The Nonprofit Renaissance

#24 - Inside Brazil’s First Christian Endowment: A Conversation with Evandro Besa

April 17, 2024 The Nonprofit Renaissance Season 2 Episode 24
#24 - Inside Brazil’s First Christian Endowment: A Conversation with Evandro Besa
The Nonprofit Renaissance
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The Nonprofit Renaissance
#24 - Inside Brazil’s First Christian Endowment: A Conversation with Evandro Besa
Apr 17, 2024 Season 2 Episode 24
The Nonprofit Renaissance

Today we're talking with Evandro Beza, the visionary behind Brazil's first Christian endowment, Fonte. We take a lighthearted dive into the intricacies of Brazilian philanthropy, and Evandro's journey from ministry into the realm of leadership and politics. With his innovative approach, he's pioneering a new way to sustain charitable work in Brazil—through the Fonte Endowment, a beacon of hope and longevity for Christian initiatives.

Understanding the mechanics of philanthropy can sometimes seem like a daunting task. Yet, as we sit down with Evandro, he breaks down the complexities of Christian endowment funds with ease, showing us how they exist in harmony with the principles of faith and financial acumen. We uncover the transformative potential that lies in making organizations self-sufficient, while drawing inspiration from biblical teachings and figures. It's an enlightening exploration of financial stewardship, where generosity meets sustainability in Brazil's charitable sector.

Grappling with a sense of purpose can lead to some of life's most profound realizations—just ask Evandro. He shares his personal odyssey of faith and entrepreneurship, detailing the moments of doubt, epiphany, and the eventual embrace of a vision that seemed larger than life itself. This narrative weaves tales of divine interventions, the support of influencers like Paulo Oliveira, and the growing impact Fonte Endowment is making across Brazil. Prepare to be moved by a story of faith, philanthropy, and the unwavering belief in the power of 'God-sized' ideas.

Show notes

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Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Today we're talking with Evandro Beza, the visionary behind Brazil's first Christian endowment, Fonte. We take a lighthearted dive into the intricacies of Brazilian philanthropy, and Evandro's journey from ministry into the realm of leadership and politics. With his innovative approach, he's pioneering a new way to sustain charitable work in Brazil—through the Fonte Endowment, a beacon of hope and longevity for Christian initiatives.

Understanding the mechanics of philanthropy can sometimes seem like a daunting task. Yet, as we sit down with Evandro, he breaks down the complexities of Christian endowment funds with ease, showing us how they exist in harmony with the principles of faith and financial acumen. We uncover the transformative potential that lies in making organizations self-sufficient, while drawing inspiration from biblical teachings and figures. It's an enlightening exploration of financial stewardship, where generosity meets sustainability in Brazil's charitable sector.

Grappling with a sense of purpose can lead to some of life's most profound realizations—just ask Evandro. He shares his personal odyssey of faith and entrepreneurship, detailing the moments of doubt, epiphany, and the eventual embrace of a vision that seemed larger than life itself. This narrative weaves tales of divine interventions, the support of influencers like Paulo Oliveira, and the growing impact Fonte Endowment is making across Brazil. Prepare to be moved by a story of faith, philanthropy, and the unwavering belief in the power of 'God-sized' ideas.

Show notes

The Nonprofit Renaissance is Powered by Vers Creative. An award winning creative agency trusted by global brands and businesses.

Follow @collinhoke
Follow @heredes
Follow @vers_creative

Work with Vers

Heredes:

I'm excited because today we're going to do a little portuguese 101 with you, colin. It's been a dream of mine for the non-profit renaissance.

Collin:

Do I have to share your same excitement?

Heredes:

yes, you do or, if not, I'm going to edit this in. I put an AI.

Collin:

Colin Put a smiley face on there.

Heredes:

Have you learned any Portuguese as we prepared for today?

Collin:

Not even a little bit.

Heredes:

Because our guest is all the way from Brasilia. Can you say Brasilia, brasilia, close.

Collin:

Very good, that was great. What did I do wrong?

