THE BRIDGE FUND2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T

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The Bridge Fund (TBF) of The Philanthropic Collaborative / Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors was established as a not-for-profit organization in 1996.

The Bridge Fund promotes cultural and environmental conservation, humanitarian initiatives, and sustainable business development in Tibetan communities located in China and Tibet, and Tibetan and other communities located in neighboring countries.

Our main program supports Tibetan communities in China. Our vision for every Tibetan living in China, down to the most remote nomad, is inclusion in a thriving community grounded in respect for Tibetan culture and values. We realize this vision by promoting sustainable economic development, excellent opportunities for education, cultural heritage preservation and environmental conservation on the Tibetan Plateau.

While granting priority to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities – particularly Tibetan nomadic and semi-nomadic populations – The Bridge Fund emphasizes self-reliance and promotes the development of regionally based, locally-run institutions, organizations and businesses.

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2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T

T H E BR ID GE F U N D

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TBFTBF works in the highest and most remote places on the Tibetan Plateau. Our core integrated development programs target nomadic communities which are facing intense economic, social, environmental and cultural pressures. The average altitude of our project sites is 14,000 feet.

TBF’s overarching programs provide Tibetans with opportunities to strengthen and grow their businesses, develop and improve job skills (healthcare, education, veterninary, service industry), access education from grade 9 to university, preserve their culture with joint TBF programs with UNESCO and protect the environment with TBF’s partner World Wildlife Fund. A core focus of our work is supporting local organizations and institutions to carry out development programs on behalf of their communities.

TBF has a solid track record of implementing high impact programs in all areas of the Tibetan Plateau region and is now focusing on scaling up and replicating successful programs, creating new models with input from key stakeholders and strengthening the capacity of staff and partners to improve quality and sustainability.

TBF has been invited to work in other regions and countries. Since 2010 we have started to explore and develop programs in Burma, Bhutan and Nepal.

Location Map

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? Tsering Wangyal Shawa, 2011

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S T R AT E G I E S

Working in partnership with local communities, organizations and institutions to ensure sustainable, lasting change.Ensuring that our programs equally benefit women and men and that children and elderly are given special consideration and voice.Replicating and growing programs that work in the local context.Respecting the local conditions.Incorporating environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation into all of our programs.Promoting partnerships and alliances with NGOs, foundations, and corporations to maximize and leverage resources to have a greater impact.

TBF supports projects based on the following criteria:Poverty / need / disadvantaged populations;Low levels of GDP and high levels of inequality; Lack of access to other development resources;Our team’s capacity to implement and monitor effectively;Strong local partner leadership and capability;Strong local community enthusiasm for a project or projects;Approval by relevant authorities and bureaus; andPotential for the demonstration of impact, the ability to grow and serve as models for replication.

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Snapshot of Impact 2011During the past 8 years, The Bridge Fund has directly benefitted an estimated 794,151 Tibetans. In 2011, TBF directly benefited 39,223 Tibetans, and supported 51 projects.

K E Y A C H I E V E M E N T S

Strengthening and expanding Tibetan Nomad cooperatives that are generating profits for over 2,000 nomads and 800 families. Supporting the development of Tibetan organic honey through a locally run cooperative and setting organic standards. Expanding TBF’s professional development and higher education program for Tibetans.Scholarships provided to 439 Tibetan students.Establishment of first community museum in Tibetan regions with UNESCO. Creating snow leopard protection and climate change initiatives with WWF.

E D U C AT I O N

Supported revitalization of Tibetan language education by providing textbook and other materials in the Tibetan language. In order to increase access to education in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), provided scholarships to 280 excellent Tibetan students.

Supported 2 volunteer teachers for one school year to teach 120 students English in Huangnan Prefecture.

