Case studies

Philanthropy Management

HP’s social investment programs aim to work with reputable partners to make a difference to communities around the region. Specifically, HP focuses on areas where the company can draw on its depth of expertise to have the greatest impact. In Asia Pacific HP’s primary focus areas are education and micro entrepreneurs.

In 2009 HP approached Outsource to assist with its Asia Pacific Social Investment programs, part of the HP Global Citizenship. A key member of the Social Investment team was going on maternity leave, leaving the programs without operational support to manage the grant process.

Outsource assisted HP to manage its two flagship Social Investment programs within Asia Pacific.

HP Entrepreneurhip Learning Program (HELP) focuses on assisting micro entrepreneurs develop their businesses through access to training courses and technology, which enhances both their business and technology skills. This helps them generate income either through the creation of new businesses or the growth of existing ones.

HP Innovations in Education (IIE) Program provides grants of technology, cash and mentoring support to enhance the education experience in secondary schools and universities. The aim is to combine the best instructional practices with the right technologies to create powerful, new learning experiences for students.

HP needed a partner who could come up to speed quickly on the complexities of the APJ Social Investment programs, the organisation itself, and the nuances of managing a virtual team across different countries within Asia Pacific. Outsource responded to the challenge with experienced team member with skills in managing complex programs and virtual teams within Asia Pacific.

From the initial briefing in April and over the next two months, Outsource managed the complex grant process across two programs, involving multiple partners, 52 grant recipients, and the logistics of developing 52 unique technology packages and cash grant awards over the first two months of the programs.

Additionally, Outsource managed both programs’ evaluation and planning sessions, held in Bangalore, Beijing, Singapore and Sydney.

As a result of Outsource’s assistance, the HP APJ Social Investment programs have been widely acknowledged both internally and amongst its partners of reaching their stated aims of making a genuine, significant and lasting difference within the communities where grants have been made.

Outsource continues to support the program in 2010.