Heredes:

Let's keep going, let's keep going, let's keep going Overseas. And so excited We've gotten to meet and had heard so many great things about him and the work that he's doing, and but excited to have him at the table with us in the flesh here today. And, colin, you're going to pronounce it because it's the name of an endowment and an organization, a philanthropic, a new way to do philanthropy, the first Christian endowment in Brazil. Wow, and can you pronounce the name, colin? Ladies and gentlemen, drum roll, please.

Collin:

Introducing funchy wow bro, we practiced so many times did I do it no you botched it bro very punchy, punchy, punchy, okay, phone Fonchi. So like phone and Like foam cheese Fonchi. Foam cheese, but without the M Foam cheese.

Heredes:

Ladies and gentlemen, listeners, please welcome. He's the founder CEO director of Fonchi Endowment. Font Endowment.

Collin:

See, if you can't do it, you are Brazilian.

Heredes:

Yes, I know, have I've americanized, probably too long. But, ladies and gentlemen, ivandro beza, did I pronounce that correctly? Yes, close, it is close, really close how would you teach colin to say your name?

Evandro Besa:

evandro evandro beza beza beza. Actually it's not my name, it's my nickname so yes, my name is bezerja, but my nickname is beza because nobody calls me erudite, they call me h h.

Collin:

Which is literally the first moment he met me. He didn't even try, he just said h hey, it's h he. Just he looked at me and just assumed that I wouldn't be able to do it.

Evandro Besa:

So, so bejeza bezeja bezeja, we're done with the Portuguese.

Collin:

Yeah, we're done we're done for the Portuguese. I'm embarrassing myself and gonna get fired.

Heredes:

But to our listeners, you're in for a treat. Evandro, thank you for being with us, oh guys, thank you very much.

Evandro Besa:

You're on a for the opportunity.

Heredes:

US tour bringing fonti, bringing font endowment to the to the US. And what I want to hear about is for our listeners, you're in for a treat. I want to share a little bit about the journey Evandro has been in the ministry space, in the marketplace, in leadership, in politics, involved all throughout Brazil. Good, bad and the ugly which we can get into in a second, but excited because of the journey. I think you worked with the Chick-fil-A organization, life shape, organizing leadership development pipelines, um and internationally for several years and where god's brought you now in this influential position to help organization. Tell us a little bit for the listener listening what is fonchi um and what do?

Evandro Besa:

you guys do well. Uh, once again, thank you very much for having me here. It's such a good opportunity to share a little bit about our country and specifically about Fonte Endowment. Like how can I say I am a teaching pastor in Brazil and since last Sunday I'm in charge of a campus too?

Heredes:

Oh, snap Congratulations. I think, I think.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, yeah, it's such a challenging time in my life, but God gave us the opportunity to start something new in Brazil. I know endowments in the US are pretty popular, but in Brazil it's something really new. So, for the good and for the bad, we are the first in Brazil, so we are kind of creating a different kind of culture in our country, helping people understand that they can make kingdom of God moves in different ways, like we are not judging the ways that bring us until now, but we believe we can develop new ways or new strategies, new technology. Why not to go in advance?

Heredes:

Tell me, when I think endowment, I'm thinking investment, I'm thinking donation, but I'm thinking the use of the profits of the gains from my donations. Is that right? Educate us for those listening, because sometimes my mind goes to fund or a trust fund, or is it just?

Collin:

wealth management or Right, or just an investment, just how I would invest my personal money for myself later.

Heredes:

Do I get it back or not yeah. Educate us. How's that work?

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, no, and that's it. But by the same time it's different, like it's a fund. It's an investment fund, but it's a philanthropic investment fund. So the biggest difference, in my point of view, is that we cannot spend the money that you give. You don't invest. You give money, you make a donation for us. So as soon as you give the money to the fund, the money is not yours anymore and the fund cannot spend the money that you gave. We need to invest the money. We can only use the earnings or what it grew growth, and we return this money to the society. So we will donate this money to the Christian projects that are with us. So this is the biggest difference.

Heredes:

And tell us about that, evandro. What's the difference? It's the first Christian endowment in Brazil, in South America, and what's different? How are you partnering with your organizations? Who are you looking for? Tell us a little bit about that. Where do the earnings go? If I gave you $1,000 and that raised another $200, so now it's $1,200. Those $200, what's that going to do?

