Saturday, 31 May 2008
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Strategic Planning
From: ddebowczyk, 1 year agoDescribes core elements of strategic planning - BY SGM FRANCO and SFC MATTINGLY
SlideShare Link
Strategic Planning For Managers
From: nusantara99, 10 months agoSlides about strategic management
SlideShare Link
How to write a business plan
From: tosime, 1 year agoTips on writing a business plan from an investor's perspective
SlideShare Link
Blue Ocean Strategy Summary
From: jayrobinson, 10 months agoA chapter summary of Chan Kim & Mauborgne's book "Blue Ocean Strategy"
SlideShare Link
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Strategic HR
Marketing Strategy
From: nusantara99, 10 months ago
Excellent presentation slides on designing an effective marketing strategy
SlideShare Link
Excellent presentation slides on designing an effective marketing strategy
SlideShare Link
Blue Ocean & Business Model Innovation
From: basvanoosterhout, 2 months ago
The presentation shows the steps taken following the Blue Ocean methodology in coming to Business Model Innovation
SlideShare Link
The presentation shows the steps taken following the Blue Ocean methodology in coming to Business Model Innovation
SlideShare Link
Friday, 4 April 2008
ORGANIZING THE GRANT WRITING PROCESS
Seven Things To Do Before Writing
by Michelle K. Carter, Grant Writer
The seven steps listed below can be used as a guide to help you to get organized
Grant writing is more than just putting together pieces of information in accordance with funders' guidelines. It is a process that requires organization, especially in light of impending deadlines.
With a limited staff and time constraints, organization is a necessity. In order for your time to be managed efficiently, a plan for organizing grant information should be in place before you begin to write.
1. Identify the Need/Problem:
Funders are looking for ways to eliminate need. That is, to close the "gap" between how things are and how things should be.
You should prepare a statement that substantiates your need including statistical data that supports your need.
2. Collect Background Information:
You should have readily available documentation about your organization. This collection of information should include your organisation's mission statement, a list of accomplishments, a list of previous funders and programs funded, the resumes of key staff members, and financial statements.
3. Develop a Grant Writing Team:
Identify all tasks for the grant writing process. Assess the skills of each staff member to determine who will be responsible for each task.
Who will conduct the research? Who will write? Who will compile the budget information? Who will type, make copies, etc.?
4. Research and Identify Funding Sources:
Many foundations have web sites on the Internet providing guidelines and application information. There are also printed directories that list thousands of foundations and a number of government agencies that provide grants.
As you identify potential funders, ask yourself the following questions: Does the funder's mission match our needs? Do we meet the funder's eligibility requirements? Is the possibility of funding good?
Create a profile for each potential funder.
5. Contact Potential Funders:
To obtain guidelines and applications, contact those funders whose missions match your needs. This initial contact is the first step for cultivating a relationship with the funder.
6. Contact Previous Grantees:
Prior grantees are generally listed on the funder's web site. This list is evidence of what a particular funder is interested in funding.
Contact at least three of these grantees.
Ask them about their experience with the funder and why they think they were successful. Try to get a copy of one of the grants to use as a model.
7. Develop a Proposal Production Plan:
This plan should include: a list of your goals and objectives;
- an outline of the elements of the proposal and who is responsible for each;
- an activity schedule detailing who will do what and when; and
- scheduled meetings with the grant writing team.
by Michelle K. Carter, Grant Writer
The seven steps listed below can be used as a guide to help you to get organized
Grant writing is more than just putting together pieces of information in accordance with funders' guidelines. It is a process that requires organization, especially in light of impending deadlines.
With a limited staff and time constraints, organization is a necessity. In order for your time to be managed efficiently, a plan for organizing grant information should be in place before you begin to write.
1. Identify the Need/Problem:
Funders are looking for ways to eliminate need. That is, to close the "gap" between how things are and how things should be.
You should prepare a statement that substantiates your need including statistical data that supports your need.
2. Collect Background Information:
You should have readily available documentation about your organization. This collection of information should include your organisation's mission statement, a list of accomplishments, a list of previous funders and programs funded, the resumes of key staff members, and financial statements.
3. Develop a Grant Writing Team:
Identify all tasks for the grant writing process. Assess the skills of each staff member to determine who will be responsible for each task.
Who will conduct the research? Who will write? Who will compile the budget information? Who will type, make copies, etc.?
4. Research and Identify Funding Sources:
Many foundations have web sites on the Internet providing guidelines and application information. There are also printed directories that list thousands of foundations and a number of government agencies that provide grants.
As you identify potential funders, ask yourself the following questions: Does the funder's mission match our needs? Do we meet the funder's eligibility requirements? Is the possibility of funding good?
Create a profile for each potential funder.
5. Contact Potential Funders:
To obtain guidelines and applications, contact those funders whose missions match your needs. This initial contact is the first step for cultivating a relationship with the funder.
6. Contact Previous Grantees:
Prior grantees are generally listed on the funder's web site. This list is evidence of what a particular funder is interested in funding.
Contact at least three of these grantees.
Ask them about their experience with the funder and why they think they were successful. Try to get a copy of one of the grants to use as a model.
7. Develop a Proposal Production Plan:
This plan should include: a list of your goals and objectives;
- an outline of the elements of the proposal and who is responsible for each;
- an activity schedule detailing who will do what and when; and
- scheduled meetings with the grant writing team.
Friday, 14 March 2008
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT: Resources
PRINCIPLES & TECHNIQUES OF FUND RAISING
by Phil Bartle, PhD
Abstract:
This document provides guidelines and suggestions for methods and principles of fund raising aimed at the financing of community based projects.
Fund raising is a valuable part of the strengthening of CBOs, NGOs and communities; cash (and non cash) contributions are needed by them to carry out their desired and planned activities. The obtaining of resources is therefore a desired and honourable task; fund raisers should be acknowledged and praised. Fund raising is a job to which all should contribute, and for which all should be responsible.
