Between 2017 and 2021, Forus has partnered with and supported 49 of its national members for 46 capacity development projects. One of the main improvements noted by the network as a result of the projects was in terms of governance and collaboration. Forus’ members were able to institutionalise and review several processes linked to financial management, accountability, communication and coordination with members and other stakeholders. They managed to develop innovative institutional strategies, update their internal processes and improve their technical skills. But how did they do it?

Here’s 5 changes implemented by Forus members that can inspire civil society organisations to improve their governance and collaboration practices. 

Developing a strategy to show the legitimacy of civil society 

HAND, in Hungary, used Forus’ support to work on financial management and develop a fundraising strategy. Thanks to strategic capacity development activities with its members and the Hungarian civil society in general, the platform created more internal and external knowledge as well as a sense of ownership in their own network. This new strategic approach resulted in an enlargement of their membership base, and its legitimacy as a main advocacy actor was further strengthened. 

Similarly, POJOAJU in Paraguay, developed seven strategic guidelines for economic management and accountability aimed at building social consensus, as well as a 5-year strategic plan. Thanks to a communication campaign, POJOAJU was also able to produce outputs informing national actors on the different roles and priorities for civil society in the country  - these ranged from SDGs to human rights and climate justice. This was put forward as a crucial activity, since civil society in Paraguay is questioned by the general public and other stakeholders on their role and their activities. 

Integrating gender policies  

Coordination SUD in France, developed a project on PSEA which made it possible to initiate a process of cultural change within its membership with regards to sexual and gender-based violence in the international solidarity sector. More specifically, the role-playing exercises proposed in the self-training module developed had the effect of raising awareness of situations that were previously perceived as harmless, but which were nevertheless conducive to forms of abuse of power and violence. 

In Latin America, Alianza ONG in the Dominican Republic, developed a gender policy; a starting point for internal exchanges among peers. This project represented a big leap at country level for the civil society sector, presenting Alianza ONG as a national role model.  

Joining forces for sustainable development 

VANI in India, worked towards joining forces with different types of structures at national & grassroot level, raising awareness of the SDGs for their member organisations as well as civil society at large working towards the implementation of Agenda 2030. By encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration around Agenda 2030, VANI notably shared possibilities of engagement at the district level to build the capacities of civil society and boost their international profile. 

In North Africa, the project implemented by Espace Associatif in Morocco, around SDGs and Agenda 2030 allowed civil society organisations to shift their current strategy and develop a new type of structured work, with the creation of regional nuclei by themes - for instance around education or health. Espace Associatif highlights the fact that issues such as democratic and sustainable development are a common concern to all, adding that being a Forus member “is a rich source of experience and practice that can be transferred, adapted, and implemented nationally and regionally. Local solutions enrich global thinking”. 

Narrowing the tech gap 

CONGCOOP in Guatemala, developed its own virtual training center: an online tool to provide training services to its members and partners. As a pilot project, they elaborated a course on leadership in NGOs. This project has given more visibility to CONGCOOP at the national level, including among youth and indigenous groups. Through their online platform, more projects are being developed and are made accessible to remote populations. Ideally, through the institutionalisation of the courses, the project can become self-sustainable and generate funds.  

Similarly, the CSCI in the Ivory Coast, implemented a communication-oriented project. By the end of it, they had updated a directory of all their member organisations, increased their presence on social media and rebuilt their website. A Steering Committee was created to assist CSCI in supporting its member organisations developing strategic plans. CSCI notes the importance of Forus’ inclusive approach, which led the platform to reassess its own perspective with its members in terms of conception and implementation of projects.  

Want to know more? Discover Forus capacity development projects supporting national members here