Services: Civil Society Strengthening
The capacity for strong performance in civil society provides the foundation for lasting social benefits.
Global civil society is a monumental social and economic force with vast potential to create a more free, fair and just global order. The collective nature of civic action helps ensure that the interests of citizens—including women, the poor and other marginalized groups—are weighed by public institutions that make policy and allocate resources. Many civil society organizations (CSOs) face common challenges limiting their effectiveness— namely the ability to manage human and financial resources, advocate to power holders, manage for results and bring promising social innovations to scale.
SI partners with CSOs to help them become more effective. SI takes a holistic and "people-centered" approach to CSO strengthening that builds on existing organizational assets and embedded knowledge. SI increases CSO performance by assessing CSO capacity and by strengthening management, constituency building, governance, networks, programs, accountability and advocacy.
Range of CSO Strengthening Services
See how SI's range of services strengthens Civil Society Organizations.
- PROJECT details
-
Ethiopia—Organizational Strengthening for the Center for Disease Control, 2006
CDC Ethiopia's work with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) focuses on national-level HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. CDC's programs are carried out through 10 international and 16 national government, universities and NGO partners. Through several organizational strengthening activities involving over 200 participants, Social Impact worked with CDC to design and facilitate an annual staff retreat, an annual partners retreat and an organizational assessment. Using participatory and appreciative approaches, the activities resulted in refining CDC's internal organizational structure, re-connecting staff to CDC Ethiopia's mission, improving team coordination and morale and building agreement on specific actions to improve partnerships and program quality. A key result was to sharpen the program focus to meet beneficiary needs. The organizational assessment collected data from CDC staff and partners on communication and management systems using anonymous surveys, staff and partner interviews and focus groups. Resulting recommendations are being used by CDC to strengthen program and human resource management.
-
Kenya—Building Capacity of Local Organizations fighting HIV/AIDS: USAID, 2006-2011
A common problem for many of the organizations and networks working to fight HIV/AIDS in Kenya's Coast Province and Rift Valley is that they lack capacity for sustained impact. Specifically, NGOs, CBOs and FBOs lack adequate capacity to develop clear mandates, manage resources, fine tune leadership structures, plan and design programs, monitor progress and manage partnerships. As a partner to Family Health International on the AIDS Population and Health Integrated Assistance Program (APHIA II), SI addresses these challenges by working with intermediary organizations to build their capacity and the capacity of network members using Appreciative Inquiry (AI). The AI strategy rapidly identifies organizational assets and best practices; envisions what is possible; and designs and delivers positive change for individuals, teams, organizations, partnerships and communities. With SI support nearly 200 local organizations are strengthening their operational capacity to fight HIV/AIDS through strategic planning, clarifying missions, improving services to clients, strengthened leadership and teams, and improved financial management.
-
Afghanistan—Afghans Building Capacity Program (ABC): USAID, 2007-2012
Since 2002, the Government of Afghanistan and the international community have focused on supporting the establishment of national government structures, education and health systems, civil society and private-sector economy in Afghanistan. These initiatives were part of the emergency reconstruction plan and reliant on foreign assistance to achieve results. The ABC program seeks to shift the focus away from emergency reconstruction towards developing Afghan capacity to plan and manage the economic and social development process over the long-term. As a partner to Bearing Point, SI provides training in capacity building across the public, private and NGO sectors to strengthen Afghani institutions, increase their effectiveness, and streamline their operations. SI also manages the ABC integrated performance monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. The M&E approach relates program activities to demonstrable impacts, thereby helping to foster sustained capacity in Afghani institutions, and ultimately helping to facilitate the political, social and economic development of Afghanistan.
-
Building Strong Local NGOs and NGO Networks: USAID Capable Partners Project, 2003-07
USAID and other donors place a high priority on building the capacity of local NGOs to strengthen civil society and to accomplish development results. Through USAID's Capable Partners project with AED as the prime contractor, SI provides technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of local NGOs and NGO networks. Capable Partners (CAP) provides a fast and easy "pre-competed" mechanism for USAID to acquire a full range of capacity building services for local NGO partners and networks. SI also provides national and sector level civil society assessments as part of this mechanism. Learn how to acquire SI services through CAP.
-
Strengthening Capacity of Top NGO Innovators: World Bank Development Marketplace, 2005-08
SI fostered a unique collaboration between USAID and the World Bank's Development Marketplace (DM) to build the capacity of local NGOs and networks. Using the fast and easy Capable Partners (CAP) mechanism, USAID funds can strengthen local NGOs working in alignment with USAID objectives. Each year, DMs are held in roughly 10-15 countries, bringing together scores of top NGOs that creates a prime opportunity for USAID to identify and build the capacity of promising new partners. USAID has participated in ten DMs to date. Learn how USAID can participate in upcoming DMs.
-
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan— Strengthening Civil Society Networks: Counterpart International, 2003-2005
SI is supporting Counterpart International to strengthen civil society networks in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan under USAID's Civil Society Support Initiative (CSSI). CSSI's purpose is to establish local, intermediary networks that mobilize civic organizations and citizens in democratic reform. SI has been using an assets-based approach to institutional capacity building called Appreciative Inquiry (AI) that strengthens network financial sustainability, demand-driven services, democratic governance and management structures. With SI's support, significant results have been achieved in each of these areas.
