Key Attributes for Organisational Self-Assessment - Aga Khan ...

Key Attributes forOrganisational Self-AssessmentPROMOTING COMPETENCE AND CREDIBILITY AMONG CSOs IN TANZANIAPromoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

Key Attributes forOrganisational Self-AssessmentPROMOTING COMPETENCE AND CREDIBILITYAMONG CSOs IN TANZANIA

Published by:NGO Resource CentreA Project of the Aga Khan FoundationP.O Box 4128, ZanzibarTel. +255-24-2230696Email: admin@ngorc.or.tz©NGO Resource Centre and Tanzania Association of NGOs2008This publication may be reproduced for developmentalpurposes provided that the material is distributed free ofcharge and Aga Khan Foundation (NGO Resource Centre) andTANGO are acknowledged. Opinions expressed in thisdocument do not necessarily reflect the official views of theNGO Resource Centre, His Highness the Aga Khan, Aga KhanDevelopment Network, nor the Tanzania Association of NGOs.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

Table of ContentsiAbout the InitiativeiiIntroduction 1Key Attributes of Competenceand Credibility 2Governance 2Management of the CSO 4Human Resources 5Financial Management 7Program Development and Management 9Infrastructure and Logistics 10External / Public Relations 10Building Coalitions and Networks 12Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

iiAbout this InitiativeCivil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Tanzaniahave taken various initiatives to discuss whatconstitutes good performance in their context.While this discussion is a mere beginning, thisbook has summarised the outcomes of twonational workshops held to brainstorm thestandards for CSO performance in Tanzania.This is not meant to be an exhaustive list ofwhat one would look for when assessing theperformance of a Civil Society Organisation.There are, and there will continue to emerge,several tools for capacity assessment. What wehave here are the elements which were seen tobe most important for a well functioning CSO inthe context of Tanzania.This work was accomplished with thecontribution and dedication of a NationalReference Group on CSO Studies led by AchimChiaji, the NGO Resource Centre (NGORC)Project Director, to whom we remain deeplyindebted. We acknowledge the contribution ofthe many CSOs that participated in preliminarydiscussions which have led to the developmentof an assessment scheme for CSOs called theTool for Organisational Self Assessment (TOSA).We are also grateful to the Civil SocietyProgramme of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF)for the generous financial contribution towardsthe discussions and eventual publication of thisbooklet.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

Introduction1Clear, accountable management and reportingsystems are essential for the development of acredible and successful CSO. Successful CSOsare able to explain the value of their work to thepeople they serve, citizens and the government,and not just external donors. There are, however,a number of challenges in strengthening the civilsociety sector in Tanzania in relation togovernance, financial management, programmedevelopment, logistics, public relations andnetworking.Credibility and CompetenceA current review of CSOs in Tanzania and theiractivities revealed that CSOs face multipleissues in credibility and competence. The reviewexercise involved a desk review of availableliterature on CSOs as well as interviews with keystakeholders in the sector. During the review, theparticipating CSOs further defined performancestandards and systems of governance as part ofthe continuing efforts to improve service deliveryto the communities they serve. This participatoryapproach contrasts past approaches wherebysystems of governance were imposed on CSOsby donors and the Government. Strong androbust CSO performance standards or a Code ofConduct would strengthen the case for reducedgovernment regulation of the civil society sectorand improve the competence and credibility ofCSOs.CredibilityandCompetencePromoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

2Key Attributes ofCompetence and CredibitlityFollowing the desk review and feedback from thekey stakeholders, there is an emergingconsensus among CSOs on what credibility andcompetence actually means. The following aresome of the key institutional attributes ofcompetence and credibility of any organisation.Governancea) Governance refers to the leadership of theorganisation and its responsibility to oversee theoverall management and the implementation ofthe mission of the CSO. The following are someof the key attributes of good governance:• The Mission of the CSO sets out why the CSOexits and what it wants to do and why. It isimportant that the CSO and key stakeholdersagree with the mission.• The Membership describes the groups ofstakeholders and partners who have agreed towork with the CSO to pursue its mission.Partners and stakeholders should be clearlylisted in the Appendix to the CSO’s strategy.• The Organisational Structure (The Board,Trustees, Executive or Steering Committee)provides direction and advice to the overallmanagement of the CSO. The Board, Trusteesand Committees also oversee progress towardsachieving the CSO’s mission. KeyPromoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

