Building Your Capacity
Author: Sandy Thompson
A history lesson and some words of advice
It has long been accepted that capacity building is the implementation of interventions that increase the ability of an organisation to fulfil its mission into the future. It is the processes and actions that enhance your ability to make a difference and to impact meaningfully on the individuals, whānau and communities that you serve.
Over time we have moved from a perspective of capacity building being mechanistic and linear in approach, to processes that address behaviours and attitudes. There is a growing appreciation that capacity building is not a one-off initiative, but a continuous process that is situated within a broader system. An holistic perspective and dynamic approach is thereby required, in relation to a larger social ecosystem.
In the old days when we - organisations, funders, and those that advised organisations and funders - talked about capacity building mechanisms; we were referring to such things as skill building, fundraising strategies, technology development, equipment acquisition, project management, organisation structures, and good ole management systems.
Following on from that, was the realisation that in order to create meaningful change, organisations needed capacity building that focused on the ability to create and realise a clear mission. They needed to have a well-articulated (but still measurable) strategy in place, along with a good understanding of the community and their organisation’s role within it. Finally, the emphasis centred around ongoing learning.
Recently the planet (and to be fair, researchers, writers and other wise folk) gave us a nudge. We now know that leading an organisation in complexity is no longer an option and we need to update how we view capacity building.
Having an organisation with strong capacity requires all of the above, along with the ability to navigate within the ecosystem. This means creating positive change, with a collective approach to addressing issues of social justice and creating healthy communities - AKA collaborating with others. To address the systemic issues and create change in complexity, we need to have multiple relationships and partnerships. These need to be across the spectrum of collaborations, i.e. networking with others to shared programmes and infrastructures. Power analysis, leadership development, stakeholder mapping, lifecycle analysis, change management, advocacy skills, along with evaluation and learning, have become part of the capacity building suite.
So, where does an organisation find this magical capacity building wand? Lots of places, but commonly via mentors, organisation facilitators and consultants, funding organisations etc. You can also build your own capacity by carrying out organisation assessment, building an organisation development strategy and creating a learning and implementation plan. Obviously at LEAD, as capacity builders, we are biased towards the former - but there are plenty of tools available in books and on the internet. Here are a few words of advice, however, in designing your own capacity building processes:
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Use resources designed for not for profit and community organisations rather than a business that’s for profit
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If the author cannot describe their capacity building framework and the rationale for their suggested interventions, be careful of their validity
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Use tools and processes that suit the Aotearoa/New Zealand cultural context
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Consider your purpose, age, size, workforce, and the type of work you do when selecting your capacity building activities.
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If you work to build the capacity of organisations you might want to join us on LEAD’s Turning the Curve training. This is a professional development masterclass series, comprising of three online workshops exploring contemporary capacity building perspectives and tools for people who support organisations and the individuals and boards that lead them.
If you would like to talk to a LEAD facilitator about your organisation’s capacity building needs contact us on info@lead.org.nz.