Supported 2 volunteer teachers for one school year to teach 120 students English in Golok.Supported the English Training Program in Xining, which provides high-quality English language training to 170 students.Supported 38 outstanding high school graduates from Golok to be bi-lingual (Tibetan-Chinese) science teachers for 3 years after graduation.Provided partial tuition scholarships to a total of 65 excellent Tibetan students in Huangnan Prefecture.Supported tuition for 40 former scholarship recipients and 20-30 new outstanding and impoverished applicants from Golok for 1 year of high school or college education.Continued to support 2 graduates of the Xining English Training Program to complete a 2-year MA graduate program in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at an accredited university in the Philippines.Provided scholarships to 115 (25 university students and 90 high school students) students based on merit and need.

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Provided 1-year scholarships or partial tuition for 26 outstanding poor students from Yushu prefecture to attend college and university. Employed 4 unemployed Tibetan college graduates in a 12-month internship position in order to improve the quality of

education in rural Tibetan schools and help graduate students to find job opportunities.6 Tibetan scholarship recipients received 3, six-day sessions on residential MBA courses in Penang Malaysia, and received the MBA degree issued by American Akamai University.Published 7,500 Tibetan language books for children. Supported 30 Tibetan teachers from Nancheng County to partake in a 10-day Tibetan language teacher training and site visits to 2 successful Tibetan schools in the Amdo region.Trained history, politics, and geography teachers in 5 Tibetan senior middle schools in Huangnan prefecture.Partnered with Tibet Aid to support 2 remote schools in Yushu to continue to provide education to children who have faced obstacles since the earthquake of 2010.Supported 2 Tibetan staff to complete a masters degree program in the U.S., and one to complete a PhD program. Supported 1 staff to attend a training at the London School of Economics.

N G O C A P A C I T Y B U I L D I N G

Supported 7 people from local NGOs to finish an intensive professional development training program for 1 month at Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines. Trained 20 representatives from 10 local NGOs on monitoring and evaluation to build their capacity.

N O M A D C O O P E R AT I V E S

Making it possible for nomads to stay on the land, improve their incomes, protect the environment and engage in appropriate community development.

Continued to support the development of 4 nomad cooperatives. Provided business training and market study opportunities to cooperative board members. Designed a marketing oriented training and developed a survey to determine market opportunities.

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Supported business experts to visit cooperative sites to identify the potential products and provide a training on how to channel the products to relevant markets. Continued to support the development of the organic Yunnan Honey Cooperative.

B U S I N E S S D E V E LO P M E N T & V O C AT I O N A L T R A I N I N G

Implemented a training for new businesses, and provided micro-loans to 3 of the trainees. 93 Tibetans were trained by EDS Business School in Penang, Malaysia and in Chengdu, China.Trained 16 Tibetans on automobile and motorcycle repair skills, and a SYB training.

Supported 20 young nomads in a 2 month Tibetan cooking training in Lhasa.A nonprofit organization (NPO) training program provided certificate-based classes to NPO leaders/staff.Translated 3 business books into Tibetan and published 2,000 copies of each.Started a yak micro-lending program in Yushu to reduce poverty. Provided a 3-month doctor nomad training to 30 nomad doctors from Machen.Supported a comprehensive medication and sanitation skills program in Nangchen, Yushu.

C U LT U R A L P R E S E R V AT I O N

Held an artisan training on producing high quality handicrafts using traditional skills with UNESCO.Continued work on the restoration of the residence of Gedun Chopel, a famous modern Tibetan scholar, and established a community museum with UNESCO.Supported development of Plateau Music Project.

Conducted surveys and mural conservation trainings with UNESCO.

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E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O N S E R V AT I O N & C L I M AT E C H A N G E

Natural Resource ManagementConducted a field investigation in Lao Jun and Bai Ma Snow Mountain inside the Three Parallel River World Heritage Site. Developed snow leopard and climate change programs with WWF and local communities.Published a Tibetan language book of case studies on nomad development.

Improved nomadic livelihoods and restored degraded grasslands and wetlands through modern animal husbandry technology and grassland restoration technique training.Cooperated with Yellow River and Gangri Township to conduct a solid waste management awareness workshop, feasibility study, and waste project.Collaborated with Yunnan Nature and Culture Conservation Council to organize inspection of sites in the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site by a team of local NGOs, experts and media professionals.Designed a survey to monitor the rare black-necked crane at the Longbaotan Wetland Nature Reserve in Yushu County Qinghai. Continued work on developing a sustainable method to harvest caterpillar fungus (Yartsa Gunbu).Completed evaluations on the impacts of climate change. Supported a conference on climate change and carbon sequestration.