Introduction:
Many of the techniques and skills of fund raising (some of which are included here) can be or have been adapted from the commercial profession of "marketing" (in fact, fund raising is referred to as "marketing" by many NGOs). While marketing and sales skills can be valuable, they must always be applied in an ethical manner. Every fund raiser (paid or volunteer) must first and foremost be completely convinced of the value, integrity and benefits of the organization, and the activities for which the raised funds will be used.
These guidelines, must be modified in each community so as to be adapted to the differences that characterize every community
1. Principles of Fund Raising:
There is a difference between principles of fund raising and techniques of fund raising. This document discusses both. This section concentrates on the principles.
1.1 The Profession of Marketing:
Many of the skills and techniques of fund raising used by NGOs and some UN agencies have been developed by, and adapted from the commercial profession of marketing. Some people (often those outside or unsuccessful at the profession of sales and marketing) see this as a cynical and insincere activity. Maybe that is so as it is practised by some, but it does not have to be, and often is not. If a sales or marketing professional sincerely believes in the value of the product, sales can be effected honestly and ethically.
The principles of sincerity and ethical integrity especially apply to fund raising. Fund raising should be the responsibility of all members of the organization, although they may participate in different ways. It should not be simply left to the professionals. All of us/you, therefore, should know about principles as well as techniques of fund raising. The fund raiser, first and foremost, must be honestly convinced in the integrity of the organization, and in the benefit and value of the activity or project of the organization. Potential and past donors very quickly spot insincerity, dishonesty, and diversion of "their" donated resources.
1.2 Acknowledgement of Donations:
Acknowledgement is a must. Many donors use their donations to gain prestige and honour in their communities. It is a small price to praise every donor. Ensure that communities we assist are aware of the need to acknowledge all donations, and praise the donors for their loyalty to the community and their much needed and appreciated donation (cash and kind).
1.3 Thank You!
The most important two words in obtaining funds, and running a successful NGO, CBO or community project, are the words, "Thank you!"
Many NGO staff have wondered why enthusiasm for their activities has dried up, and funds cease to roll in; and the simple cause is often found to be that the NGO forgot to acknowledge and thank the donors.
1.4 Progress Reports:
Further to a simple "thank you," donors want to know what was achieved with their donated money. The most effective form of thank you is a progress report. Donors are less interested in your activities; they are more interested in the results of your activities; have you reached, or partially reached, the objectives you stated when you asked for the donation? CMP has prepared other documents about report writing; use them and integrate report writing with obtaining resources. Fund raising and report writing are not independent activities.
1.5 Integrity:
A high level of integrity must be maintained at all times. This applies to the set up and activities of the organization in general, and specifically to its fund raising activities. An important aspect of that integrity is full accountability.
All actions must be accountable; all funds must be accountable. This means accurate, complete, understandable and honest narrative reports and financial reports, available at any time to any member of the public.
Along with accountability is transparency. The group must not have any secret agenda, and must be public and honest about all its activities and all its expenditures. Account records must be open, that is available to any member of the public to inspect at any time. Honesty can not be compromised. The good ends (goals or objectives) of the organization must not be compromised by questionable means used to get to those ends.
Those people responsible for implementing the activities of the group, including the activity of obtaining funds, must be honestly and totally convinced of the goodness of the group and its objectives, and the worth while values and benefits of the project. This level of integrity is essential for the sustainability of the group, the completion of the project, and the benefit of the community.
1.6 The Importance of a Positive Attitude:
Not everybody is a donor. Some of the people, agencies or groups can or will not give to your community or organization. If you do not recognize that failure to obtain a donation from one source does not imply that you or your organization is a failure, you may be tempted to be discouraged and give up.
Do not give up. You can not allow yourself to be discouraged; it is a luxury that you, your organization and your community can not afford. You may experience eight rejections; do not give up because the ninth and tenth may bring the needed donation.
1.7 Calculating and Recording Project Inputs:
It is important to maintain accurate records of all resources used in a community project.
Too often some donations (especially communal labour and gifts in kind) are forgotten or under-valued, and the correct amount of the community contribution is higher than what is recorded and reported. This under valuation is detrimental for several reasons: (a) the community members have a lower estimate of self worth and this lowers confidence, (b) the outside donors have a lower estimate of community contribution and will be more reluctant to contribute more or (c) will not recognize the worth of the community inputs.
You/we must ensure that the CBO or the executive committee of the community that is planning to undertake a community based project, recognizes the value of hidden community resources. An accurate estimate of the cash value of donated resources –– eg communal labour for construction, donated skilled labour, time spent by community members and leaders in meetings for planning, or non cash physical donations –– must be made by the community. You/we should encourage the community to identify and record these. These financial estimates should be included in the cost estimates of the project proposal, and should be recorded during the actual construction activities.
When the total costs of a community based project are calculated, they should therefore include the actual cash contributions of donors, international and local, Governmental and non-Governmental, and others, plus the cost estimates of all non-monetary donations, whether in the form of non-cash physical items or services, or human time and energy.
2. Types and Sources of Donations:
This section describes donations from a wide range of potential donors, except those from donor agencies which require formal proposals. (Those are discussed in the document, Resource Acquisition).
That wide range of potential donors means there is a wide range of specific techniques that can be applied to the process of (a) identifying donors, (b) getting a message to them, and (c) collecting the donations. Don't forget the (d): thanking them.
A good workshop handout to accompany this section is: Internal Resources Checklist.
2.1 Urban Versus Rural Communities:
There are several differences in emphasis in techniques of raising project resources, based on the different characteristics of communities. Urban communities, for example, are usually larger, and therefore more full of factions and schisms. Small rural communities are more easy to organize and unite, but there is no guarantee.
Urban communities have more social schisms (divisions/factions), and are harder to organize than rural ones, although within urban areas slums are easier to organize than rich neighbourhoods. Donations in cash are easier to obtain in urban than rural communities, donations of food and agricultural products are more common in rural communities.
