Dr. Ali bin Suliman Al-Fawzan

The Saudi charitable sector is rapidly developing both in quantity and quality, thanks to God's grace and the oversight from the responsible entities, the executing organizations, the intermediary bodies, and the workers within it. Everyone is collaborating to enhance it, and some manifestations of this development include:

1- Development of Organized Systems and Their Specialization:

Regulations and systems have been issued that consolidate all fields of charitable work under one umbrella, and the Awqaf Authority has emerged. Additionally, the internal regulations of associations have evolved, making each association operate with clear systems in finance, management, programs, and higher councils.

2- Decision Making:

The charitable work is distinguished by decision-making in financial and administrative matters, with a high degree of governance, transparency, and financial integrity. It has even received an outstanding classification in the FATF (Financial Action Task Force).

3- Forums and Conferences:

Today, forums have become more specialized, leading to targeted discussions, specialized attendance, specialized funders, and varied locations. Forums are held in universities, chambers of commerce, companies, and government facilities, taking on diverse forms in media representation and so on.

4- Training:

Training has taken various forms such as workshops, internships, case studies, training evenings, and developmental camps. Training has also become profession-specific, covering areas like endowment management, volunteering, finance, accounting, fundraising, charity organization management, and much more. Simultaneously, specialized training is provided for emerging associations, large associations, and rural and village communities, with the added benefit of diverse training entities including intermediary organizations, universities, and the like.

5- Knowledge Publications:

Charitable work publications have diversified to include books, peer-reviewed scientific journals, reports, methodologies, and libraries of specialized literature, among many others.

6- Improving Charitable Work:

Several methodologies for awards and metrics to evaluate the quality of charitable work have emerged. These awards are very specialized, managed by entities that follow them, and importantly, charitable work competes vigorously for these awards.

7- Research Studies:

Independent researchers and those affiliated with research entities like universities are proliferating to present studies and research on charitable work. These studies are diverse and numerous, enjoying the support of an independent center (The National Center for Social Studies and Research). In the charity library, you will find hundreds, if not thousands, of specialized publications.

8- Vision 2030:

The charitable work has not been absent from the developmental movement in the Kingdom; rather, it is present and strongly so. All ministries are now required to participate in community efforts, facilitate and support volunteering, and each ministry now has a department representing charitable work. Ministries are also competing to license specialized associations.

9- Awards:

Whenever you enter a charitable organization, you will find medals hanging in its corridors. These medals are not their ultimate goal but rather an indicator of maturity and evolution in its performance and fulfillment of its mission.

10- Model:

Many charitable associations have become models that others seek to emulate and reference. Some methodologies have also become benchmarks to replicate. These models do not emerge easily; they are the result of meetings, studies, application, and development until they appear in their beautiful form.

11- Family and Community Funds:

Charitable work has started to develop family and household roles, focusing on employees in their companies who wish to enhance themselves or assist others.

This is a quick reflection I have shared with you; it is just a small part of a larger whole, as they say, and charitable work needs collective efforts because there are high opportunities for improvement.

Thank you.

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