C O O R D I N AT I O N

Monica Garry, Executive Director, spoke and led a workshop at the International Network for Engaged Buddhists (INEB) Conference.TBF staff attended an Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) Social Investment Manager Training and ANDE metrics conference.

Monica Garry, Executive Director, presented The Bridge Fund as a case study of social entrepreneurship at the HEC Paris, New York University and London School of Economics joint alumni conference in Paris, June 2011. The Bridge Fund participated in the Global Philanthropy Forum annual conference.

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P R O J E C T H I G H L I G H T S

T I B E TA N N O M A D C O O P E R AT I V E – G O I N G T O S C A L E

The Tibetan population in China is overwhelmingly rural, with 40% of the

population living a semi-nomadic to nomadic lifestyle. The Tibetan economy has

traditionally centered on agricultural activity and livestock production. Today

many Tibetan communities lack the resources to fully participate in and benefit

from the reforms that are driving economic growth in other parts of China. Nomadic

and semi-nomadic populations are most vulnerable to rapid economic and social

changes. The Bridge Fund has successfully developed two nomad cooperatives

that are increasing nomad incomes on their traditional lands. The cooperatives

are on the path to becoming self-financing in three to five years. They have

increased the value of their products by 20%. The Mintang cooperative has over

400 members who have voting rights and participate in cooperative meetings and

decision making. The cooperative buys and sells organic diary products, organic

wool and medicinal plants found only on the Tibetan Plateau. The purchasing

and selling power of the cooperative adds value to Tibetan nomad incomes and

enables them to develop and strengthen their business in a way that is suitable

for their local environment and culture.

The Bridge Fund is supporting a wool collection training program with Mintang

nomads to improve the quality and value of wool. Mintang sold 600 kilograms of

wool and received a fair market price by selling directly to a company. Adding value

to yak wool and diary products is helping the Mintang cooperative go to scale and

increase incomes for nomads in a region where many people live on less than a

dollar a day.

The Tangkor Yak Production Herder Cooperative was established in 2010 with 28

families. In the past two years of operation the cooperative has accumulated enough

business and organizational management capacity to launch a second round of

membership recruitment. The cooperative now has a total of 48 families, totaling 205

people. The Tangkor community consists of over 1,000 families with an estimated

population of 5,000 people. Each individual family has an average of 100 yaks and

focuses on selling diary products. In order to further add value to the cooperative’s milk,

Tangkor developed a business plan to establish an organic, Tibetan yogurt factory. With

support from The Bridge Fund the cooperative constructed a yogurt factory and will

start selling and distributing products.

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P R O J E C T H I G H L I G H T S

C U LT U R A L P R E S E R V AT I O N – S T R E N G T H E N I N G D E V E LO P M E N T O N T H E T I B E TA N P L AT E A U

Development programs that integrate culture into their design consistently are the

most successful at achieving positive outcomes.

The Bridge Fund and consortium partner UNESCO enable Tibetan communities to

gain knowledge, skills and experience to preserve their culture and strengthen

their development initiatives. The Bridge Fund UNESCO program has established

the first community museum in Tibetan regions and established a program to

restore and protect 700-year old murals in an area of Kham, which is the gateway

to the plateau. Both projects are located on the edge of the Tibetan plateau and

serve as models of cultural heritage preservation in areas that are facing increased

development pressures.

TBF integrates culture into all of its programs, not just those which specifically

address cultural heritage preservation, and by doing so, TBF promotes the

preservation of Tibetan culture as a whole. TBF strongly encourages the use of

Tibetan language in trainings, publications and education programs.

The Bridge Fund provided seed funding to start the Plateau Music Project in Xining.