2.2 Public Fund Raising Events:
These take many forms. Large community fund raising events can be quite elaborate, with high profile officials making speeches, and rich persons making ostentatious donations. There may be several bands, drummers, dance groups, including singers and dances from the community schools.
In East Africa, the word "harambee" is used to describe such a fund raising event. (2)
In West Africa, especially in rural towns, the town chief may preside, and the entertainment may include dancing, drumming and spirit possession from the local gods or cults.
Such events may draw urban migrants back to their rural home towns and, like funerals, also serve purposes other than fund raising, notably for the migrated and extended community members to keep in touch with each other and to maintain their identity as community members even though residing outside the community. Many liaisons are made on these occasions, for example, that may later lead to marriages or business partnerships.
2.3 Urban Donors to Rural Communities:
Urban migrants maintain links to their home communities. This can be exploited by rural CBOs. A small percentage of the urban migrants make fortunes in the cities, and can be persuaded to contribute to their home community development. A feeling of guilt at not being home, or of loyalty in spite of absence, may result in some very large donations from rich urban migrants.
2.4 Commercial Donations:
Commercial donations include gifts from firms and businesses that want to advertise their good will and support of the community. (They should be acknowledged and thanked in public meetings). The community should be encouraged to identify ways they can convince the commercial donors that it is in the interest of the commercial donor to assist the project (increased publicity and good will for the commercial donor, for example).
2.5 Communal Labour:
This is an important internal resource (sometimes includes labour of volunteers from outside). Communal labour involves time and labour donated by community members, some unskilled (like clearing grass, laying bricks), some skilled (carpentry, masonry), management, leadership, meetings, planning, supervision.
It is important that you/we encourage the planners and designers of community based projects that they should carefully evaluate the cash value of donated communal labour. Too often that contribution is undervalued, because of ignorance of its worth or, more importantly, an indication of a low level of confidence and a low self evaluation of the worth of the community by the community members.
Sometimes some community members wish to hide their resources on the mistaken assumption that we or others will only bring outside resources if we believe that the community is very poor, and that we or other donors may withhold funds if the community is thought to have too many of its own resources. You/we must ensure that all community members understand that they are more likely to obtain outside resources if they demonstrate that they are committing internal resources.
2.6 Agricultural Donations:
Farmers may donate food for the project: (a) to communal workers who are working on the project, or (b) to the executive committee to sell to raise cash for the project. They may also donate other resources off their farms (eg timber, sand, limestone, non-food crops) which may be used directly or indirectly for the project.
2.7 Donated Food Preparation:
While a farmer may donate food to the project, it still needs to be prepared for eating. Other donors may include people who donate the preparing of food and refreshments to the community members on communal working days. Do not forget to thank the people who cook and prepare food for communal labourers.
2.8 Contributions and Pledges:
Contributions and pledges may be made at public community fund raising events. Participants make their decisions to donate in a public meeting or event.
2.9 Raffles and Lotteries:
Raffles and lotteries, gambling-based fund raising techniques. are better suited to well organized, sophisticated urban NGOs, rather than new, rural, small CBOs.
2.10 Anonymous Donors:
Anonymous donors are benefactors who remain unknown. They often have private ideological or religious reasons, but wish to remain unpublicized.
Conclusion:
Whatever our actions in encouraging and assisting communities to plan and implement their own community based projects (including the calculation of financial resources) you/we must keep the following in mind at all times and to guide all our actions:
by Phil Bartle, PhD
Abstract:
This document provides guidelines and suggestions for methods and principles of fund raising aimed at the financing of community based projects.
Fund raising is a valuable part of the strengthening of CBOs, NGOs and communities; cash (and non cash) contributions are needed by them to carry out their desired and planned activities. The obtaining of resources is therefore a desired and honourable task; fund raisers should be acknowledged and praised. Fund raising is a job to which all should contribute, and for which all should be responsible.
Introduction:
Many of the techniques and skills of fund raising (some of which are included here) can be or have been adapted from the commercial profession of "marketing" (in fact, fund raising is referred to as "marketing" by many NGOs). While marketing and sales skills can be valuable, they must always be applied in an ethical manner. Every fund raiser (paid or volunteer) must first and foremost be completely convinced of the value, integrity and benefits of the organization, and the activities for which the raised funds will be used.
These guidelines, must be modified in each community so as to be adapted to the differences that characterize every community
1. Principles of Fund Raising:
There is a difference between principles of fund raising and techniques of fund raising. This document discusses both. This section concentrates on the principles.
1.1 The Profession of Marketing:
Many of the skills and techniques of fund raising used by NGOs and some UN agencies have been developed by, and adapted from the commercial profession of marketing. Some people (often those outside or unsuccessful at the profession of sales and marketing) see this as a cynical and insincere activity. Maybe that is so as it is practised by some, but it does not have to be, and often is not. If a sales or marketing professional sincerely believes in the value of the product, sales can be effected honestly and ethically.
The principles of sincerity and ethical integrity especially apply to fund raising. Fund raising should be the responsibility of all members of the organization, although they may participate in different ways. It should not be simply left to the professionals. All of us/you, therefore, should know about principles as well as techniques of fund raising. The fund raiser, first and foremost, must be honestly convinced in the integrity of the organization, and in the benefit and value of the activity or project of the organization. Potential and past donors very quickly spot insincerity, dishonesty, and diversion of "their" donated resources.
1.2 Acknowledgement of Donations:
Acknowledgement is a must. Many donors use their donations to gain prestige and honour in their communities. It is a small price to praise every donor. Ensure that communities we assist are aware of the need to acknowledge all donations, and praise the donors for their loyalty to the community and their much needed and appreciated donation (cash and kind).
1.3 Thank You!
The most important two words in obtaining funds, and running a successful NGO, CBO or community project, are the words, "Thank you!"