Evandro Besa:

Nowadays we have a really good governance in our fund and we have a group of people in charge of this part of our fund. So people we are saying that, who is with us right now making a donation, they can indicate projects, christian projects, that we will fund in the future, because nowadays we are growing. So our idea is to is two years until our break. If so, our idea is to start to funding projects after two years. So if you have some project, you can send it to us, like the projects can apply, and these guys will think about it and will. How can I say, man, sometimes we can do a little Portuguese, we'll do a little translation for international listeners.

Collin:

Leave me behind for a second H will help me catch up.

Heredes:

It's how I'm used to carrying this podcast anyway.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, that's it. This is the idea. We have a group of people, specialist people, in our fund that will decide where the money will go. So that's it. We'll decide where the money will go. So that's it. For example, we have Breno Vietas. That is a missionary who used to work around the world and have a unique knowledge about this reality. So he will receive the applies, the submissions, will receive the applies, the submissions, and we will, with his team, decide where we should send the money to fund and it like we can decide to be with a project for one year. Like we can ask, hey, how much is your cost monthly? And the project will say 500 reais or 5,100 reais, and we would say, okay, we'll give you 50% of this for one year. After one year, we will have someone making your accountability and we will decide if you'll be with you for the next year, if you raise the percentage or if you will keep the same one.

Heredes:

You know it's like that the accounting, the accounting. Yes, thank you. No, absolutely. And tell us this it's sustainable philanthropy, which I love. I think it's a term. We've talked about it before in the podcast with some of our fundraising and some of our experts. Tell us about that. How is it different than why not just give the money to the organization directly and donate and call it a day?

Evandro Besa:

tell me about sustainable philanthropy this is the idea like uh man, this guy that I mentioned before, his name is breno vietas and he's a very good friend of mine, and when we talk about mission organizations, he always says hey, man, I want to help my kids to fish and not give them the fish you know Teach them how to fish. Yeah.

Evandro Besa:

I need to teach them how to fish. I want to buy the cow and not give the milk. You know, and I was thinking about this like I'm supposed to go many years before that, but no, I'll keep here. So, and I was reading Genesis 26 and I realized that gave God gave to Isaac a really special gift, a really special talent for his time and for his context. God gave Isaac the talent to find wells of water. So in every place that their servants used to dig, they find water Manin. Can you understand what it means for them in that time? Source of life really.

Evandro Besa:

It's the most important source of life by that time, and he did it a lot. Read Genesis 26. Man, I'm doing Bible study here today.

Heredes:

I love it. I feel like I missed that. Yeah, I'm doing Bible study here today and I love it.

Collin:

I feel like I missed that yeah it's great, I'm not investing monetarily, but spiritually as well. Heck yeah, I like it. Fonji does it all, and.

Evandro Besa:

I start to pray in this direction. I start to pray hey Lord, teach me how to find water. I don't know the name of this animal in English, but there is an animal who is in Portuguese we call Corsa, and the Corsa has a really unique ability.

Outro:

We're going to be right back after this break this animal can smell water.

Evandro Besa:

Can smell water In kilometers, like miles away, miles away, so when he Cat, Like miles away, miles away.

Heredes:

So when he Cat no, no, stop it.

Evandro Besa:

But look, how is that? When he smells water, he runs to the water because he needs the water to survive. But it's different because when he for a to survive, but it's different because for a long time without water his smell is really forte, strong, strong. So the other animals can smell him. So he needs to drink water. And when he finds water different of the other animals, he doesn't drink water like them. He goes inside the water and he takes a shower and he drinks water. And when he does it it doesn't Like he changes his smell and he's not thirsty anymore. So I start to do the same prayers. I start to pray like that hey God, make me smell water, make me find waters?

Evandro Besa:

Where should I dig the wells of water? Wells of water, you know, and I remember jesus saying in john 4 14 I'm this. Springs of water well into the eternal life.

Collin:

And I said that's our name, you know well, which is so great, because I mean, because I like it's it's very easy to draw that line between the name and what you guys are trying to do, right? Because, again, like you say, it's not just the benefit, is I'm not just giving this amount of money, and so this amount of money is what this organization is going to be able to use. But I'm putting this money, I'm investing this money, not for myself, but for somebody else, to watch it grow, to become a well to become a spring.

