In 2001, India had approximately 1.2 million NGOs alone whose total funding amounted to Rs. 18000 crores (source: Oxfam GB). If one considers all the CSOs together there would exist a network of organisations that span across every district of the country with roots in most communities. Given the strong community-focus of these organisations in general, this network could claim sound understanding of ground realities, long term commitment and broad peoples’ participation as innate advantages. Recent global initiatives, viz. the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would indicate that these strengths are increasingly being recognised by governments and donor communities. With donors trying to circumvent ‘failure of government’ and support participatory development processes directly, the civil society is awash with projects and funds. Averting ‘failure of civil society’ by inducting long term focus and professionalism is imperative if this trust reposed is to be justified.

Perhaps the first step would be to acknowledge that the ‘blind cannot lead the blind’. The poor need safety from naïve good intentions as much as they need protection against bad development plans. Therefore the poor would benefit immensely if the organisations that work with them have the capacity to fulfil their intentions.

This is the fundamental premise of the Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme that aims to support CSOs in assisting people in the poorest and most backward districts of India to realise their entitlements. The strength of such a partnership with CSOs to promote inclusive development would depend on the capacities of individual organisations to select, plan, design and implement projects effectively.

The Development Alternatives- PricewaterhouseCoopers (P) Ltd. Consortium, as the PACS Management Consultants (MC), has taken steps to ensure that good intentions are buttressed by sound management systems. The Programme is unique as it brings together the applied development experience and policy perspectives of a CSO (Development Alternatives) with the financial acumen of a ‘Big 4’ accounting firm (PricewaterhouseCoopers (P) Ltd.).

The primary tool of good programme governance is the exhaustive Operating Systems Manual that has been drawn up through extensive consultations and research to establish transparent and accountable management practices. Projects submitted by CSOs for funding under PACS Programme are scrutinised against methodical and unambiguous criteria set in the Manual. The Manual addresses all aspects of project selection from financial appraisal of proposals to technical evaluation of organisational competencies. Proposals that are vetted by the MC are then forwarded to an independent Project Selection Committee (PSC) for final approval for funding. A National Advisory Board (NAB) constituted by eminent personalities from various fields provides advice on policy issues.

CSOs who seek association with the PACS Programme would gain from developing a vision linked management structure. Therefore initial areas of focus are the inculcation of a long term vision and sound perspectives on development issues. Although larger CSOs have such thinking in place, many of the smaller ones are bogged down by local concerns and face constraints in perceiving linkages with the external environment and forces. Many CSOs are born out of activism to address specific needs of local communities. Once these issues are tackled, they face the constant battle of reinventing themselves to stay afloat. They are forced to bid for all kinds of projects and often spread themselves too thin in this quest for continued existence. Sometimes survival would entail treading paths of least resistance that meander through entrenched sociological barriers. Such approaches that rely on short, incoherent, ‘hit and run’ projects raise questions about the sustainability of outcomes.

It is therefore crucial to encourage development partners to think beyond the project and focus on sustainable outcomes based on a definite vision for the target community. The MC seeks to address this fundamental gap by steering focused research, discussions and policy formulations on the five thematic areas of the programme. The intellectual outputs along with opportunities to network with other agencies and understand the wider canvas of development could contribute to dispelling parochial and short term thinking.

Once organisations see beyond the trees, it would be judicious to establish capacity to design short term interventions that contribute to the long term vision. Where good concepts that are congruent with the organisational vision exist, MC provides Planning Grants to develop them into good projects by strengthening capacity in project formulation and development.

Successfully implementing large projects require the existence of appropriate technical capacity within the organisation to undertake the tasks. There is a need to match tasks with resources and time. Often organisations need more time and resources to manage themselves than would be available to implement projects. Further, the distribution of responsibilities can be extremely skewed. For example, one of the CSOs assessed had certain personnel who had tasks allotted to them for a 30-day month that would require 120 days for completion. If such efficiency exists, it would be marvelous. Since it does not, one has to rationalise personnel, resources and task requirements suitably. Similarly, model professional conduct manifested by best practice guidelines in managing human resources, finances, procurement etc. need to be encouraged. Capabilities to evaluate the operating environment, understand the impacts of macro forces and respond to emerging challenges are other pertinent skills. Funds under the PACS programme can be availed for organizational development, training, group formation and advocacy needs.

To meet long term intangible outcomes, it is necessary that projects are continuously monitored and evaluated. More critically, the learning needs to be disseminated to the wider community. A comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluating and Learning (MEAL) system is being developed for PACS. Such a system would improve the reach of programmes through systematic evaluation of qualitative data, pooling of information resources and propagation of success stories and lessons. Resource Organisations based in the PACS States have also been drafted in to decentralise management, bring in local expertise and widen the network of stakeholders. An effective Communication Strategy is also being developed to ensure that lessons and advocacy initiatives have the desired impact on target communities, decision makers and the wider development community.

Similarly a series of Capacity Building Workshops are underway to transfer specific skills to the CSOs. A module on Project Management Skills for CSOs has been completed while another on Information and Knowledge Management for Policy Advocacy is to be held later this month. These workshops also provide opportunities to build an alliance of CSOs with coherent visions and adequate capacity.