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Everyone who carries on a value-creating trade of any sort inside of a capitalist financial market system is in a bilateral relationship of supply/supplier and demand/customer.

A charity/NGO is a SUPPLIER/PROVIDER of social products and services (to various beneficiaries/consumers/users of those products and services) to meet the demand for these social products and services from CUSTOMERS/PURCHASERS i.e. the charity’s/NGO’s donors/funders.

Whether you are a business in the private/commercial, public/government, voluntary/charitable or not for profit sectors, every business is dependent on income and cashflow from revenue streams generated from its sales to its customers in order to finance its operations, stay as a going concern, generate profits/surpluses and reserves so that it can survive, thrive, grow and expand itself.

A beggar is not a creator of any economic or social value and so is not a business nor a customer or a supplier. A beggar is normally seen as a social failure and outcast of the capitalist way of life. The beggar is one of the ultimate free beneficiaries/consumers of the voluntary/charitable social products and services which are delivered by charities/NGOs (and also by the government in some areas)and which are paid for/funded by private individuals, businesses and statutory and government body donors/funders.

So a charity/NGO that understands its services and products, its strengths and weaknesses, its risks, threats and opportunities, its target market and environment and which applies sound business and financial principles to its operations will, like any other business, be able to not only survive but to succeed and grow.

Final point to make on charities/NGOs with this lens is that it helps enormously if those leading and managing it have the commercial nous/wisdom to apply a simple rule, which is to co-operate when you can and to compete when you must.

“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.

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Sometimes people condemned enterprises for making profits and there are also people that says that if you are making profit that means money comes first before the social objectives or before the good of the many. I think all these people are largely misguided people.

In the world we live in, everybody and every institution is working hard to ensure continuation. Making profits which led to long term sustainability is not harmful. If Aliran is worried about being accused of profiteering, then declare that the organisation will make profit but will cap its profit at a certain percentage each year to finance sustainability.People today are smart enough that if you are making a fair profit to maintain business, they won’t say that you are not Independent. You can also be transparent about your finances for example publish your audited accounts like any other public listed entity.

As a social media coach, I would also say that Aliran should seriously looked at Social Media avenues to achieve its objectives and build revenue while maintaining a low or reasonable marketing/content distribution cost. Your organisation can also use the availability of various free to almost free social media channels like YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo etc to distribute your content, etc.

Reduce print and build your market on the online medium, its effective and engaging.

My other suggestion is for Aliran to start doing causal events that has a strong purpose but not politically motivated. There is no harm in taking the topic from print to physical. The bottomline is you guys need to be more innovative on earning revenues that to depend on the old thinking of subscription.

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In all the years before blogs and Malaysiakini, Aliran Monthly was one of my few sources of reliable, independent opinion on Malaysian political and social affairs. For that, I shall always be grateful to the people who kept Aliran Monthly alive.

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Begging for hand-outs and depending on the goodwill of people long-term is not a sustainable strategy. If NGOs cannot even stay financially solvent without depending on handouts, how can people trust you and your activities? Your independence is compromised as you are at the mercy of the people who fund you, whose agenda you may have to follow.

NGOs should meet up with entrepreneurial consultants to figure out ways of being financially sustainable without depending on charity.

“Where the determination is, the way can be found.” – George S. Clason

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