Collin:

That's beautiful. It's beautiful and it sums up the heart behind your organization, who you guys are and what you're trying to do. So tell me a little bit about what are the challenges that you guys are experiencing? I mean even being the first endowment in Brazil, but just even with this model, what are some of the big challenges that you guys are facing? What problems are you having to solve right now?

Evandro Besa:

are some of the big challenges that you guys are facing. What problems are you having to solve right now? Yeah, you know, for good and for bad, like we are the first, and as we are the first, uh, we need to help people to understand what an endowment is. Uh, for example, the law that authorizes endowments to function or to work in Brazil is from 2019. Before 2019,.

Collin:

this was, it was not possible.

Evandro Besa:

Wow, it was not possible, but endowments exist in the world. For a long time, some people used to say that it was Platão or Plato. Plato, oh, plato.

Heredes:

I'm sorry. Or Plato, plato, plato, oh Plato, I'm sorry.

Outro:

Plato, I knew that. Yeah, like your kids play with.

Collin:

I thought it was my Greek counterpart.

Heredes:

Plato Herodias Socrates no.

Collin:

Yeah, you're close. You're close. It's like you know Plato H right there, but way back from ancient Greece and. Plato.

Evandro Besa:

But in Brazil, 2019. So it's not part of our culture to donate, or at least not to donate like this. Of course, our church and people participate in our church in many different ways, but not as a fund. You know, raising fund to make the kingdom of God moves in a different way, so the idea is pretty new. So many times we need to educate people, we need to make them understand that there exists another way to make kingdom moves. It's a new kind of why not to say technology, as Fontaine d'Alme has a lot of technology in our website to receive donations through credit card, PIX, debit card and things like that. Innovation, right.

Heredes:

Innovation In this space.

Evandro Besa:

Yes, yes, and I think it is a really good thing when we talk with people, with missionaries, because Fount Endowment is a Christian endowment, so our idea is to fund Christian projects. But when we talk with them, they are doing amazing things, but by the same time, all of them have the same problem, and the problem is funds, money. So we realized that we don't need to create a different program, a different project. We need to create something to fund them, to give them money, a solution because they they already was called.

Evandro Besa:

called by god, like uh, the most important thing for someone who decides to do something to god and with god is to be sure that he's calling him to do it, because if you are 100% convinced that you are doing something because God called you, you do with or without money. So Fonte Endowment doesn't exist to create programs. Fonte Endowment exists to funding programs that God called people to do. So your job is to run the program. My job is to funding you, is to give you money, is to unite you to the source of water that you need to make it run.

Heredes:

Evandro, I know I love the obviously the entrepreneurial background and spirit that you have, that God's given you and the team, Because Evandro's been so humble in our time together meeting and breaking bread here. But tell me a little bit about the team that God's put together for Fonji. Because it's impressive. I mean by all standards, but the mentality that comes with that. I love it. Because it's pretty, it's impressive, I mean by all standards, but the mentality that comes with that. I love it. Because it's maximizing the finances, it's creating a system that it's reproducible, scalable you know, sustainable, but tell me about the team and tell me how that came together.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, well, uh like, when I talk about Fonji, I always need to use a word a lot of times, and the word is miracle, love. That Because, for example, the people that we have with us in our team, I would not be able to put together. God put it together. The first guy that I talked with was Paulo Oliveira. Paulo Oliveira is the former vice president from Brazilian Stock Exchange, so he's a really big guy.

Collin:

He knows a thing or two about growing money.

Evandro Besa:

He knows a lot about growing money and nowadays he's the president of the new stock exchange in Brazil that he created. It's his idea. It's a blockchain stock exchange. It's something really new for our reality in Brazil. So he's a really good guy and big guy and God said that he should be with us in this project. Love it. We have, for example, antônio Cabreira. Antônio Cabreira is a former Brazilian agriculture minister.

Heredes:

Agriculture.

Evandro Besa:

Agriculture. Thank you, absolutely.

