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MonDa DeeLoMents Magazine

InterAction 9th Annual

Photo Contest Winner:

Congolese Refugees Seeking Shelter

By Jenn Waen

FORUM2011

Investing in Common Solutions

Highlights from

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Otobe 2011 Vol. 29 No. 10THIS ISSUE

MonDa DeeLoMents Magazine

3OcTOBEr 2011M

ONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

ExAS

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15 Fum awd W

30 th w oIntegrating the work andthe message of WASH andconservation.

31 o sddNGO accountability andtransparency through standards.

32 i h ngo bd rk?Panel discusses how organizationscan increase their brand value bydiversifying outreach to targetaudiences.

33 UsaiD ForWarDReviewing the initiative at theone-year mark.

34 Wm h Mddle d nh aChallenges and opportunities in

an opening political space.35 u Wm h c rulDvlpm rllyCreating programs that addressroot causes, not just symptoms.

36 dm sh bu?Can the 4th High Level Forum inBusan bring about a new focus onpeople?

37 clm h Fld

What will it take to create aprofession of humanitarian action?

38 tm dadv Dlycvl syKnowledge dissemination,organizational development andlegal mechanisms.

39 nw D cuNations are both shaping andbeing shaped.

8 lyshLdp: Wh ah Ky a?Leaders from the government,think tank and civil societyspheres kick off the Forum witha discussion of changes in thedevelopment landscape.

10 lyFm Fls DvlpmA senior White House advisorand panel of experts discuss oneof the most intractable issues indevelopment.

12 lyWm h em DvsNew private sector strategiesinvest in women and girls asglobal stakeholders.

14 lytuhtm, gd tmStaying honest with donors andthe public.

16 lyshp d ou WkevmMuhammad Yunus speaksabout the unique power of civilsociety and the Forum closeswith a panel discussion of theNGO communitys workingenvironment.

18 Mmceo-ly evOff-the-record sessions allowmember executives to meet withkey government and civil societyfigures.

20 aulMmhp MAttendees elect new boardmembers, review financials andoutlook.

21 sxul expld au bPractical tools for yourorganization.

22 th nw M sl MdExperts offer insights on how

to maximize your influence andimpact.

23 th Fuubm bllThe development challenges of anincreasingly urban world.

24 bd bwim ildData sharing for NGOcollaboration, coordination andtransparency.

25 auly

h pl W svSounds great, but how do wedo it?

26 U.s. exptxBest practices for managementand the individual.

27 nul v. llly-Md HumsuAssessing the risks, preparedness,action and challenges for NGOs.

28 Hw i gF u?A look at the field-levelexperience to date in GlobalHealth Initiative Plus countries.

29 clm adpForum session offers amarketplace of ideas.

40 g--Kd ru Dvlpm

Effectively using a too-oftenmaligned source of support.

41 c-baly tlProving the benefit of disasterrisk reduction programs.

42 HumLdhp: Wh Di tk?The how, whys and what ifs ofeffective humanitarian leadership.

43 hp?

Wh th?Keys to effective partnershipswith local organizations.

44 imp evlu aHow to build knowledge frompractice.

45 Wlk h WlkGender as a key to linkingcommunities to health systems.

46 a D symAn aid workers guide tonavigating the world ofsecuritized aid.

All Forum photography was

courtesy of Graham Marsden,

www.marsdenmedia.com.

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4/48MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS OcTOBEr 20114

Managing Editor/Creative DiChad Brobst

Advertising/Subscription

Zoe Plaugher

Copy Editor

Kathy Ward

Executive Editor

Sue Pleming

News Editor

Tawana Jacobs

ProofreaderMargaret Christoph

Monday Developments Magais published by:

InterAction

1400 16th Street, NW, Suite

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: 202.667.8227

[email protected]

ISSN 1043-8157

Monday Developments Magazinelished 11 times a year by Intethe largest alliance of U.S.-based tional development and humanitargovernmental organizations. Wit

than 195 members operating indeveloping country, InterAction wovercome poverty, exclusion anding by advancing social justice andignity for all.

