Partner Ownership in Capacity Building

The desire or reason for change, it's a fundamental force driving progress and development.

The partner, the one receiving assistance, needs to strongly believe in the need and value of the change for it to be successful.

If the partner's motivation is solely driven by the funder, it becomes a superficial improvement intended only to meet external expectations.

Assessing a partner's genuine commitment and reasons for wanting change. This helps understand the depth of their investment.

The funder's actions can inadvertently influence a partner's motivation, creating a false sense of ownership.

A situation where the partner passively accepts change without genuine commitment, often leading to superficial results.

When an organization or individual resists change, often because of their comfort with the current situation.

Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping the organization's motivation. Leaders must genuinely believe in and champion the change.

The ability of a grant-maker to influence a partner's actions and decisions through the control over resources.

The act of asking open-ended questions to encourage a partner to express their own ideas and motives for change, rather than simply receiving instructions.

A process where a partner evaluates its own strengths and weaknesses, identifies areas for growth, and prioritizes capacity-building needs, ideally with external facilitation.

An approach where an organization consciously chooses to embark on a capacity strengthening process, rather than being pressured by a funder.

The funder proposes capacity strengthening without genuine need or partner buy-in.

The act of agreeing to something without truly understanding or supporting it.

A genuine desire and willingness to change.

A structured process used to determine if a partner is ready to change.

Externalizing blame means blaming outside factors for issues, while internalizing blame means taking personal responsibility.

A compelling reason for change shared by everyone involved.

The visible support and commitment of leadership for change.

The willingness to accept and implement changes.

Meaningful change requires not only learning new skills and knowledge, but also changing behavior, overcoming bad habits, and potentially admitting mistakes.

Leading change is primarily about influencing others, not directly controlling them. You can only truly change your own behavior.

Organizational change requires individual change. People need to adapt and evolve for the organization to transform.

Organizational change can only happen if leaders are personally committed to change. Their own commitment is crucial.

Imposing change on an organization that is not open to it is futile. Change needs genuine buy-in from leadership.

The willingness of the general secretary and the board to change was critical for the success of the Zimbabwean partner organization. Without their buy-in, no progress could be made.

Organizational change is a journey of transformation. It requires a commitment to personal growth and development, and openness to new ideas and practices.

When a partner organization in Zimbabwe refused to change, despite facing serious challenges, a potential opportunity for positive impact was lost.

The level of commitment and willingness to change within an organization. It refers to how much they value and are invested in the change process.

Grantmakers should not force capacity strengthening on partners, as this can undermine ownership and make partners resistant to the process.

Funders need to build trust with their partners, going beyond just the financial relationship. This involves understanding their needs and showing genuine commitment.

Investing time to truly understand the partner's organizational goals and challenges beyond the specific project, fosters trust and deeper engagement.

Capacity strengthening is not about controlling risk to the grant-maker, but about empowering the partner to improve their organization.

Active listening builds trust and allows grantmakers to better understand the partner's needs and motivations for change.

Grantmakers can influence a partner's motivation for change, but it's important to be mindful of their role and not impose their own agenda.