Heredes:

Thank you. You said Greek. I thought I said Greek. No agriculture, yeah, minister of Agriculture Brazil you are my Google translator. I'm with you, man. Thank you very much. It's for Colin. Mostly I'm trying.

Evandro Besa:

I appreciate it it's a good bridge between us.

Collin:

Yes, I'll Pix you later. Yeah, pix me.

Heredes:

Pix, by the way, is the Brazilian Zelle slash Venmo slash. So this podcast is not sponsored by Pix, but feel free to Pix us.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, we should talk with Central Bank, our Central Bank in Brazil.

Outro:

Exactly exactly.

Evandro Besa:

But we have, like, antonio Cabreira is in charge of Cabreira Groups too. I think maybe he is the biggest soy exporter from Brazil. Soy, yeah, really.

Outro:

Yeah.

Evandro Besa:

That's incredible. He has farmers in more than 10 states in Brazil Amazing. And he has such a good reputation for a guy big as he is. Can you realize as it is difficult to have a reputation?

Heredes:

amount of character, integrity in the space so.

Outro:

I invited them.

Evandro Besa:

I invited him to be with us, and he said yes too. We have Hugo de Alonso too, who is a very good friend of mine.

Heredes:

I'm going to quiz you on all these names, by the way, in a second they're locked in here.

Evandro Besa:

I have to go he's the president of Brasil Startups. I have to go my wife's calling. He's the president of Brasil Startups and he managed a fund, a multimillionaire fund to buy and sell startups through Brazil. We have Donglei Martins. Donglei has a fund to buy and sell startups a private fund.

Collin:

Tiago Aguiar, it's not just like your little brothers and cousins. There's some power behind what we got.

Evandro Besa:

I am the smallest one, for sure.

Heredes:

No man, when I was reading about and visiting the side and hearing from you know our producer friend Gustavo, talking to me about just it was an incredible cast of you know godly men, influential men in the country, and to come together for a cause like this it got me excited to see it develop and it grow. So it's like, dude, let's talk to them, let's echo your voice in the US to our listeners and tell me this, because then here's a misconception with endowment. I think even in the US, worldwide, when you hear endowment you think millions and billions. I'm not a millionaire.

Outro:

I'm not a billionaire.

Heredes:

So that's not for me.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah.

Heredes:

Let's talk about that.

Evandro Besa:

Is that true? Yes, we are facing this right now in Brazil. Many times, when we start to talk about endowments, people say, ah, it's not for me, it's for wealthy people or for rich people, and I and I used to say, no, it's for you, it's for common people like you and me, you and myself, like, and we think like nowadays, our goal for 2024 is to have 2,000 people donating 100 reais per month in their credit card. And like, why it's not a big thing. In our idea, it's not to be a big thing, it's to be something that you feel comfortable when you see in your credit card.

Collin:

So just for comparison, what would that amount to here?

Heredes:

Reais is the Brazilian currency, so 200 reais would be equal to $40?.

Evandro Besa:

I think 100 reais would be, $20.

Collin:

$20. $20. So you'd be like hey, put $20 a month.

Evandro Besa:

Yes yes, in your credit card.

Heredes:

And reoccurring, which is an important piece of the sustainability piece right.

Evandro Besa:

Because if we need to come back to the same person every month and say, hey, do you want to give again? We are not able to grow. Month and say, hey, do you want to give again? We are not able to grow. So we have the same job every month to come back, the same work, to come back and ask people to donate again. So our goal is to have 2,000 people donating 100 reais per month in their credit card because we can grow fast car, because we can grow fast in this. But if we have this, we'll have 200,000 reais per month. After one year it will be more than 2 million reais. So in two years it will be almost 5 million reais, and that's why two years is our break-even.

Collin:

It's when we'll have a good amount of money to be able to support many projects now is is all of the growth going out or is some of that growth also being put back in to continue to grow? How do you guys this?

Evandro Besa:

is a very good question. Many people ask me this now. The same question nowadays now, uh, for example, right now, all money that we need to make the fund work, to make fonti work, paulo oliveira and cabrera are donating. So if you donate for Fonte right now, your money will go directly to what Fonte is supposed to do, like it will not pay salaries, it will not pay administrative costs, it will go in this direction.