Many NGO staff have wondered why enthusiasm for their activities has dried up, and funds cease to roll in; and the simple cause is often found to be that the NGO forgot to acknowledge and thank the donors.
1.4 Progress Reports:
Further to a simple "thank you," donors want to know what was achieved with their donated money. The most effective form of thank you is a progress report. Donors are less interested in your activities; they are more interested in the results of your activities; have you reached, or partially reached, the objectives you stated when you asked for the donation? CMP has prepared other documents about report writing; use them and integrate report writing with obtaining resources. Fund raising and report writing are not independent activities.
1.5 Integrity:
A high level of integrity must be maintained at all times. This applies to the set up and activities of the organization in general, and specifically to its fund raising activities. An important aspect of that integrity is full accountability.
All actions must be accountable; all funds must be accountable. This means accurate, complete, understandable and honest narrative reports and financial reports, available at any time to any member of the public.
Along with accountability is transparency. The group must not have any secret agenda, and must be public and honest about all its activities and all its expenditures. Account records must be open, that is available to any member of the public to inspect at any time. Honesty can not be compromised. The good ends (goals or objectives) of the organization must not be compromised by questionable means used to get to those ends.
Those people responsible for implementing the activities of the group, including the activity of obtaining funds, must be honestly and totally convinced of the goodness of the group and its objectives, and the worth while values and benefits of the project. This level of integrity is essential for the sustainability of the group, the completion of the project, and the benefit of the community.
1.6 The Importance of a Positive Attitude:
Not everybody is a donor. Some of the people, agencies or groups can or will not give to your community or organization. If you do not recognize that failure to obtain a donation from one source does not imply that you or your organization is a failure, you may be tempted to be discouraged and give up.
Do not give up. You can not allow yourself to be discouraged; it is a luxury that you, your organization and your community can not afford. You may experience eight rejections; do not give up because the ninth and tenth may bring the needed donation.
1.7 Calculating and Recording Project Inputs:
It is important to maintain accurate records of all resources used in a community project.
Too often some donations (especially communal labour and gifts in kind) are forgotten or under-valued, and the correct amount of the community contribution is higher than what is recorded and reported. This under valuation is detrimental for several reasons: (a) the community members have a lower estimate of self worth and this lowers confidence, (b) the outside donors have a lower estimate of community contribution and will be more reluctant to contribute more or (c) will not recognize the worth of the community inputs.
You/we must ensure that the CBO or the executive committee of the community that is planning to undertake a community based project, recognizes the value of hidden community resources. An accurate estimate of the cash value of donated resources –– eg communal labour for construction, donated skilled labour, time spent by community members and leaders in meetings for planning, or non cash physical donations –– must be made by the community. You/we should encourage the community to identify and record these. These financial estimates should be included in the cost estimates of the project proposal, and should be recorded during the actual construction activities.
When the total costs of a community based project are calculated, they should therefore include the actual cash contributions of donors, international and local, Governmental and non-Governmental, and others, plus the cost estimates of all non-monetary donations, whether in the form of non-cash physical items or services, or human time and energy.
2. Types and Sources of Donations:
This section describes donations from a wide range of potential donors, except those from donor agencies which require formal proposals. (Those are discussed in the document, Resource Acquisition).
That wide range of potential donors means there is a wide range of specific techniques that can be applied to the process of (a) identifying donors, (b) getting a message to them, and (c) collecting the donations. Don't forget the (d): thanking them.
A good workshop handout to accompany this section is: Internal Resources Checklist.
2.1 Urban Versus Rural Communities:
There are several differences in emphasis in techniques of raising project resources, based on the different characteristics of communities. Urban communities, for example, are usually larger, and therefore more full of factions and schisms. Small rural communities are more easy to organize and unite, but there is no guarantee.
Urban communities have more social schisms (divisions/factions), and are harder to organize than rural ones, although within urban areas slums are easier to organize than rich neighbourhoods. Donations in cash are easier to obtain in urban than rural communities, donations of food and agricultural products are more common in rural communities.
2.2 Public Fund Raising Events:
These take many forms. Large community fund raising events can be quite elaborate, with high profile officials making speeches, and rich persons making ostentatious donations. There may be several bands, drummers, dance groups, including singers and dances from the community schools.
In East Africa, the word "harambee" is used to describe such a fund raising event. (2)
In West Africa, especially in rural towns, the town chief may preside, and the entertainment may include dancing, drumming and spirit possession from the local gods or cults.
Such events may draw urban migrants back to their rural home towns and, like funerals, also serve purposes other than fund raising, notably for the migrated and extended community members to keep in touch with each other and to maintain their identity as community members even though residing outside the community. Many liaisons are made on these occasions, for example, that may later lead to marriages or business partnerships.
2.3 Urban Donors to Rural Communities:
Urban migrants maintain links to their home communities. This can be exploited by rural CBOs. A small percentage of the urban migrants make fortunes in the cities, and can be persuaded to contribute to their home community development. A feeling of guilt at not being home, or of loyalty in spite of absence, may result in some very large donations from rich urban migrants.
2.4 Commercial Donations:
Commercial donations include gifts from firms and businesses that want to advertise their good will and support of the community. (They should be acknowledged and thanked in public meetings). The community should be encouraged to identify ways they can convince the commercial donors that it is in the interest of the commercial donor to assist the project (increased publicity and good will for the commercial donor, for example).
2.5 Communal Labour:
This is an important internal resource (sometimes includes labour of volunteers from outside). Communal labour involves time and labour donated by community members, some unskilled (like clearing grass, laying bricks), some skilled (carpentry, masonry), management, leadership, meetings, planning, supervision.
It is important that you/we encourage the planners and designers of community based projects that they should carefully evaluate the cash value of donated communal labour. Too often that contribution is undervalued, because of ignorance of its worth or, more importantly, an indication of a low level of confidence and a low self evaluation of the worth of the community by the community members.