InterAction welcomes submissinews articles, opinions and anments. Article submission does nantee inclusion in Monday DevelopWe reserve the right to reject sions for any reason. It is at the diof our editorial team as to which are published in individual issues.

All statements in articles are topinion and responsibility of the a

Articles may be reprinted with prmission and attribution. Letters editor are encouraged.

A limited number of subscriptiomade available to InterAction magencies as part of their dues. Insubscriptions cost $40 a year (afor airmail delivery outside thSamples are $5, including pAdditional discounts are availabulk orders. Please allow 4-6 wedelivery. Advertising rates are aon request.

MonDa DeeLoMents Magaz

refletions fom the Pesident

The InterAction Forum has become theplace where the U.S. NGO communityand our partners gather to thinkstrategically about a wide range of issues.Global issues from natural disasters and food price

volatility, to social and technological change andgender equity remain complex and dynamic. Theseforces shape our landscape and continue to trans-form the work of our community. In order for Inter-Action and the broader development communityto create sustainable, long-term solutions that willserve vulnerable populations, we need to harness

the strength of multiple sectors, each with differentperspectives and mandates.

This years Forum, Investing in Common Solu-tions, focused on creating partnerships between alldevelopment and humanitarian actorsincludingNGO, government, philanthropic, corporate andcivil society participantsto develop effective pro-grams, policies and mutually beneficial, sustainablesolutions to alleviate poverty and advance equityaround the world.

Forum 2011 was our largest to date, with over1,000 attendees from 281 organizations. It was adynamic, high-energy gathering. Whether they weremembers or partners, from NGOs, corporations,foundations, government, or international organi-zations, it was exciting to welcome the people who

work with the InterAction community on a dailybasis around the world.As our communitys profile has grown, so has our

access to decision-makers. Plenaries and workshopsincluded such high-level speakers as: MuhammadYunus, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel PeacePrize laureate; Gayle Smith, special assistant to thepresident and senior director, National SecurityCouncil; Valerie Amos, under-secretary-general andemergency relief coordinator of the United Nations;Daniel Yohannes, Millennium Challenge Corpora-tion CEO; and Caroline Anstey, vice president for

external affairs of the WorldBank, to name a few. TheForum also featured anextensive engagement bysenior-level USAID staff,including among others,Donald Steinberg, deputyadministrator; Nancy Lind-borg, assistant adminis-trator in the Bureau for

Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance;Hilda Arellano, counselor; Susan Reichle, assistantto the administrator in the Bureau of Policy Plan-

ning and Learning; Lisa Gomer, general counsel;and Paul Weisenfeld, assistant to the administratorin the Bureau of Food Security.

From focused trainings to broad overviews ofour impact, the Forums 46 separate workshops gaveattendees ways to advance their vital work from themacro to the micro: training on new tools to reacheach other and our constituents; detailed discussionson problems facing our sector and our field offices;capacity-building tools; high-level discussions onbroad policy issues, and more. The Forum trulyshowcased the breadth of our collective work.

It also featured closed-door events for InterAc-tion member CEOs, providing a space for candiddialogue with the U.S. government, foundations, andphilanthropic advisors. The exhibit halls featuredover 50 information booths, giving attendees theopportunity to learn about and purchase from thewide range of exhibiting organizations.

From the opening session Shifting LandscapesWho Are the Key Actors? to the closing session ofShaping and Protecting the Environment to DoOur Work, the Forum was a resource for thoseinterested in saving lives and improving the well-being of the worlds most vulnerable people. I hopethe workshop and plenary overviews in the pagesahead will provide you with food for thought, both

on ways to enhance your own work and on the issuesfacing our community.Next years Forum will be held April 30-May 2 in

the Crystal City Gateway Marriott. We hope you willbe able to join us for what is sure to be another pow-erful gathering. I look forward to seeing you there. MD

Sam WorthingtonPesident and cEO

InteAtion

Investing in Common Solutions

nex yer Forum wlle held aprl 30-My 2 he cryl cygewy Mrro, d erly-rd rero openovemer 30.