Heredes:

So you're fully funded for operational costs allowing the resources to multiply instantly.

Evandro Besa:

Of course, at some point in the future, after our break, if the idea is to pay salaries and administrative costs, but right now, no, we separate things really well right now. Love that.

Heredes:

Yeah, very cool. Tell me about the investment strategies If you can break down what the conversation has been like. Are we looking at stock market? Are we looking at crypto? Are we looking how are you maximizing that money? Is there some transparency there? Is there? What's the strategy there?

Evandro Besa:

we need to be very careful about this because, uh, by the same time that we want to make the money, growth, grow and grow fast we need to balance risk. So I'm not in charge of this part. Paulo Oliveira is in charge.

Heredes:

Makes sense.

Evandro Besa:

He's in charge of this part because we need to find the balance between risk and growth, and many times we grow faster if you take more risk. But in our case, we need to find a really good balance between this. So this is expertise that I don't have, but thank you God, we have people in our fund that made it for their entire lives and they are doing this right now with us.

Heredes:

Love that.

Collin:

So, in other words, there's lots of different ways that you guys are taking advantage of to be able to invest and see this money grow. And you guys are taking a more conservative approach a little bit of safer approach that will still allow you to grow but also is not going to. You know, it's a big deal to lose money that people have donated. A little bit safer approach that will still allow you to grow, but also is not going to you know, yeah, it's a big deal to lose money that people have donated.

Evandro Besa:

It is Wow, it's a big responsibility. It's a big responsibility Like you are managing other people's money. They give to you, but, like endowments in Brazil are, too like the law, it's.

Heredes:

we Brazilians are really good in making lots you know which, by the way you're, you're gonna turn your lawyer by the way too right?

Outro:

no, there's like not a title that he doesn't have.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, so just no, but uh, we know how to to make things difficult when we want, you know for example for example, if we that's an understatement Brazil, Brazil in a summary Brazil.

Heredes:

We can make it tough, For example, if we have one million and we are supposed to grow.

Evandro Besa:

But if we take risk and we reduce the money for example, one million turns 900,000, for the next year we cannot donate the money. We need to wait until we have again 1 million, because we are just able to donate the growth we are not able to donate. So if we take risk and the money reduce, we are not able to make any donation for the next year. Wow. So we need to wait and see the results again so we can be able to donate again. So we are getting that's a big deal.

Evandro Besa:

Yes, yes, yes, and it's a safety for people who are donating for the endowments too. I think it makes all sense, you know.

Heredes:

It does. What sparked this, evandro? Because you know we talked marketplace leader, pastor, lawyer, what God's done in your journey. What inspired you to start Fonchi? And, just going back, how did the vision for the fund evolve?

Evandro Besa:

Man, this is my passion. I have been praying for my ministry the last four years, since I did a really good movement in my ministry career or professional career. In my case, both are the same, you know, and I'm not a patient guy. I don't know if I look like, but I'm not We'll ask your wife.

Heredes:

Yeah, she'll confirm.

Evandro Besa:

So in the last four years I was involved in three different ministries and very exciting in the beginning, but started excited and finished not so excited. Why? Because I realized really soon that it was not for me and it was really good ministries, for example, tela, business and Mission. This program works with business guys from all around Brazil and nowadays we are in 16 different states in Brazil. I'm not the founder, but I help to founder. The idea is not mine, but I am to founder. The idea is not mine but I am one of the founders and it's such amazing program. But but it's frustrating when I realize, okay, it's not for me, it's for someone else.

Evandro Besa:

But things change when I read a book called Draw the Circle. It's from a pastor here in the United States. I think his name is Mark.

Outro:

Batterson yeah, man this book yeah.

Evandro Besa:

Like it changed my prayer life, love it. And I changed my prayers because I started to pray saying, hey, god, what are you doing that? I can be part of it. Like it's different, you know, like it was a small difference, but make made all difference in my praise and uh, as soon as as I started to pray in this direction.

Evandro Besa:

One day I was running literally in a gym and the idea came in my mind endowmentowment. And I said, whoa, this is an amazing idea. I thought by myself God, what a big idea. And I started to think about endowments from all perspectives. It seems to be a good idea. But I came back to the Lord and said it's very good, but it's not for me. Send another person. Do you know someone in the Bible?

