Insights

USAID Ethiopia and the USAID-funded New Partnerships Initiative: New Partners for Better Health (NPI EXPAND) project identified a need for more local organizations that could serve as capacity strengthening providers to other local organizations. To address this gap, NPI EXPAND issued a $100,000 grant to the Population Health and Environment-Ethiopia Consortium (PHE-EC). From September 2023-June 2024,

NPI EXPAND strengthened the capacity of the local organizations within PHE-EC in efforts to promote capacity strengthening for other local organizations working in the health sectorin Ethiopia.

Before working with NPI EXPAND, PHE-EC had basic organizational systems, which limited their ability to grow and manage large programs. At the beginning of grant implementation, PHE-EC conducted an internal baseline assessment using NPI EXPAND’s Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) and Organizational Performance Index (OPI) tools to measure organizational capacity, including effectiveness of programs and services; human resource management; financial management; strategic planning and management; and organizational governance.

PHE-EC scored the highest in governance and financial management, while areas for improvement included strategic planning capacity, advocacy, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), use of advanced information communication technology (ICT), and staff career development. These assessments enabled PHE-EC to reflect on their capacitiesand prioritize areas for improvement.

Endashaw Tiruneh, Executive Director, PHE-EC, said, “The capacity assessment helped us to formulate an organizational development plan and identify different resources to address organizational needs and gaps. This support from NPI EXPAND provided is rare since local organizations often do not get support to improve their financial and technical sustainability.”

Through the institutional strengthening plan, PHE-EC developed a new organizational structure during its strategic planning exercise which has enabled them to use their staff more efficiently. The organization also developed a capacity strengthening business model and conducted a capacity strengthening market assessment. In efforts to incorporatethese additions into their business model, organizational development and member engagement have been established as strategic pillars for the first time.  

PHE-EC also gained strengths in its grant management, financial efficiency, and program implementation through trainings and mentorship by NPI EXPAND on how to MaximizeIndirect Cost Recovery; QuickBooks accounting software; how to Plan for Financial Sustainability, and USAID Proposal Development.

In addition to these trainings, NPI EXPAND’s mentorship enabled PHE-EC‘s development of a new results-based staff performance measurement framework, which has helped each staff member to better understand the organization’s mission. During the grant period, PHE-EC began providing organizational development services to two new member organizations who joined and they published their first categorized directory of members.

Finally, the institutional strengthening plan through NPI EXPAND led to PHE-EC’s adoption of strategic approaches to fundraising. They have started mapping donors, prioritizing opportunities in line with their mission, and developing communications material to share with potential donors. PHE-EC has increased their focus on financial sustainability through working to build contingency reserves for ‘dry’ periods. Since February 2024, PHE-EC hasreceived five projects from new donors, which likely indicates more successful donor engagement including new organizational relationships and increased visibility and contacts among USAID and other donors.

In sum, NPI EXPAND’s support to PHE-EC enabled them to strengthen their strategic plan, financial and grants systems, reinforce their human resource policy, and promote fundraising opportunities. These strengthened systems will improve PHE-EC’s ability to meet support a larger consortium, manage larger grants and provide capacity strengthening to more local organizations.

As a result of their own capacity strengthening through their NPI EXPAND grant, PHE-EC has become more proficient in conducting organizational assessments and leading training workshops for other local organizations in their consortium. They have trained 18member organizations and supported two with developing new systems, strategies, and human resource manuals. They conducted training of trainers’ workshops with local organizations on organizational development and change management, financial, grant, and project management, and business development, marketing, and quality assurance. PHE-EC also conducted a strategic plan review for its consortium partner, the Organization for Social Development, and supported them with developing a revised 2024-2026 strategic plan. 

PHE-EC’s strengthened capacity to conduct baseline organizational capacity assessments, identify its members’ needs and challenges, provide organizational development services, and its focus on its own organizational and financial sustainability is enabling it to foster a strong network of organizations, tailor its support to maximize impact and effectiveness, and reposition itself as a leader in providing organizational development services to local civil society organizations.