3characteristics of an effective governing bodyinclude its representative composition and itsability to guide the implementation of the overallpolicies of the CSO.• Legal Status shows whether the CSO’sexistence is in line with the legal requirementsof the country. Typically, CSOs need to beregistered and some may need to obtain“charitable status”. The legal status of the CSOcontributes greatly to its credibility, respect andacceptance as a genuine organisation. Lack offormal registration is often associated with poormanagement practice.• Cross-cutting Themes refers to key issuesaffecting development - these include Gender,HIV/AIDS, Human Rights and the environment.• Sustainability is vital to the existence of theCSO. Sustainability is about the way a CSO isable to continue its work after a project hasbeen completed and funding regimes havechanged. To be sustainable means not beingdependent for funding/resources on externaldonors only.b) Management of the CSO is about the way inwhich a CSO coordinates its administration,operational, human resource and financialsystems to implement its activities. The key taskManagementof the CSOPromoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

4for management is to translate policy goals intoaction, monitor progress, equip, motivate andtrain staff to carry out their duties.• Organisational Structure outlines functions,levels of accountability, communicationchannels and the roles and responsibilities ofvarious people in the organisation. A welldefined organisational structure demonstrateshow organisational skills and abilities help theCSO attain its goals.• Policies and Procedures are guidelines to helpleaders, staff or members to work within CSO’smission and legal framework. Policies andprocedures define the organisationalculture/behaviour, guide business practice, safeguard the values of the organisation and protectthe rights of employees, volunteers andstakeholders. Policies and procedures relate tofinancial management, resource management,administration, human resource development,gender equality and the environment.• Management Capabilities are the ability of themanagement team to oversee theimplementation of activities and attainment ofgoals. It is about clear decision making,coordinating and controlling the use of inputs(finance, human resource and the environment)and the building of a strong motivated team ofstaff or members. Management capabilitiesrequire be continually developed and enhancedin any organisation.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

5c) Human Resources are about the peoplerequired to implement the CSO’s strategy. Thecapacity of the CSO to deliver is very muchdependent of how it has been able to developfollowing human resource attributes:HumanResources• Staffing looks at the needs of the CSO in termsof the abilities and skills that the staff require todeliver the CSO’s strategy – it is linked totraining and skills development. CSOs need tohave clear procedures for recruiting staff,allocating duties and training within the contextof an Equal Opportunities Policy.• Volunteers are defined as people who work onvarious activities of the CSO without payment.Volunteers can be grouped into threecategories. The first is individuals (CSOmembers, leaders or beneficiaries) who havedecided to contribute to some of the CSO’swork without any form of payment. The secondis people undertaking short term tasks in theCSO as academic/professional interns at theirown cost. The third is people who may beattached to one of the CSO programs fromother organisations such as InternationalNGOs, research institutions, or governmentdepartments.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

6FinancialManagementWith regard to the first category of volunteers, itis important that the CSO has procedures inplace for their recruitment, policies outlining theirroles, how their training requirements will bemet, and procedures regarding reimbursementof expenses related to volunteer activities.• Human Resource Management is about theways the CSO coordinates its people resourcesto undertake activities to achieve its goals. Theaim is to ensure that there are procedures tomanage the contribution and accountability ofeach staff member, develop cross team workingand have ways to resolve conflicts in theorganisation.• Human Resource (HR) Development Planshows how the CSO will develop theprofessional skills of its leaders, staff andmembers. The HR Development Plan shouldidentify key skills gaps of the CSO at all levelsand outline how these gaps will be filled.d) Financial Management is important to theintegrity and credibility of all organisations. It isabout how the CSO is able to access andsafeguard financial resources. The following arekey features of good CSO financial management:• Sources of Funds is about how the CSOproposes to raise the money for its activities.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