This project provides Tibetan students with the tools and resources to record and

collect traditional music. The project now has an office, staff and a team of young

Tibetans trained in recording and archiving music. UNESCO started working with

the project in 2010 and helped the project go to scale and record songs from over 20

Tibetan communities and set up a system for archiving the music.

The collection currently contains over 400 audio and video files of oral traditions

from across the Tibetan Plateau. This is the largest online archive of oral traditions

from the region. In 2011 The Plateau Cultural Heritage Protection Group started a

partnership with the World Oral Literature Project at Cambridge University and Yale

University to archive its collection of oral traditions.

These initiatives not only preserve Tibet’s rich cultural heritage they also provide

Tibetans with skills and experience that will make it possible for them to pursue

work in the field of cultural preservation and other sectors.

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P R O J E C T H I G H L I G H T S

E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O N S E R V AT I O N O N T H E T I B E TA N P L AT E A U

The Tibetan Plateau is among the last great expanses of wilderness in Asia,

supporting a spectacular array of ecosystems and species. The fragile ecology of

the Tibetan Plateau requires long-term protection and management planning. The

Bridge Fund supports activities that seek to empower local communities with a

larger understanding of the ecological sensitivities of the landscapes they live in

while working with government and other partners to actualize conservation work

on the ground and at the policy level. This year TBF and the World Wildlife Fund

(WWF) continued to implement high impact projects that covered climate change

and biodiversity conservation issues.

A multi-year program to protect the endangered snow leopard will continue in 2012.

TBF supported the collection of data to provide a snapshot of the range of snow

leopards on the Tibetan Plateau and the conflict hotspots, which will inform an

action plan and be used for prevention activities in the future. The action plan is

a project that WWF is working to launch with partner organizations to develop a

China National Snow Leopard Action Plan. Two conferences were held this year with

partner organizations to discuss and complete the initial planning to launch this

action plan. One of the workshops that was held in May in Xining was sponsored by

the Qinghai Forestry Bureau, and in attendance were leading snow leopard experts

from Panthera, Wildlife Conservation Society, International Snow Leopard Trust,

and Peking University. The meeting set in motion the process of creating a unified

strategic conservation action plan for the Tibetan Plateau’s rarest top predator, the

endangered snow leopard. China is the last of the snow leopard’s 12 range nations

to start work on such a conservation action plan for the snow leopard.

Lastly, another critical initiative of the WWF-TBF partnership is how climate change

is impacting the Tibetan Plateau. From December 2011 to February 2012, ten

students conducted a total of 50 climate interviews in their home regions, which

were areas that were previously unvisited. These interviews are being used as

background information for climate vulnerability assessments WWF is in the process

of preparing for the Mekong and Yangtze Source Regions. Because of the general

lack of climatic records and environmental data for the Tibetan Plateau, researchers

often have no other choice but to rely on the memories of long time residents for

information. And in fact, these memories often relate information not captured by

meteorological records, such as concerning the changing intensity of rainfall and

changes in the height of pasture grasses over time. Ultimately, the beneficiaries will

be residents of the Mekong and Yangtze Regions where future climate adaptation

projects will be conducted.

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P R O J E C T H I G H L I G H T S

C R E A T I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R T I B E T A N E N T R E P R E N E U R S

By providing Tibetan entrepreneurs with access to trainings, courses and

business development services, The Bridge Fund is helping promising

individuals build skills, expand their ideas, identify new opportunities, and

develop a strong network of colleagues.

Since 2010, TBF and EDS Business School in Penang, Malaysia, have maintained

a strong partnership. TBF hosts the Small and Medium Enterprise Management

Training Program annually, increasing the number of professional, qualified Tibetan

business leaders and connecting them to a larger network. In October of 2011, 21

participants from a range of business sectors attended the EDS business training.