Sometimes some community members wish to hide their resources on the mistaken assumption that we or others will only bring outside resources if we believe that the community is very poor, and that we or other donors may withhold funds if the community is thought to have too many of its own resources. You/we must ensure that all community members understand that they are more likely to obtain outside resources if they demonstrate that they are committing internal resources.
2.6 Agricultural Donations:
Farmers may donate food for the project: (a) to communal workers who are working on the project, or (b) to the executive committee to sell to raise cash for the project. They may also donate other resources off their farms (eg timber, sand, limestone, non-food crops) which may be used directly or indirectly for the project.
2.7 Donated Food Preparation:
While a farmer may donate food to the project, it still needs to be prepared for eating. Other donors may include people who donate the preparing of food and refreshments to the community members on communal working days. Do not forget to thank the people who cook and prepare food for communal labourers.
2.8 Contributions and Pledges:
Contributions and pledges may be made at public community fund raising events. Participants make their decisions to donate in a public meeting or event.
2.9 Raffles and Lotteries:
Raffles and lotteries, gambling-based fund raising techniques. are better suited to well organized, sophisticated urban NGOs, rather than new, rural, small CBOs.
2.10 Anonymous Donors:
Anonymous donors are benefactors who remain unknown. They often have private ideological or religious reasons, but wish to remain unpublicized.
Conclusion:
Whatever our actions in encouraging and assisting communities to plan and implement their own community based projects (including the calculation of financial resources) you/we must keep the following in mind at all times and to guide all our actions:
- Remember and work towards the general goal (reducing dependency);
- Guide, suggest, train, encourage, praise, inform; and
- Do not promise, do not provide and do not dictate.
The calculation of costs of financing community based projects must be fair and accurate, and estimates must not undervalue non-cash community donations. When mobilizing a community to undertake a community based project, we should encourage them to identify a variety of outside resources (reducing dependency on any one donor), and to identify and mobilize many (often hidden) of their own internal resources.
Obtaining resources for a community project is an honourable and valuable responsibility; do it with enthusiasm, integrity and confidence.
Obtaining resources for a community project is an honourable and valuable responsibility; do it with enthusiasm, integrity and confidence.
Brick Making for Community ProjectFootnote (2): A harambee is not always necessarily a community event; nowadays it is often used by a single family to raise money for a student's school fees or a medical bill.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT: Project Design
The Dependency Syndrome
by Dr Phil Bartle
When community members lack attitudes of self reliance, what needs to be changed?
The "dependency syndrome" is an attitude and belief that a group can not solve its own problems without outside help. It is a weakness that is made worse by charity. Why do we fight against dependency?
If an outside agency, be it central Government, an international NGO, a mission, comes to a community and constructs a human settlements facility (eg water supply), it is natural for the community members to see it as belonging to the outside agency. When that outside agency goes away or runs out of funds, the community members will have no motivation to repair and maintain the facility, or to sustain the service In order for a facility to be used, and used effectively, by the community members. In order for the facility to be maintained and sustained, the community members must have a sense of "responsibility" for the facility. That sense of responsibility is sometimes described as "ownership" by the community.
by Dr Phil Bartle
When community members lack attitudes of self reliance, what needs to be changed?
The "dependency syndrome" is an attitude and belief that a group can not solve its own problems without outside help. It is a weakness that is made worse by charity. Why do we fight against dependency?
If an outside agency, be it central Government, an international NGO, a mission, comes to a community and constructs a human settlements facility (eg water supply), it is natural for the community members to see it as belonging to the outside agency. When that outside agency goes away or runs out of funds, the community members will have no motivation to repair and maintain the facility, or to sustain the service In order for a facility to be used, and used effectively, by the community members. In order for the facility to be maintained and sustained, the community members must have a sense of "responsibility" for the facility. That sense of responsibility is sometimes described as "ownership" by the community.
Communal ContributionUnless the community as a whole has been involved in the decision making about the facility (planning and management) and has willingly contributed to the costs of its construction, the sense of responsibility or ownership will be missing. It will not be effectively used, maintained or sustained. It is impossible to build a human settlements facility or service and not expect that it has to be repaired and maintained. That is like trying to eat once and for all. As their populations grow, governments are getting access to fewer and fewer resources per capita every year. It is simply no longer feasible for communities to be dependent upon central governments for human settlement facilities and services. The same with international donors: rich countries' governments, the UN, World Bank, international NGOs, simply do not have enough resources to give to every poor community, no matter how worthwhile the cause, around the world.
Whereas it was once thought that community self reliance in itself was a good thing, it promoted grass roots democracy, human rights, self development and human dignity, now it has gone much farther than that. If communities cannot become more and more self reliant and empowered, they simply will not develop and so poverty and apathy will eventually destroy them. Counteracting dependency is your prime goal. Dependency in the community must be reduced by every action you take. When training a community organization how to obtain resources, the animator must keep that prime goal in mind and act accordingly. A donor agency should try to avoid giving the community anything for nothing. That encourages dependency. Always encourage community members by stating that they can carry out the project themselves and you are here to offer them some skills and tips, but the work must be done by them. Applying this to financing a community project, you must never offer to obtain project inputs for them. The methods on this web site are called the Community Empowerment Methodology; specifically designed to fight dependency.
You as a mobilizer, can give them guidelines as to how to raise money and other resources, how to ensure that accounts are kept transparent and simple, and how to translate non-monetary donations into financial inputs, but you must always emphasise that the actual obtaining of the resources must be done by the community or its community based organization (eg executive committee) working on its behalf, not you.
Whereas it was once thought that community self reliance in itself was a good thing, it promoted grass roots democracy, human rights, self development and human dignity, now it has gone much farther than that. If communities cannot become more and more self reliant and empowered, they simply will not develop and so poverty and apathy will eventually destroy them. Counteracting dependency is your prime goal. Dependency in the community must be reduced by every action you take. When training a community organization how to obtain resources, the animator must keep that prime goal in mind and act accordingly. A donor agency should try to avoid giving the community anything for nothing. That encourages dependency. Always encourage community members by stating that they can carry out the project themselves and you are here to offer them some skills and tips, but the work must be done by them. Applying this to financing a community project, you must never offer to obtain project inputs for them. The methods on this web site are called the Community Empowerment Methodology; specifically designed to fight dependency.