Heredes:

who did the same Almost all of them right.

Evandro Besa:

You're about to get thrown off a boat, I think. But it's the same. Like God is so good, but it's not my size and I started. I don't know if I started to remember or if the Holy Spirit made me remember. Kept nudging you.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, like things, basic things that I learned from Chick-fil-A, from LifeShape, for example, saying that God's vision is God's size, you know. And I said, oh sorry, you know. And I said, okay. So I decided I fight with God for some months until I felt I should put my feet on the water and, for my surprise, as soon as I put my feet on the water, I saw the water was cut off. So well, it was different, because in the other projects, in the other programs, I started with 100% excitation. In this case, 0% of excitation. But as soon as I walk and as soon as I see God doing things, as soon as I see miracles, how my excitation cannot grow you know Excitement, excitement Thank you.

Heredes:

Yeah.

Outro:

I'll just make sure the other word works too, but excitement.

Evandro Besa:

My translator, thank you.

Heredes:

Because in the past the excitement level, the buy-in from people was high.

Outro:

This one was grassroots, you and God. And what are you talking?

Heredes:

about and just seeing God move was the difference. It's walking by faith. Love that, 100% Love that. Well, tell us this, evander, for me even hearing your heart earlier, right now, how can somebody get involved If an organization and say I want to talk to them, we can use some of the strategy and the funding, or we have some resources, I like to see my money do more, do more for good things. How can somebody?

Evandro Besa:

Like man. Do you know how difficult it is to talk about Jesus for someone? How difficult it is to talk about Jesus for someone, but do you know, after that, make someone put their hand in their pockets and give money? It's the second step.

Outro:

It's the most difficult.

Evandro Besa:

So we are in the job of the second step. Many people that know Jesus don't give a heart to give yet Like they convert. Is it right?

Heredes:

Yeah.

Outro:

They are hearts but they didn't convert their finances or their wallets.

Collin:

yet so font endowment. You are speaking the language of every pastor in America right now.

Heredes:

Just got amens all across the listeners.

Evandro Besa:

They are praying for you even harder now. So this is part of our job in Brazil with Fonche Endowment. But I can share with you many miracles, for example, when I talked with Paulo Oliveira first time and I said, hey, paulo Oliveiraira, I have a really good idea here, and it was one side that I asked god to see if it was yeah through him if to see if it is a good idea or a vandro idea.

Evandro Besa:

You know, because I don't want evandro's idea. Man, I'm tired about Evandro's idea. I don't believe in Evandro, you know. I believe in God, you get excited again. So I went to Paulo Oliveira because I thought he understands about investments and he's a pastor too, so he'll be able he has authority to tell me. Evandro, you are crazy.

Evandro Besa:

Should you go to a place and rest a little bit, you know so when I went to paul edivere and share with him, uh, the idea, he told me this is a good idea and I said how good is it? Are you able, or do you want, to put money in this idea?

Collin:

how good is it really?

Evandro Besa:

yeah, because there is a put a dollar amount here, yeah there is a big difference between like uh, uh, I think this is a good idea. Oh, this is such a good idea that I will put money in this idea in palo verde. Yes, I can put money. How much money do you?

Evandro Besa:

are you thinking about it. And I said, okay, this is the team, the time for our second conversation. And he said, yeah, you are a good guy, smart man, yeah, so like why I'm saying that Fonchi is a miracle Because, like, I don't know here in the United States, but in Brazil I don't see people giving money like this, you know. And Paulo Lever said I'll put money. And when I was talking with Cabreira, antônio Cabreira, I was like just inviting him to come to the fund because of his reputation and because I know his heart. But he said, after my pitch, my deck pitch for him, he said I want to be with you and what's my part, what's my financial contribution for this fund? And I said, no, I didn't think about it with you. And he said, no, I will put the same amount of money that Paulo Oliveira did. And I said, well, man, man.

Heredes:

You got the first match.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, like they are sharp guys, they, they are shark guys too sharp and short. They don't give money like this, you know, and so yeah, this is a this is the kind of miracles that we are living right now. For example, nowadays, Fonte Endalma, our office is in the most expensive, maybe the most expensive office address in Brasilia. Really, yeah, for free. We are there for free, Like we don't pay for the coffee that we drink or to use their fancy meeting room.