The curriculum of this training is structured on the model of an executive MBA

course, which provides participants with the tools necessary to formulate business

strategies, and manage and promote a successful enterprise. This training has

proved to be very impactful in helping to grow Tibetan enterprises. Of these 21

participants, 9 have increased their net income, and 14 have changed their work

status, 10 of whom attribute this shift to what they learned during the training. As

one participant shared, “the business management knowledge learned from the

training… helped me to increase the marketing efforts and expand my business

to other provinces. I extended my business to Inner Mongolia. The foundation for

this year’s business growth is the result of the marketing knowledge I learned from

TBF’s training.” Of the 21 participants, 8 of them have been able to increase hiring at

their businesses and 7 have expanded their operations to new locations.

To improve livelihoods TBF has identified the value of holding vocational trainings

for Tibetan communities so they can develop the right skill set to access the job

market. The Tibetan cook training is one such vocational training that has been

very successful in creating employment opportunities for Tibetans. In November

2011, in Lhasa, Tibetan Autonomous Region, TBF supported the third Tibetan

cook training, which is helping unemployed Tibetans find work and increase their

salary. Tibetans from rural nomadic and farming areas are selected to participate

in an intensive three-month Tibetan cook training course. This project strives to

provide participants with the skills needed to compete with the demand for work

in the increasing hotel and restaurant industry. The trainees learn basic traditional

and modern cooking techniques, how to develop and balance a budget, and the

necessary management skills for running a restaurant. The results from this training

have been excellent. So far there have been 30 graduates, all of whom have found

employment in restaurants and hotels in Lhasa and some have even opened their

own restaurants. The average monthly income increased for 90% of the participants

to $357 per month from a baseline of $129 per month, more than double. The nearly

100% success rate of this program

is attributed to the appropriate

targeting of beneficiaries and the

excellent reputation of the trainer.

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Financial InformationD O N O R S

Thank you from everyone at TBF to all of our donors and supporters! Every contribution makes a real difference.

TBF receives support from foundations, individuals and government grant awards from the United States (USAID), the European Union, Norway, and the World Bank Community Fund.

TBF is a member of:Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF)Grantmakers without BordersInternational Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB)

2011I N C O M E Income Balance $ 202,023

Revenue $ 3,773,737

Fund Balance $ 3,975,760

Return on Investment $ 68

Other Income/(Expenses) ($ 42,000)

total income $ 3,933,828

Grants Disbursed $ 3,468,538

Fund Management $ 170,913

Program Related Expenses $ 54,934

Program and management expenses $ 37,420

total disbursements $ 3,731,805

D I S B U R S E M E N T S

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2010I N C O M E Income Balance $ 661,905

Revenue $ 3,803,065

Fund Balance $ 4,464,970

Return on Investment $ 243

Other Income/(Expenses) $ 0

total income $ 4,465,213

Grants Disbursed $ 3,667,394

Fund Management $ 163,303

Program Related Expenses $ 57,831

Program and management expenses $ 92,808

total disbursements $ 3,981,336

D I S B U R S E M E N T S

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This financial consolidation report was prepared from final audited financial statements from The Bridge Fund of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and The Bridge Fund Europe Netherlands. The consolidated statements are unaudited. The Bridge Fund conducts 4 audits per year for grants and overall finances. Audit reports are available upon request.

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The Bridge Fund Team

T B F I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Monica Garry, President & Founder Sailhamo Samang, Vice PresidentAndrew Davis, Operations Manager Nicole Shearer, Program AssociateDechen Wangmo, Program Advisor

T B F E U R O P E Raffaella Della Porta, Director, Brussels Sander Tideman, Director, Netherlands Hanneke Wolf, Finance Manager, Netherlands

