Capacity Development in Practice

The international development community invests billions of dollars to improve organisational capacity. But real-life practice is poorly understood and undervalued as a distinct professional domain. Written by practitioners, this innovative publication is designed to make capacity development more professional and increasingly effective in achieving development goals. Practical illustrations draw on experiences from the civic, government and private sectors. A central theme is to understand capacity as more than something internal to organisations. This book shows how capacity also stems from connections between different types of actor and the levels in society at which they operate. The content is crafted for a broad audience of practitioners in capacity development: consultants, managers, front-line workers, trainers, facilitators, leaders, advisors, programme staff, activists, and funding agencies. Published with SNV

Introduction Part I: Perspectives on Capacity Multiple Dimensions Multiple Actors Multiple Levels Part II: Establishing Your Practice Advisers' Roles Thematic and Change Expertise Ownership, Authority and Conflict Whose Values Count? Organizational Development as a Source 'Reading' Situations Dialogue Part III: Working with Connections Institutions, Power and Politics Public Accountability Micro-Macro Gap Working with Value Chains Engaging with Community Based Organizations Leadership Development Knowledge Networking Part IV: Improving on Results Measuring Capacity Development Time Matters Self-Reflection Accountability and Learning Part V: Looking Ahead Taking Stock Capacity Development Market? What Next?

Jan Ubels is a Senior Strategy Adviser with the SNV Netherlands Development Organization and chair of the editorial committee of Capacity.org. Naa-Aku Acquaye-Baddoo is a Senior Strategy Adviser and until recently, was responsible for professional development and organisational learning at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. Alan Fowler is an independent development adviser based in South Africa and author of numerous publications on development issues.