You as a mobilizer, can give them guidelines as to how to raise money and other resources, how to ensure that accounts are kept transparent and simple, and how to translate non-monetary donations into financial inputs, but you must always emphasise that the actual obtaining of the resources must be done by the community or its community based organization (eg executive committee) working on its behalf, not you.
Monday, 18 February 2008
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT - MOBILIZATION
UNITY ORGANIZING
By Phil Bartle, PhD
What we often call step three in the mobilizing cycle, "unity organizing," can begin even during step one (awareness raising) and continue throughout the whole mobilizing cycle
Communities are Seldom Unified:
The word "community" has the word "unity" in it, but it is a common mistake to assume that any community is united.
Every community has factions and disputes, what we call social schisms, within it. These may be based on religion, clan, class, language, ethnic differences, and other factors.
Note: A "schism" is a divide or chasm between different sides. A "social schism" is a divide between two or more factions in a larger social grouping.
A Community Decision Needs Unity:
Yet when we want the community to make a consensus decision to agree on its priority problem to be solved, that is not possible when the different factions support different goals.
To bring these factions together, then, to promote and encourage unity, is a necessary task for you, the mobilizer. How do you do that?
Techniques to Unify a Community:
When you call a community meeting, insist and ensure that all the different factions attend. Also make sure the meeting includes the disabled, the elderly, the commonly overlooked people.
If you have done your work well in sociology, observing and analysing the community, you will know where the sensitivities lie.
It is useful to be a bit of an actor or "show person" when mobilizing. You can use the match sticks demonstration, for example, but take your time with it. Call for a volunteer or two to help you; repeat yourself in various ways; make a drama out of this. Hold up a single match stick and ask the group to say if it will be easy to break it.
Get their responses. Then ask your volunteer to break it. Congratulate your volunteer and make a big fuss with the group about how easy it is to break the match stick. Then take a hand full of match sticks and tie them together with an elastic band; show the bunched match sticks to the group. Ask the volunteer to break the group of matches as a single item. The volunteer will have difficulty or (we hope) will not be able to break the grouped match sticks.
Thus you say that each match stick is a different faction, but all of them together is the whole community. Poverty and weakness will easily break the community if the different factions continue pulling in different directions.
Show the group the matches again as you explain the analogy (metaphor, parable) again, making one match as you identify it as a faction, struggling to break the bound matches as you identify it as a unified community. Do this in several meetings at different times. (Never be afraid to repeat your principles). Continue it with other demonstrations and stories that you may think up yourself or borrow from other mobilizers.
See: The Role of Food in Empowering Communities.
See: Strengthening Organizations.
Your goal is not to make the community homogeneous (everybody the same); it is to encourage people to be more understanding and tolerant of differences among other community members, and to be loyal and supportive of the community as a whole.
Don't Stop:
Combine this with other unity organizing, efforts, such as ensuring representatives of every faction get on the executive committee, of the CBO that you organize to plan and implement the community project.
The need for unity organizing continues, and you should not stop it before going on to the next steps. Share with other mobilizers, and learn new methods.
By Phil Bartle, PhD
What we often call step three in the mobilizing cycle, "unity organizing," can begin even during step one (awareness raising) and continue throughout the whole mobilizing cycle
Communities are Seldom Unified:
The word "community" has the word "unity" in it, but it is a common mistake to assume that any community is united.
Every community has factions and disputes, what we call social schisms, within it. These may be based on religion, clan, class, language, ethnic differences, and other factors.
Note: A "schism" is a divide or chasm between different sides. A "social schism" is a divide between two or more factions in a larger social grouping.
A Community Decision Needs Unity:
Yet when we want the community to make a consensus decision to agree on its priority problem to be solved, that is not possible when the different factions support different goals.
To bring these factions together, then, to promote and encourage unity, is a necessary task for you, the mobilizer. How do you do that?
Techniques to Unify a Community:
When you call a community meeting, insist and ensure that all the different factions attend. Also make sure the meeting includes the disabled, the elderly, the commonly overlooked people.
If you have done your work well in sociology, observing and analysing the community, you will know where the sensitivities lie.
It is useful to be a bit of an actor or "show person" when mobilizing. You can use the match sticks demonstration, for example, but take your time with it. Call for a volunteer or two to help you; repeat yourself in various ways; make a drama out of this. Hold up a single match stick and ask the group to say if it will be easy to break it.
Get their responses. Then ask your volunteer to break it. Congratulate your volunteer and make a big fuss with the group about how easy it is to break the match stick. Then take a hand full of match sticks and tie them together with an elastic band; show the bunched match sticks to the group. Ask the volunteer to break the group of matches as a single item. The volunteer will have difficulty or (we hope) will not be able to break the grouped match sticks.
Thus you say that each match stick is a different faction, but all of them together is the whole community. Poverty and weakness will easily break the community if the different factions continue pulling in different directions.
Show the group the matches again as you explain the analogy (metaphor, parable) again, making one match as you identify it as a faction, struggling to break the bound matches as you identify it as a unified community. Do this in several meetings at different times. (Never be afraid to repeat your principles). Continue it with other demonstrations and stories that you may think up yourself or borrow from other mobilizers.
See: The Role of Food in Empowering Communities.
See: Strengthening Organizations.
Your goal is not to make the community homogeneous (everybody the same); it is to encourage people to be more understanding and tolerant of differences among other community members, and to be loyal and supportive of the community as a whole.
Don't Stop:
Combine this with other unity organizing, efforts, such as ensuring representatives of every faction get on the executive committee, of the CBO that you organize to plan and implement the community project.