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Clements has been helping embassies,corporations and other organizations

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for over 60 years. For a free consultation,

visit clements.com/mondaydevelopmentsor call us today: +1.202.872.0060

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Thank you ...SponsorsInterAction would like to thank thefollowing sponsors for their invest-ment in this years Forum:

Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation

UPS Buddhist zu Chi Foundation CHF International CivicActions Islamic elief USA Millennium Challenge

Corporation

Plan International USA ockefeller Financial

he participation of sponsorsenhances the quality and value ofour Forum and their nancial sup-port enables us to keep attendeeregistration costs reasonable.

ExhibitorsWe wish to extend our gratitudeto all the Forum exhibitors for theircontinuous support to our com-munity. hey are valued partners inour work, providing expertise fromvariety of sectors, cutting-edgeinnovation and a broad variety ofresources for our community.

he Exhibit Hall is a vibrant andvital part of the InterAction Forumwhere the participants and exhibi-tors alike can network and share

information.We thank the artisan vendors for

providing for sale their unique craftsmade by indigenous artisans fromall over the world; and we thankSPO LLC for providing SPO Sat-ellite GPS Messenger and SPOConnect devices as rafe prizes.

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6/48MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS OcTOBEr 20116

jenn Warren is a professional

photographer based in Juba, South

Sudan, specializing in humanitarian

and development projects. Her work

has been published in the Sunday

imes Magazine, olling Stone, IME,BBC News Online and Al-Jazeera.

Clients include Save the Children,

Mdecins sans Frontires, UNHC, UNICEF, PSI,

International Committee for the ed Cross, USAID,

DFID, UNESCO, CAE International, Amnesty Interna-

tional, the National Democratic Institute and SafePoint

rust. Warren teaches photography, and is procient in

Arabic and American Sign Language. Her photography

is ehibited and collected internationally.

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UNHC trucks transport Congolese refugees and theirpossessions to the UNHC efugee Settlement in Makpandu,South Sudan. Mabe Oba, age 11, fled from the village ofNampari in northern Democratic epublic of Congo. After livingin Ganguri with a host family for one month, he hopes to reunite

with family members also making their way to Makpandu.

he Lords esistance Army (LA) increased attacks oncivilians following the beginning of a joint military operation ledby the Ugandan army with support from the Congolese, SouthSudanese, and Central African epublic armies.

Over 20,000 Congolese have fled into South Sudan seekingrefuge from the LA and UNHC has led a number ofhumanitarian organizations in the relief effort.

ForUM 2011 aWarDs

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Uniqueness In Contrast

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First Sight

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Displaced School Children Eager to Learn

4. Mul MvChild Labour in Brick Kilns in Kathmandu

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Each year, InterActions photography contest focuses on the

innovative, effective and inspiring work done in the eld. he

amazing images we receive help us to raise awareness of our

members efforts and to introduce the American public to thelives we help to transform throughout the world.

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ForUM 2011 Lenar

HE 2011 FORUM OPENED WITHforceful addresses from key figures inthe United Nations and USAID. Val-

erie Amos, UN under-secretary-general forhumanitarian affairs and emergency reliefcoordinator, began by observing the criticalstatus of the ongoing famine in Somalia. Weface a genuine catastrophe. 12.4 million peopleurgently need our help and its getting worse.

Amos went on to identify questions posedby the new development landscape. Is the scaleadequate? Can we work better and faster?

How do we work in insecure and hostileenvironments? What is the appropriate roleof government and how do we work whengovernment is absent? How do we work withfragile states and nonstate armed groups? Andperhaps most importantly, how do we ensurethat those in need actually benefit from ourwork? Our community, she stated, must beclear that we are only one part of an increas-ingly complicated picture.

Donald Steinberg, USAID deputy admin-istrator, also highlighted the increasing com-

plexity of the environment in his address: Nogovernment agency, international organiza-tion or private organization has a monopolyon ground truth, good ideas or moral author-ity, he stated.

