Close your eyes and think Brazil! Breathe deeply. Sizzling Carnival delights. Dazzling bicycle kicks on premier turf. Knockout women slinking down high fashion runways. Fundraising powerhouse? Sejam bem vindos, to the new Brazil! With its economy burning brightly at sixth in the world, it couldn’t be long for such eye-catching growth to seduce a new generation of Brazilians into the noble corridors of fundraising. So important is this development that SOFII has decided to open a hall with exhibits in Portuguese for the benefit of all Portuguese-speaking fundraisers. Welcome all!

Our team of SOFII volunteers in Brazil sifted through the SOFII exhibits to choose 12 they felt could have a great impact upon the Brazilian nonprofit sector. SOFII hopes that this will provide invaluable information squarely within the reach of the exciting and promising Brazilian fundraising community and to our fellow fundraisers in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking communities around the world.

Frank Lucas, a nonprofit fundraising coach in São Paulo and coordinator of the translation group, has promised to deliver regular batches of SOFII exhibits in Portuguese for as long as it takes – and as long as there are volunteers willing to help out. These SOFII exhibits in Portuguese are intended to not only inspire Brazilian fundraisers but to encourage all Portuguese-speaking fundraisers to connect with SOFII and to encourage you to show us your most innovative campaigns too. There are no short cuts to success, but a little help from friends around the globe goes a very long way.

Currently, the Brazilian nonprofit sector has a fundraising potential of US$ 9 billion annually. However, as yet it hardly raises half that (three per cent of GDP), driving a nonprofit sector dependent on government contracts that dilutes the sense of its independence. Brazilian fundraisers and their professional organisations would like to see charitable contributions reach six per cent of Brazil’s GDP within a few years. To achieve this, the current fundraising sector strategy is focused on institutional and professional capacity building. This is great news for SOFII and the world of fundraising, which has traditionally always been open and willing to share.

So, the next time you think Brazil – think of a fundraising novice that will hopefully grow into a giant. We hope you enjoy these first 12 Portuguese SOFII exhibits and check back again soon to see how this market shapes up. Até breve!

Frank.