Standard of Memory and Balance of Civil Society Organizations – FECU Social
The FECU Social is a standardized and integrated presentation tool for Memory and
Balances for non-profit organizations (NPOs), prepared by Comunidad de Organizaciones Solidarias in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in 2013. Along with transparent annual management and accountability, it allows compliance with legal information reporting requirements; as well as support the strategic management of social organizations.
There are currently 201 organisations using the FECU Social.
The tool consists of the information sheet itself as well as a support manual which outlines the different sections of the sheet.
Chilean legislation indicates that Non-profit Organizations (NPOs) report to the Ministry of Justice and “must also prepare an annual report explanatory of its activities and a balance approved by the assembly or, in foundations, by the directory”. There is little information available from NPOs, which makes it difficult to generate relationships of trust with the community. The low linkage of the population with NPOs (44% indicate that it has no link to any social foundation) is explained in great measures by distrust, since 16% do not trust what NPOs do with the money given to them, and 8% indicate that there is no clarity about the real effectiveness of their programs.
Civil Society identifies obstacles to accountability: a) Cultural factors: lack of transparency culture. Little society accustomed to demanding that they be held accountable and focused on other matters. b) Economic factors: accountability is rarely contemplated in the NPO budgets. Organizations are more concerned with subsistence than rendering means. c) Internal factors: low relevance of the issue for NPO members or inexperience. Fear of exposure disincentives accountability.Contact
Oscar Silva, Comunidad de Organizaciones Solidarias: E-mail
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