7CSOs need to outline how they will accessresources (both internal and external) and howthey will build the confidence of donors.• Budgeting shows how a CSO will allocate itsresources (financial/material) for theimplementation of its activities. In this process adetailed analysis of costings should be donefor all CSO activities – this should involvestakeholders and key relevant staff.• Financial Accounting defines how thefinances of the CSOs are managed, monitoredand protected. It is, essentially, a process ofrecord keeping and internal auditing.• Financial Reporting is about providinginformation to board members, management,stakeholders and partners to show how fundswere used in accordance with financialregulations. The financial report should alsoprovide recommendations for appropriatemanagement interventions where this isnecessary.e) Program Development and Management isabout taking the broad goals of the CSO anddeveloping programs and projects to realisethose goals. Once programs and projectshave been developed they need to bemonitored and evaluated to see if they aremeeting the goals of the CSO.ProgramDevelopmentandManagementPromoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

8• Strategic Planning is about developing theprogram objectives of the CSO and outliningactivities to attain the CSO’s goals. A welldefined strategic plan demonstrates thecapacity of the CSO to link activities with theobjectives/goals and its mission. A strategicplan should use baseline data to formbenchmarks for indicators. Participation ofstakeholders and partners is essential in thecreation of the strategic plan.• Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) is aboutreviewing activities against the strategic plan.The main purpose of monitoring is to find outwhether the CSO is on track to meet itsobjectives. An evaluation is a learning processfor the CSO and aims to identify the impact thatobjectives have had and, if necessary, makechanges to improve future results. Stakeholdersshould be involved in both monitoring andevaluation processes.• Documentation is about collecting, recordingand disseminating results, lessons andexperiences to the stakeholders and the widerpublic. This can be done via annual reports,press releases, radio and TV broadcasts.Dissemination can also occur through dialogue,presentations, and events.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

9f) Infrastructure and Logistics is about thebasic facilities a CSO needs to undertake in itsday to day work. These include working spacesuch as offices, stores, communication systems(phones and e-mail), transport and electricity.These should be obtained efficiently, openly andat the best prices.g) External/Public Relations is the way inwhich the CSO is seen by the larger community itserves. Successes need to be highlighted toshow the benefits of partnership working andencourage other CSOs in their endeavours.CSOs should give consideration to writing aPublic Relations Strategy. This Strategy shouldcover the undernoted:Infrastructureand LogisticsExternal/PublicRelations• The Community (Public) is the recipient ofCSO services. It is therefore important tocommunicate with them effectively on howCSO activities are directly addressing theirconcerns and needs.• The Government includes the CentralGovernment and its institutions (Judiciary,Ministries, Departments and Agencies) andLocal Government (Village Council, WardCouncil, and District Council). It is important tocommunicate effectively with these bodies onthe success of jointly funded projects and thebenefits of partnership working.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

10• Donors/Funding Agencies are developmentpartners with the potential or willingness tosupport the CSOs through funding and othermeans of assistance.CSOs need to workclosely with the donor organisations to highlightthe benefits of partnership, knowledge sharingand accountability.• The Media plays an important role in promotingthe work and credibility of the CSO. The CSOshould develop an approach to working withthe media as a partner to highlight outcomes ofCSO activities and how partnership working(CSOs, government and donors) can transforma community. CSO outcomes highlighted in themedia serve to encourage other CSOs and localcommunities in their endeavours.BuildingCoalitionsandNetworksh) Building Coalitions and Networks looks athow the CSO establishes working relationshipswith other organisations pursuing similar goals(NGOs, advocacy networks or coalitions,advocacy movements, faith groups orprofessional associations). The extent to whichthe CSO engages in coalition or wider networkissues will demonstrate its professionalism,integrity, and credibility.Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania

Promoting Competence and Credibility among CSOs in Tanzania