Case Study of the American British Cowdray School of Nursing (ABCSN)

This case study is the last of five looking at the influence of culture on fundraising activities in international non-profits. The American British Cowdray School of Nursing (ABCSN), a nonprofit school affiliated with a local Mexican hospital and university, reflects many of the fundraising practices common to Mexican non-profit organizations, which are in fact few. In Mexico, fundraising and philanthropy have never been widely practiced, a restrictive legal and tax framework inhibits fundraising activity, there is a general mistrust of nonprofits, and there is a general lack of knowledge about or skills with fundraising among nonprofit organizations. This case study examines the organizational structure and fundraising strategies of the ABCSN, and then reflects on the influence the cultural context of the organization has played on shaping them.