T B F C H I N A

Benjor, Deputy Director of Programs, Cross-Regional Bumdruk, Program Officer, Qinghai Dechen Lhaze, Sichuan Regional Field Director, SichuanDrolmatso, Program Associate, SichuanKarma Dondrup, Program Officer, QinghaiKunchok Gelek, Program Director for Capacity Building Programs, Cross-Regional Lhakdrun, Financial Administrative Officer, QinghaiLiangjun, Financial Manager, Beijing Liuxin, Financial & Administrative Associate, BeijingLobsang Chophle, Program Officer, SichuanLobsang Tenzin, Director of Operations, BeijingMely Zengshi, Financial & Administrative Associate, SichuanPema Kyi, Administrative Officer, Qinghai Peyang Sharlho, Human Resources Operations Director, BeijingRigdrol, Senior Program Officer, Cross-RegionalRindzin Tashi, Program Associate, SichuanSherab Gyaltsen, Business Development Program Coordinator, SichuanSonam Sopo, Health Program Coordinator, Cross-RegionalSonam Wogyal, Cultural Heritage Program Coordinator, SichuanTashi Haiyuan, Senior Regional Field Director, Qinghai & GansuTserang Tashi, Business Development Program Associate, Sichuan Yulha, Program Officer, QinghaiYeshitso, Program Officer, Qinghai

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E X P E R T S & A D V I S O R S

Erin Weiser, Senior Advisor Frances Howland, Healthcare Ren Lie Ping, Senior Advisor Britt-Marie Alm, Communications & Training

R O C K E F E L L E R P H I L A N T H R O P Y A D V I S O R S

Kathy Eason Walter SweetJulio Bautista Joaquin AlfredoCheik Diop Melissa HeynenJanet Cox T B F I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O U N C I L O F A D V I S O R S

His Serene Highness Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein Gina H. Despres, Chair Richard C. Blum David Bonderman Lavinia Currier Bowman Cutter Maria Pia Fanfani Ambassador Winston Lord Dennis J. McGillicuddy Honorable John Porter Peter Tarnoff Yo Yo Ma

T B F B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

Rohini Talalla, Chair Mark Rovner, Executive Chair Michael Jon Gray, CPA, Treasurer Jennifer Sullivan, Secretary Richard Friedman Kate Friedrich Paljor Thondup

T B F E U R O P E B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

Dr. Jean-Louis Armand, Chair, France Dr. Maritta Koch-Weser, Secretary, Germany Monsieur Vincent Bastien, France

H O N O R A R Y - E X O F F I C I O

Mathea Falco Greg Kruglak Suzanne La Pierre Hemanta Mishra Erica Stone D. Joseph Wood

TBF works with an incredible group of individuals, experts, companies and organizations in order to fulfill our mission. Alston Taggart, Studio Red Design, Washington DCCoblentz, Patch, Duffy and Ross, San FranciscoMcQuade and Brennan Accounting, Washington DCPrice Waterhouse Coopers, Beijing, ChinaTashi Gyari – Design & Communications, US and IndiaWhite and Case, New York and Brussels

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Giving The tremendous biodiversity, staggering natural beauty and rich cultural tradition are all part of what makes the Tibetan Plateau an invaluable resource the world can afford to neither exploit nor ignore. The Bridge Fund exists to literally bridge the necessary preservation resources and the Tibetan communities that need them, especially in remote rural areas.

S TA Y I N G I N T O U C H

To receive monthly updates on TBF’s work subscribe to our eNewsletter! You can join our mailing list on our website or you can send your email address to contact@bridgefund.org

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to frequently learn more about our projects, read blog posts from TBF staff working in the field and have access to related news.

C O N TA C T The Bridge Fund International 2018 R Street, NW, Floor 3 Washington, DC 20009, USA Tel: 202-986-3507 Fax: 202-986-9547 info@bridgefund.org

The Bridge Fund Europe Rue de la Science, 14B 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium, Europe Tel: +32 (0) 2-8083262

(TBF has regional offices in Beijing, Chengdu, Lhasa and Xining)

A P P LY I N G F O R A G R A N T

Send your request to: tbfgrants@bridgefund.org

H O W T O G I V E To make a donation to TBF online please visit: www.bridgefund.org/donate Help make a difference and send a contribution to: The Bridge Fund Care of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors 6 West 48th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10036

TBF is registered as a 501 (c) 3 not for profit in the United States. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Bridge Fund Europe is a registered not for profit organization in Belgium.

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THE BRIDGE FUND INTERNATIONAL2018 R Street, NW, Floor 3

Washington, DC 20009, USA202-986-3507 202-986-9547 (fax)

www.bridgefund.org