The Guidelines were released to assist charities in preventing the diversion of charitable funds to terrorism. Instead, "[the Guidelines] often chill the valuable work of international grantmakers, including Gw/oB's member organizations. Thus, philanthropic money that funds, for example, farming projects or support for tsunami victims is delayed or discontinued. This chilling effect is especially troubling since the Department of the Treasury has failed to provide real, non-anecdotal evidence that charitable funds are unintentionally being diverted for terrorist purposes."
Gw/oB's members fund international projects of hope and opportunity in vulnerable communities. Dedicated to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of social justice, Gw/oB's member organizations often support grantees that act as positive counter-points to terrorist influences. However, the suggested practices within the Guidelines would force Gw/oB's members to divert their limited financial and personnel resources from proven best practices in due diligence and instead engage in unproductive information gathering that ultimately distracts from their philanthropic mission. At the end of the day, the Guidelines ultimately fail to further their stated purpose, "to assist charities that attempt in good faith to protect themselves from terrorist abuse" and should be withdrawn.
The Global Fund for Women is a member of Grantmakers Without Borders.