The need for unity organizing continues, and you should not stop it before going on to the next steps. Share with other mobilizers, and learn new methods.
Monday, 11 February 2008
EATING WITH FRIENDS
The Role of Food in Empowering Communities
By Phil Bartle, PhD
By Phil Bartle, PhD
"Who eats with whom" is a factor affecting mobilization
Introduction:
One aspect of community empowerment, often overlooked in community development text books and teachings, is group eating. Like the celebration of a project completion, and many other important activities, something that may be seen as a vacation or "time off" among the people in general, is an essential part of the work (time on) of a mobilizer.
As a social scientist can tell you, there is far more to food than its physical benefits of nutrition and health. With whom we eat, when we eat, where we eat, what we eat and under what conditions we eat ... are all sociologically very significant. (If logic and nutrition were the only concerns, we would all eat worms).
These concerns are very important, therefore, to the mobilizer, first to know about the community and how to behave in it, and second for including this knowledge in strategies for empowering communities through mobilization.
One aspect of community empowerment, often overlooked in community development text books and teachings, is group eating. Like the celebration of a project completion, and many other important activities, something that may be seen as a vacation or "time off" among the people in general, is an essential part of the work (time on) of a mobilizer.
As a social scientist can tell you, there is far more to food than its physical benefits of nutrition and health. With whom we eat, when we eat, where we eat, what we eat and under what conditions we eat ... are all sociologically very significant. (If logic and nutrition were the only concerns, we would all eat worms).
These concerns are very important, therefore, to the mobilizer, first to know about the community and how to behave in it, and second for including this knowledge in strategies for empowering communities through mobilization.
Community Contribution: Meals for Donated LabourCommensality:
The word "Commensal" is derived from the Latin (and Arabic) , meaning to share a table. In sociology, the concept of "commensality" is most simply defined as "the people that eat together."
Start with yourself: think of those people with whom you eat, and those with whom you do not eat. In general, the people with whom you eat include your family and your friends.
Those with whom you do not eat, for whatever reason, are more socially distant: much higher or much lower class or social status, strangers, enemies and serious rivals, and sometimes persons belonging to segregated language, ethnic, religious, gender, age or occupational categories.
These, of course are highly variable from community to community, time frame to time frame, and from society to society. They also vary according to social context; some persons you would eat with in a workplace cafeteria, but not eat with them in their or your homes.
As a generality (with many exceptions you can be sure), people tend to eat with other people where there is a sense of solidarity or trust. Sometimes that trust is more apparent than real; some people eat with some others to ostentatiously demonstrate trust when they do not trust at all. Eating with others is, like all cultural things, symbolic, and communicates many values and meanings.
Influence is Two-Way:
The association of (a) social status or relationships and (b) who eats with whom, is known and observable. That does not prove that there is necessarily a causal relationship between them, but it does suggest that there is such a relationship.
Which way is that causality? Experienced community mobilizers know the influence is two-way. How people judge each other may be influenced by who consciously chooses to eat with whom. Conversely, choice of who eats with whom may be affected by how people judge each other.
This has two implications for the mobilizer. (1) The job requirement of knowing the social and cultural features of a community, an important task of the mobilizer, is enhanced by knowing who eats with whom. (2) Setting up situations where people eat with others they might not normally do, is a means of introducing new social relationships, and of enhancing community empowerment by improving unity.
Unity is very important to the mobilizer. See Unity Mobilizing. If bringing people together to share a meal will improve that unity, then this is another tool for the mobilizer's tool box.
Three Eating Situations in Community Mobilization:
There may be many opportunities to allow community or committee members to eat together at a public occasion. The greater the knowledge a mobilizer has of the community, the more opportunities will be revealed.
Three general situations are as follows:
- Feeding communal labourers during construction;
- Refreshments served at executive meetings; and
- Refreshments served at celebrations.
Providing food for community members who come out to a communal "bee" to donate their labour to cleaning the community area, or contributing to project construction, is a valuable undertaking for promoting enthusiasm for the work, and for promoting unity and solidarity.
In rural areas, farmers who may lack cash to donate, are likely to be willing to donate some of their crops for that. Meanwhile some community members, perhaps those not able to do heavy work associated with construction, would be willing to donate their time and effort to cooking and presenting the donated food.
It is easy to dismiss the labour of the implementing or executive committee. They contribute their time, their imagination and their knowledge to a community project. They must also be careful to remain transparent when handling community money, so as to maintain trust and enthusiasm of the people. If community members prepare small amounts of food, even as a token gesture, for their committee meetings, they will be less likely to be suspected of having hidden agendas to enhance their income by misdirecting community resources.
During the public celebrations to recognize project completion, the community is advised by the mobilizer to invite important and well known personalities to attend and officiate. This attracts journalists who will publicize the event. If the community can be seen as providing refreshments to important visitors an, better yet, to all who attend, then the confidence and solidarity of the community will be increased.
Choosing What to Eat:
The mobilizer does not choose what should be served. The job of the mobilizer is to stimulate the committee, if not the community, to decide that food should be served, when, what, where, how much and any other details. If a committee is formed to decide upon food to be served, their choices can be a good source of information for the mobilizer.
The choice of tabooed or controversial food, for example, can be an indicator of factional influence among the executive. Pork, for example, should not be served to Moslems, beef to Hindus, meat to vegetarians. If the committee chooses such food, then the mobilizer has a hint that the committee is biased towards other factions.
The mobilizer should try, quietly at first, behind the scenes, to convince the committee that it should be more sensitive to the varieties of food regulations among the community. If this can not be fixed quietly, the mobilizer might find it necessary to raise the issue publicly in a whole community meeting, indicating that the project is for all members of the community, not only specific factions, therefore the food served should be applicable to all, or else special preparations made to satisfy the food rules of some groups.
