Organizational Strengthening and Strategic Action Planning
Are you a donor or INGO supporting development work in a developing country? Many organizations would like their development programs to be achieving greater impact.
Work with the Center in developing a Strategic Action Plan for your in-country programs, and gain a clear understanding of what is having impact in your programming – and what could use fine-tuning. Proposed solutions to challenges you identify will be presented in an easy to understand, step-by-step plan designed to increase impact.
We see many organizations facing a range of similar challenges. Areas identified for improvement often include:
- management and organization
- job skills training for staff
- community needs assessments
- project planning and implementation
- monitoring & evaluation
- project sustainability and funding
- communication
- reporting
The assessment and strategic planning process.
Part workshop, part consultancy, the process compiles the successes and challenges identified by partners and beneficiaries. We will begin by interviewing Northern Program Directors that work with in-country counterparts. We will also review examples of project and training documents.
In-country, we will interview Executive Directors and project staff, visit project sites, and interview field staff and beneficiaries. Example project and training documents will also be reviewed. The interviews are conducted in a true participatory spirit: in a fun, positive and empowering manner.
The Strategic Action Plan
The end product that you will receive will be a strategic action plan based upon the results of the interviews, document reviews, and site visits. Proposed solutions to challenges you identified will be presented in an easy to understand, step-by-step plan. Many of the suggested actions will be able to be readily accomplished by the partnership on their own. For others, we will make recommendations for specific workshops or training programs.
Particpants will learn new information about their shared missions and visions, programming, what is working well in project implementation, and how collaboration can improve project impact. The finalized plan will paint a good picture of where the partnership is now, and what practical opportunities are available for growth. An example showing a simplified outline of a Strategic Action Plan is available here.
What kinds of development partnerships are we addressing? Partnerships typically represent variations on these themes:
- Donor/Grantee
- INGO/Local Partner
- North American Office/Local Office
Why our focus on impact?
Escalating energy and food prices, shifting weather patterns, and increasing population pressures have led donors and INGOs to realize that we must use research to identify what has impact in development – and act with urgency. These findings need to be incorporated into programming, and be implemented effectively in projects. We need to shift from activity and output-based development to outcome and impact-based development.
“It is time to take stock, admit that business-as-usual hasn't worked, agree to change mind-sets, and really change the way that everyone works.” Vanessa Rubin, CARE International.
“What is important today is to realize that the time for talking is long past. Now is the time for action.” Jacques Diouf, Director General FAO. A recent FAO study estimates that 1.2 billion people go hungry every day.
“The stakes for increasing the effectiveness of philanthropy are very high. If we’re going to solve complex problems like climate change or AIDS, we must become much more serious about getting resources where they can have the most impact.” Jacob Harold, Hewlett Foundation.
What is impact? What are outcomes?
World Bank definitions: ‘Impact is the long-term, sustainable changes in the conditions of people and the state of the environment that structurally reduce poverty, improve human well-being and protect and conserve natural resources. Outcomes are behavior changes in partners – changes that contribute to the long-term sustainable improvement in people’s lives.’
The Center offers its training and workshops internationally.
Please contact the Center if you are interested in learning more about how the strategic planning process can increase your programming impact, or contact Executive Director, Tim Magee, directly:
These direct, local lines ring straight through to the office in Guatemala:
202-657-4760 Washington, DC
909-532-5135 Los Angeles
011-502-5411-4978 Guatemala
011-502-2366-4313 Fax