ELEMENTS OF CAPACITY BUILDING

The sustainability triangle, shown below, defines important elements of institution building programs applied by SDS to strengthen local institutions for the promotion of sustainable development.

THE INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY TRIANGLE

Orientation encapsulates the broad direction of the organization. Capacity refers to its particular technical, managerial and financial strengths. Credibility reflects the validity and transparency of the organization's efforts, as seen by its clients. Finally, Human Resources lie at the centre of the sustainability triangle. The worth of an organization is the direct product of its human resources and their problem-solving abilities.
 

Orientation

A Mission Statement is the organization's broadest statement of its reason for existence. Without a clearly defined mission, an organization's members and its associates will tend to be confused. In contrast, an organization with a clearly defined mission provides its members and associates with a clear orientation.

A Vision Declaration gives substance to the Mission Statement. The Vision Declaration describes the organization in its ideal state, when its members fully share a common set of values and principles.

Institutional objectives identify what the organization proposes to accomplish. These objectives determine the institution’s areas of work. Hence they also determine the institution's administrative structure. Institutional objectives are usually multidisciplinary, comprising technical, social and economic components.

Institutional policies state the means chosen by the organization for achieving the objectives. Such policy statements are not, however, all-inclusive and permanent. They may be changed frequently to adapt to the dynamics of development.

Institutional strategies define a path for reaching the objectives effectively and efficiently.

Capacity

In the sustainability triangle the word techniques means the technical capacity of the organization to serve its clients.

Participatory methodologies help communities and the development organizations to communicate. Good communication means understanding and good relationships, without which no development programme can be effective.

Organizational capacity marks strong institutions. Various organizational models exist. Each organization needs to adopt a model that best fits its need to respond to its clients’ demands.

Leadership is key to the organization’s ability to gather support. Organizations that promote sustainable development do not have to be efficient in all of its phases, but by specializing in one or more of its components they become recognized. This recognition will eventually lead to collaborative agreements with other organizations that are mutually beneficial.

Finances can come from a number of sources. All organizations should develop sustainable financing mechanisms that best suit its goals and structure. Donations should be received sparely; otherwise the organization will become dependent on charity, and in the end perish.

Good managerial skills start with integrated planning. Planning usually occurs at three levels. Strategic planning defines plans in the medium and long term. Tactical planning involves specific actions to resolve the problems that have been identified through strategic planning. Operative planning consists of defining time frames and establishing specific dates for the accomplishment of actions.

Monitoring and evaluation follows the execution of management plans. Through monitoring and evaluation, the effectiveness and impact of institutional building and development programs are measured according to pre-established indicators.

Credibility

Credibility underlies strong, effective institutions. Clients and members are the best judges of an organization’s credibility. Clients expect the institutions to meet their changing needs. To be credible, organizations must constantly ask themselves:

• What are our goals?
• What are we doing here?
• Are we working towards the community’s ideals?
• What are the basic values of our organization?
• How do the values of our staff affect our programmes?
• Are our clients satisfied with us?
• Do our clients participate in the design of our programme?
• How are we demonstrating our values in our daily work?

Other aspects determine the credibility of an organization. For example, does an organization adequately consider women, the environment and equality within its development strategies? Is its staff trustworthy and do they keep their promises? Are they on time? Do they understand the clients or members? Are the administrative procedures in the organization transparent?

Learning to act as development partners

No one can pretend to solve their problems without outside assistance. Neither can supporting institutions promote rural development by themselves. Networking provides the support needed.

Unity, reflected in inter-institutional relationships and alliances, results in a multiplication of efforts to manage development programs. Many projects and organizations, however, act alone. Consequently, they are slow to develop, spend more than they have to and fail to diffuse the knowledge they generate.

Development organizations that work across institutional boundaries can create broad and deep consensus for sustainable management at the local, regional and national levels. Yet, achieving this close coordination is difficult. Differences of opinion, professional jealousies, stubbornness and an erroneous sense of the need to compete keep development organizations apart.

Networks are a way to institutionalize coordination between development organizations. Networks allow members to increase their individual development capacities by learning and accepting help from others. Networking is undertaken to exchange information, establish collaborative efforts and generate new knowledge based on many different experiences.

In order to support a network, many questions have to be answered. What are the reasons for establishing a network? What organizations are to be involved? What are the benefits for its members? What resources, knowledge, materials, and political and economic influence are needed? What sorts of human talents will form part of the network? How will the network be financed? How will the partners in the network interact?