In many community projects, especially when important visitors are served refreshments, it has become the practice to serve world famous bottled (or tinned) soft drinks. This author does not endorse the growth of "coca cola- nization" or global brand loyalty by endorsing the use of such drinks. Boiled water, local drinks, and tea and/or coffee are preferable.
Summary:
The culture of food and group eating, "who shares a table," is important to a mobilizer. Knowing eating patterns is an indicator of how well the mobilizer knows the community, and can be used as an indicator of how united or divided is a community.
Suggesting and encouraging the community and its project executive committee to arrange for various occasions where people can eat together will promote greater unity, solidarity and trust, which are important factors in empowering a community.
As with most things done by a good mobilizer, the mobilizer encourages a participatory approach, guiding and stimulating the community and its project executive to make decisions, rather than dictating and making decisions for it.
References:
Food and Culture: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/rtdirks/SOCIAL.html
Margaret Visser: http://www.umanitoba.ca/
The word "Commensal" is derived from the Latin (and Arabic) , meaning to share a table. In sociology, the concept of "commensality" is most simply defined as "the people that eat together."
Start with yourself: think of those people with whom you eat, and those with whom you do not eat. In general, the people with whom you eat include your family and your friends.
Those with whom you do not eat, for whatever reason, are more socially distant: much higher or much lower class or social status, strangers, enemies and serious rivals, and sometimes persons belonging to segregated language, ethnic, religious, gender, age or occupational categories.
These, of course are highly variable from community to community, time frame to time frame, and from society to society. They also vary according to social context; some persons you would eat with in a workplace cafeteria, but not eat with them in their or your homes.
As a generality (with many exceptions you can be sure), people tend to eat with other people where there is a sense of solidarity or trust. Sometimes that trust is more apparent than real; some people eat with some others to ostentatiously demonstrate trust when they do not trust at all. Eating with others is, like all cultural things, symbolic, and communicates many values and meanings.
Influence is Two-Way:
The association of (a) social status or relationships and (b) who eats with whom, is known and observable. That does not prove that there is necessarily a causal relationship between them, but it does suggest that there is such a relationship.
Which way is that causality? Experienced community mobilizers know the influence is two-way. How people judge each other may be influenced by who consciously chooses to eat with whom. Conversely, choice of who eats with whom may be affected by how people judge each other.
This has two implications for the mobilizer. (1) The job requirement of knowing the social and cultural features of a community, an important task of the mobilizer, is enhanced by knowing who eats with whom. (2) Setting up situations where people eat with others they might not normally do, is a means of introducing new social relationships, and of enhancing community empowerment by improving unity.
Unity is very important to the mobilizer. See Unity Mobilizing. If bringing people together to share a meal will improve that unity, then this is another tool for the mobilizer's tool box.
Three Eating Situations in Community Mobilization:
There may be many opportunities to allow community or committee members to eat together at a public occasion. The greater the knowledge a mobilizer has of the community, the more opportunities will be revealed.
Three general situations are as follows:
- Feeding communal labourers during construction;
- Refreshments served at executive meetings; and
- Refreshments served at celebrations.
Providing food for community members who come out to a communal "bee" to donate their labour to cleaning the community area, or contributing to project construction, is a valuable undertaking for promoting enthusiasm for the work, and for promoting unity and solidarity.
In rural areas, farmers who may lack cash to donate, are likely to be willing to donate some of their crops for that. Meanwhile some community members, perhaps those not able to do heavy work associated with construction, would be willing to donate their time and effort to cooking and presenting the donated food.
It is easy to dismiss the labour of the implementing or executive committee. They contribute their time, their imagination and their knowledge to a community project. They must also be careful to remain transparent when handling community money, so as to maintain trust and enthusiasm of the people. If community members prepare small amounts of food, even as a token gesture, for their committee meetings, they will be less likely to be suspected of having hidden agendas to enhance their income by misdirecting community resources.
During the public celebrations to recognize project completion, the community is advised by the mobilizer to invite important and well known personalities to attend and officiate. This attracts journalists who will publicize the event. If the community can be seen as providing refreshments to important visitors an, better yet, to all who attend, then the confidence and solidarity of the community will be increased.
Choosing What to Eat:
The mobilizer does not choose what should be served. The job of the mobilizer is to stimulate the committee, if not the community, to decide that food should be served, when, what, where, how much and any other details. If a committee is formed to decide upon food to be served, their choices can be a good source of information for the mobilizer.
The choice of tabooed or controversial food, for example, can be an indicator of factional influence among the executive. Pork, for example, should not be served to Moslems, beef to Hindus, meat to vegetarians. If the committee chooses such food, then the mobilizer has a hint that the committee is biased towards other factions.
The mobilizer should try, quietly at first, behind the scenes, to convince the committee that it should be more sensitive to the varieties of food regulations among the community. If this can not be fixed quietly, the mobilizer might find it necessary to raise the issue publicly in a whole community meeting, indicating that the project is for all members of the community, not only specific factions, therefore the food served should be applicable to all, or else special preparations made to satisfy the food rules of some groups.
In many community projects, especially when important visitors are served refreshments, it has become the practice to serve world famous bottled (or tinned) soft drinks. This author does not endorse the growth of "coca cola- nization" or global brand loyalty by endorsing the use of such drinks. Boiled water, local drinks, and tea and/or coffee are preferable.
Summary:
The culture of food and group eating, "who shares a table," is important to a mobilizer. Knowing eating patterns is an indicator of how well the mobilizer knows the community, and can be used as an indicator of how united or divided is a community.
Suggesting and encouraging the community and its project executive committee to arrange for various occasions where people can eat together will promote greater unity, solidarity and trust, which are important factors in empowering a community.
As with most things done by a good mobilizer, the mobilizer encourages a participatory approach, guiding and stimulating the community and its project executive to make decisions, rather than dictating and making decisions for it.
References:
Food and Culture: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/rtdirks/SOCIAL.html
Margaret Visser: http://www.umanitoba.ca/
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