Heredes:

Are you in the president's house?

Evandro Besa:

No, we are close to them, the Brazilian White House. We are really close to them. I thought that was the most expensive.

Heredes:

That's amazing, though. That's amazing, and I think it's just a testament man, what God's doing through you, your heart, your character, reputation over the years. I think God's just testament man. I do what God's doing through you, your heart, your character, reputation over the years. I think God's prepared you. I think that's the God-sized idea. So to put these people around you, it's exciting. It's exciting to hear it's my birth country, so I was born there. It's exciting to see God move in the Brazilian people and the generosity sparking that and the giving. I'm excited. What's to come? Tell us FonchiEndowmentcom. We'll place some links here. Is that the best place for them to see more, do more?

Evandro Besa:

and connect. We have an Instagram profile too Fonchi Endowment and Fonchi, in this case, is font without E and endowment Sweet All together together for both our website and our Instagram profile.

Evandro Besa:

Even in LinkedIn you can find us too over there and you have many different informations and you can get in touch with us, send us a direct or a mail. And you can get in touch with us, send us a direct, uh, direct or a mail. We are here like to to show that we are thinking in different things in Brazil, in different strategies in Brazil, to make, uh, god, kingdoms of God, moves. You know.

Heredes:

I love it, Colin. Any final questions Before we dismiss and you do some final Portuguese.

Collin:

No, I'm still trying to wrap my head around some of the Portuguese I've already learned and that you've forced upon me. No, it's incredible. It's amazing what you guys are doing. Like H mentioned, we'll link some stuff You'll be able to find some resources if this is something you want to look into. But, man, thanks so much.

Heredes:

Any final words to family? I know you got two incredible kiddos, sons, that you homeschooled as well. We had a connection or a classical conversation earlier that we both share, in which, by the way fun fact he helped expand and grow Classical Conversations, homeschool curriculum in Brazil. That's for another episode, another day, but thank you for doing that too. Anything, any final words, any shout outs?

Evandro Besa:

Once again, guys, thank you very much for this time, for this opportunity. It's such a unique time with you and I think your audience is a really high qualified audience Many of them I know that they have a heart for Brazil. I'm here, I'm able to talk with them and to give more information about Fontes. Thank you once again for this space that you opened for us.

Heredes:

Our pleasure, it's our heart to help organizations go further, go faster, grow faster, grow faster. And I love opportunities like this because it really aligns and, if you're listening, god's nudging your heart. God said something, did something today to you. What an incredible way, innovative way to make your funds go further, grow faster. And that's what Fonchi is all about. And, evandro, thank you once again. Thank you, my friend Colin. You want to say bye to our gang.

Collin:

Yes, sir, to our listeners. Thank you so much for listening week in, week out. We will be right back here next time. We practiced this, colin Wait what? In Portuguese? It's ciao.

Heredes:

We didn't practice that. Ciao, is that ciao? Ciao. That's how you say bye in Portuguese, isn't it? I put it in the notes, it's isn't that Italian too, isn't? It Ciao, falou Ciao.

Evandro Besa:

Yeah, how would you say bye Falou.

Heredes:

Ciao.

Collin:

Falou, ciao Falou.

Evandro Besa:

Falou, falou, see you.

Collin:

Falou Ciao.

Evandro Besa:

Bro do.

Collin:

Do bro To all of our katas out there To all of our bros.

Heredes:

No, when you say it like that, it's offensive. Oh sorry, thanks for listening guys. Till next time, till next time, bye-bye.

Outro:

Thanks again for listening to the Nonprofit Renaissance. We hope it ignites a renaissance in you and helps you go further and grow faster. Be sure to share, rate and subscribe, and if you'd like to recommend or be a guest on our show, send us an email at podcastatversecreativecom.

Breaking New Ground in Brazilian Philanthropy
The Heart Behind Fonte Endowment
Understanding the Fonte Model
Challenges and Innovations in Philanthropic Culture
The Future of Fonte Endowment: Plans and Projections