Kalistan

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House Ananto Announces Charitable Foundation
The Great Society Fund will match funds for all social initiatives in Kalistan
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
October 18, 5619


Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval reading to Children at Dulnerstaad City Library as part of her early literacy campaign

Her Highness, Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval, who is the head of House Ananto, has announced that the Royal House will be opening a charitable foundation with the aim of encouraging philanthropy in Kalistan.

"The Imperial House has given the go ahead to capitalize a new philanthropy fund called The Great Society Fund," said the Princess in Sulari, at a press conference announcing the new push for philanthropy.  "The Empire of Ananto and Kalistan has a remarkable social security network in Kalistan to ensure that all basic needs are met for all people across the Empire.  But the House Ananto believes we can do more than just ensure that nobody needs basic things.  There is so much more to society than simply feeding and sheltering your people, and the Great Society wants to encourage Kalistanis to take that second step, to ensure that all people have a good quality of life, not just a basic one."

The Great Society Fund aims to provide matching grants for programs that aim to build affordable houses, provide nutritionists and preventative health care, improve public infrastructure to make it more accessible for individuals with disabilities, to improve clean energy generation across the Empire, and encourage families to participate in early childhood education, child care and other early developmental programs.  "So often, people want to help and they will come to me and say "I have this idea and we can raise part of the money, but not all of it.  Can House Ananto help?"  said Her Highness, Princess Michelle.  "Well, after speaking with His Imperial Majesty, my brother, and my mother and aunt, it was decided that we should formalize our efforts to help Kalistanis help Kalistanis."

According to the Princess, House Ananto will match any private fundraising for a program with a social improvement component.  "We don't want to limit what we do to a specific category," said Princess Michelle.  "House Ananto has more money than we could ever do anything with.  So if you have an organization and a plan, submit it to the Great Society Fund.  If you can demonstrate that you can raise part of those funds for your initiative yourself, House Ananto will match your fundraising, Ruble for Ruble, to provide the necessary capital to get these projects off the ground."

The Princess went through some stipulations.  The plans need to be vetted by a committee, not for their worthiness, but for their soundness.  "We would prefer to work with established organizations who have a long track record of helping," said the Princess.  This is not to say that new agencies won't be considered for funding, but there is an additional set of criteria that will apply to see whether the program is indeed viable, or if it is just some effort by a private individual to make money."  The program has to have a social improvement function as its primary purpose.  "We would also like to see low overhead for the organization, so we will try to focus on those organizations that spend more money on the programs than they are on say advertising," said the Princess.

The matching funds can be used for any part of the organizations' operations.  "So often donors want to give money just for the programs, because they want to feel good about thinking that their money is going right to some family in need, but we also know that it costs money to keep programs operating, money that doesn't ever come from grants or donations, but pays things like salaries, rent, bills etc.  So this matching money won't be restricted to just programs, but Agencies can shore up their operations budgets."   The Princess also said that the money can be applied for for retroactive fundraising up to one fiscal year.  "Show us how much you raised last year, and tell us what you did with it-  We'll match that Ruble for Ruble, and continue to match it for two additional years."

The Princess also said that right now House Ananto is focusing on the Anantonese Empire Nations.  "Its our intention to see how this goes for Kalistan, Lodamun and Gaduridos first.  There is a lot of work to do in these nations, and our Family obviously has an interest in promoting the wellbeing of the Anantonese Empire over all other nations."  But she also said that after 5 years, this will be re-evaluated, and could be extended to nations with good banking practices.  "We obviously won't engage with some countries, as sad as that is, because their governments are horrible.  But there are a lot of clean nations in this world, and they need a lot of help that House Ananto may be in a position to provide."

The Princess, who spends her days involved in charitable work, has added the cause of Early Literacy in Kalistan's Cities to the benefit events she sponsors for Marine Wildlife, which is her lifetime passion.  She makes public appearances as fund raisers for local pre-school and early childhood development programs and she reads to children at the Dulnerstaad Library in the Afternoons.  "I love my work and am so lucky that I get to do it daily.  I hope this new Fund will help lots of people across the Empire."

@LaModa