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Fast forward>>the changing role of UK based INGOs…Sarah Mistry, Director of Effectiveness and Learning, Bond

3 June 2015

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Process…

• Early planning for a Futures initiative

• A provocation paper: ‘Tomorrow's World: How might megatrends in development affect the future roles of UK-based INGOs’

• A survey completed by 70 respondents with analysis by INTRAC

• A half day workshop held in London with 60 representatives from across the international development sector

• A final report: ‘Fast forward: the changing role of UK-based INGOs’ setting out drivers for change, implications for civil society and UK INGOs in particular – and what needs to be different over the next 10 years

• Frames a dialogue with DfID; informs Bond’s Futures work, Bond’s Strategy, members’ planning

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Megatrends over next decade

• Climate change and planetary boundaries• Natural resource scarcity• Inequality / poverty• Geopolitical shifts• Demographic shifts• Urbanisation• Processes of technological transformation and innovation

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Implications for civil society (1)

Needs are changing

- More disasters, conflict, emergencies > humanitarian crises, fragile states, refugee situations, instability, violence

- Environmental degradation > resource scarcity, land disputes, loss of livelihoods, responsibility for public goods

- Poverty > most marginalised, relocation of poverty; inequality? Development – livelihoods/demographics

- Rise of problems of newly affluent > heart disease, traffic accidents, pollution

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Implications (2)

Solutions are changing

- Power shifts > SDGs, new coalitions, big business, beyond aid: new advocacy approaches needed

- Rise of self-determination > BRICs, local actors taking control, developing assets and capacities

- Citizen power > movements, grass roots, international solidarity, individuals

- New actors/ groupings > businesses, new funders, clicktivists, disintermediation, alliances

- Systems / complexity/ interconnections / digital solutions plus learning & evidence

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Implications (3)

The operating environment is changing for CSOs

- Space for civil society shrinking in some places > constraints on free speech/ lobbying, state controls (but demands on civil society increasing elsewhere – delivery of public services)

- Questions of legitimacy, trust, mandate > public support? Hostile media?

- Funding for CSOs > new donors, new forms of funding, market forces, new competitors

- Balancing immediate needs with emerging needs/ long term

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Strategies for UK INGOs (1)

1: Celebrate civil society diversity• Nurture a pluralistic ecosystem with different strengths, expertise,

approaches• Build on historic strengths arising out of compassion, solidarity,

faith; track record of development/humanitarian delivery, relationships

• Clear value propositions: fewer generalists, more specialists; new agile organisations

• Value of the collective (collaborate not complete)

2: Support capacity development• Supporting civil society in the global South to develop the local

skills, knowledge and capacities they need• Building civil society architecture nationally, regionally,

internationally

3: Enabling rather than service delivery• Gradual withdrawal from service delivery roles as local actors

take these on over the next decade (timeframe?)• But more engaged role continues in fragile states; for systems

change; complex multi-actor interventions

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Strategies for UK INGOs (2)

4: Use global reach to act in crises

• Structures and networks for globally dispersed development and humanitarian challenges

• Shared learning and expertise to help develop local capacity for humanitarian preparedness and response

5: Rebuild connections with our constituencies

• Social media, the internet and direct calls to action (disintermediation) changing way NGOs engage with supporters / volunteers – active citizen engagement

• Better ‘case for development’ needed to convince taxpayers, UK public

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6: Influence UK policies and systems• UK and its role in Europe • Hold UK government to account – universality of

SDGs/ beyond aid issues + 0.7%

7: Create and manage effective partnerships• Build alliances, relationships: sole trading not a

good strategy• Build partnerships and consortia, based on good

understanding of costs/ benefits

Strategies for UK INGOs (3)

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8: Foster learning, honesty, transparency• Honesty about failure, willingness to experiment and

readiness to learn fast through innovation• Openness about results, financial flows• Genuine engagement, feedback, downward

accountability > ‘power-sharing’, relinquishing power

Strategies for UK INGOs (4)

9: Knowledge as an asset• Sharing evidence and experience• Going beyond ‘NGO world’ for learning, influence,

approaches to change• Engaging with technology

10: Create leadership that is fit for the future• Clear value proposition• Understanding risk, long-term• Workforce, skills, culture, governance• Business models & organisational forms

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The changing role of donors

• Re DFID: ? Partnership that respects CSOs as means and ends (ie values, integrity + agent of change) - longer term

• Support for adaptive programming

• Using right funding modalities to support innovation, organisational transformation, complexity, partnerships, scale, diverse supplier base

• Bigger questions about 0.7% - definitions; balance between humanitarian & development; transaction costs / multilateral contributions.

For NGOs: Dependency/ sustainability/ business models?

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So what does this mean for you?

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