FloorNew York, NY USAel: + --Fa: + [email protected]

Southern Arica

Barry SmithRegional Director, Southern Arica

PO Bo Roggebaai South Aricael: + () -Fa: + () [email protected]

Len le RouDirector, Partnerships, Southern Arica

Robert Mugabe AvenueWindhoekNamibiael: + Fa: + [email protected]

Help Synergos ght poverty by givingonline at www.synergos.org/donate.

Synergoswww.synergos.org

Documents

Synergos 2009 Annual Report