The way that OMEP Argentina has been set up seems almost not to make sense. Now that digital campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and viral moments are all things that nonprofits try to get, this group has done something much less flashy that may last much longer. It created a membership model based on trust that is built over years in professional groups, institutions, and people.
The OMEP (World Organization for Early Childhood Education) has had a national committee in Argentina for many years, which is how it works. It started out as a national presence, then spread to Latin America, and finally reached the level of the World Committee. There wasn’t a big marketing push behind that growth. It happened because the people involved showed up year after year and did the boring work of getting to know early childhood specialists, teachers, policymakers, and institutions.
About 1,000 early childhood professionals attend the OMEP Argentina meeting every year. Take a moment to think about that number. It’s not easy to get a thousand experts to meet in the same room (or virtual space) to share research, work on ideas, and share their experiences. It’s a sign that the group is really respected in its field. And in the world of nonprofits, standing usually means getting money.
It seems like OMEP Argentina knew early on that credibility is what they were after. Not the report. Not the news story. Trustworthiness. If a group offers a course like “The Management Role in Nursery Schools,” which gives teachers real methodological tools, it’s not just doing a job. It’s becoming more and more of a serious institution. People go back to important institutions. And so do donors and partners in institutions.
Getting to know the partnership approach better is fun. Instead of looking for small donors, OMEP Argentina has been trying to build partnerships between institutions. As a way to support workshops, conferences, publications, and partnerships that make both sides look good, the model relies on co-creation. It’s not a coincidence that they help each other. Of course, it wasn’t really strategic in the beginning, but now we know it is. Most likely, they did it because they thought it was the right thing to do.
The fact that it connects to the UN adds another layer. Mercedes Mayol Lassalle from OMEP attended the first meeting of the Advisory Council for the SDG Fund’s early childhood program in Argentina in 2020. The council was made up of representatives from the government, civil society organizations, trade unions, and UN agencies. At the time, it was led by Argentina’s First Lady. This is the type of room where policymakers really listen to people who speak out for young children. Building from the ground up over many years is what made it possible for me to be in that room and know I belong there.
It’s still not clear how well this model can work in other countries. Argentina has a unique civil society culture, a unique way for NGOs to work with the government, and a unique group of early childhood educators who work together. What works there doesn’t always work here. However, it is hard to argue against the main idea behind it: build expertise, trust, and institutions that want to work with you.
When you see groups like OMEP Argentina at work, it’s a gentle reminder that raising money doesn’t always have to be loud. One model that works best is one in which the work comes first and the money follows because it has no reason not to.