-
Central Asia—Building Capacity of Local Health NGOs in Community Mobilization: Counterpart International, 2004
SI worked with Counterpart International to provide training and technical support to its USAID funded project-the Health NGO Capacity Building Initiative (HNCBI). SI introduced an innovative methodology called Appreciative Community Mobilization (ACM) to build skills of Counterpart staff and local NGO leaders from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan in appreciative (asset-based) community assessment and planning in health. The workshops also led participants to develop strategic priorities for the next 1-2 years and follow-up action plans. Currently, Counterpart and many of the NGO leaders are using the ACM approach for strengthening health and governance programs in this Central Asia region.
-
Building Capacity of Environmental NGOs: World Bank Development Marketplace, 2005
SI worked with 78 finalist organizations participating in the World Bank's Global Development Marketplace on "Livelihoods for a Sustainable Environment." SI prepared and delivered customized training for over 150 participants on capacity building topics for environmental NGOs-organizational assessment, strategic planning, financial resource diversification, results-based monitoring and evaluation. As a result of the SI sessions many of the finalists are addressing some of their most pressing organizational needs through low-cost capacity building resources.
-
Building Capacity to Manage International Education, Media and Civil Society Programs: International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), 2004
IREX is dedicated to strengthening international education, media and civil society. In its work with USAID, IREX wanted to enhance its skills in performance management. SI designed and conducted a customized workshop for IREX on this topic, provided technical support to project teams on performance management and led planning to improve organization-wide systems. As a result IREX has improved the quality of its performance management and its ability to demonstrate program results.
-
El Salvador—Strengthening Projects for Economic Change, Poverty and Environment: World Wildlife Fund, 2002
The purpose of the five-country ECPE project is to help countries develop more "win-win" environmental and poverty reduction policies. Working with the World Wildlife Fund in El Salvador, SI led training and technical assistance activities for project teams from China, Zambia, South Africa, Indonesia and El Salvador to strengthen the design of, and set realistic goals for, the ECPE projects. SI also worked with the teams to strengthen their skills in use of tools for implementing policy change. Each of these projects and the lessons learned from the ECPE program are part of a new book on poverty reduction and natural resource management, and their influence on current policy debates by donors and governments.
-
Jamaica—Building Capable Local NGO Partners, Family Health International, 2002
SI worked with two local HIV/AIDS NGOs (ASHE and JN+) to strengthen organizational capacity. Each NGO participated in a customized participatory strategic planning process that mapped out directions for strengthening internal operations, external programming and partnerships with outside organizations and donors. SI provided leadership training and coaching to management staff, strengthened team work, personnel procedures, accounting systems and helped to develop the executive boards. As a result, both groups were able to better manage their growth and quality of services. Each continues to use AI for organizational development and partnering work.
-
Jamaica: Resource Mobilization for Local NGO's: Family Health International, 2002
SI worked with Family Health International's Uplifting Adolescents II (UAP II) project to strengthen the fundraising skills and financial sustainability of 15 local education NGOs. SI's tailored workshops, coaching and virtual assistance ensured that the NGOs gained important skills in strategic planning for fundraising, resource diversification, budgeting, and proposal writing. As a result of the SI training and support, participants drafted stronger proposals and were able to access additional funds from new sources.
-
Creating a Strategic Plan for African Hospices: Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Sahara Africa, 2002
SI led strategic planning for the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Sahara Africa (FHSSA) using Appreciative Inquiry to build on local organizational knowledge and competencies. The output of the planning included development of a common vision of success; revision of FHSSA's mission; development of core objectives for strengthening FHSSA's internal management capacity and its external support to African NGOs; and a six month action plan. As a result, FHSSA increased the momentum, scope and quality of its work with African hospices.
-
Developing a Global Strategy: Family Health International, 2001
Family Health International is among the largest international health organizations, managing research, HIV/AIDS and family reproductive health activities in more than 70 countries. SI designed and led FHI's strategic planning process using an assets-based approach called Appreciative Inquiry to engage over 400 FHI staff from around the world. The plan—focusing on increasing the impact of reproductive health and HIV/AIDS programs—improved marketing and strengthened internal collaboration, as well as created a high level of commitment that led to an exceptionally fast and successful roll-out.
-
Building Capacity of National Organizations
Download PDF
Using integrated approaches to partnering and institutional development (Impact Note No. 12) -
Development of a Youth Involvement Institutional Assessment Tool (YIIAT): Family Health International, 2002
Family Health International requested SI to assist in the development of a set of tools and a guidebook for use at an institutional level to assess youth involvement in civil society organizations. The tool consists of several sections to be used by USAID cooperating agencies (CAs), NGOs, and district level health departments. The participatory assessment tool-now being used by various NGOs and local authorities—leads groups to develop recommendations and action plans to increase "youth involvement" in local organizations.
-
Building Capacity for Participatory Program Design: The Carter Center, 1999
The Carter Center, working in democracy and governance, needed a more systematic approach for consultation with groups in the developing countries, including citizens and governments. SI worked closely with the Center to develop and deliver a customized training course to build staff skills in community mapping, focus groups, community meetings and participatory planing. Following the training, SI worked with the Carter Center team in Guyana to design a new program for youth using participatory methods. The resulting democracy and governance program was financed by USAID.