Steinberg also noted the changing nature ofthe landscapes major actors. Whats a donor?Whats a recipient? he asked, strongly affirm-ing the need to include local voices in devel-opment work. Nothing about them withoutthem.

He went on to identify four critical issuesfor the development community: focusing onresults; broadening our idea of development toinclude more than official development assis-tance; working in fragile states; and anticipat-ing future disasters and crises. He also notedthe importance of development being sensitive

to gender, minority and LGBT issues. Despitea gloomy outlook for the international affairsbudget, Steinberg was optimistic, remarkingthat In a changing global landscape, the gen-erosity and humanitarian spirit of the Ameri-can people is one thing that hasnt changed.

The opening plenary also featured the pre-sentation of the Disability Inclusion Awardto the International Foundation for ElectoralSystems (IFES) and the International RescueCommittee (IRC).

The second part of the plenary offered a

Leaders from the government, think tank and civilsociety spheres kick off the Forum with a discussion

of changes in the development landscape.

By Will Merrow, Speial Assistant to the Pesident, InteAtion

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panel of experts representing a range of sec-tors: Brookings Institute Senior Fellow andGlobal Economy and Development DeputyDirector Homi Kharas; Ashoka CEO BillDrayton; Save the Children President andCEO-elect Carolyn Miles; Habitat for Human-ity International President and CEO JonathanReckford; and Assistant to the Administratorin the Bureau for Food Security at USAIDPaul Weisenfeld.

Kharas was adamant about the develop-ment success seen in the past 10 years andthe positive role of aid. While calling forincreased attention to issues such as securityand justice, he explained that the develop-ment community now has the resources andplatforms to make real progress. We have theability to eradicate poverty in many places,he stated. Drayton argued for the importanceof teamsand teams of teamsas actors inthe new landscape.

Miles suggested that the NGO community

must move forward with a focus on prepared-ness, impact, and including input from benefi-ciaries. Weisenfeld noted significant changesin the thinking of his organization, explainingthat there had been a concerted effort at theagency to turn the ship around, focusingmore on country ownership and results.

One theme every panelist highlighted wasthe increasing importance of partnerships inthe new landscape. Reckford provided theexample of a Brazilian community of subsis-tence farmers that benefitted from working

with a broad coalition of outside organiza-tions: Habitat for Humanity provided housingimprovements; the Methodist Church helpedbring in fresh drinking water; the state govern-ment invested in the communitys first healthclinic; and the national bank, World Visionand McKinsey & Company helped develop asupply chain for local business.

In light of the rising importance of partner-ships, Kharas stated that the current aid land-scape would be better labeled an ecosystemin which everybody helps everybody else. MD

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HERE IS, PERHAPS, NO CHALLENGE IN DEVELOPMENTas difficult or complex as moving a state from failed or failingto a path toward prosperity. As USAID Deputy Administrator

Donald Steinberg noted earlier in the Forum, not a single fragile statehas yet reached a single Millennium Development Goal.

Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of the NationalSecurity Council Gayle Smith opened the discussion by identifyingthe key issues government and civil society actors must consider whenworking in such an environment.

Citing Haiti, she argued for intervention at the very beginning oftransitions, including transitions from conflict, crisis and authoritar-ian rule. She also noted progress takes time and must be consolidatedin the middle of a transition, even though international attentionmoves quickly from one crisis to the next. Smith also called for thedevelopment community to think and act regionally in its responses,for example, by forming regional economic communities.

Targeting her remarks directly at the NGO community, the WhiteHouse advisor called on members to give more rigor to the disciplineof development by aggregating and sharing data and lessons learnedin post-conflict settings.

This is an appeal to all of you: you have enormous knowledge andexpertise in this area If we can bring the rigor to the table that youcollectively and your partners on the ground have, we can facilitate

that great leap.Lastly, she identified the need for sustainable solutions that buildresilience to vulnerability. One bright spot in the tragedy of the faminein the Horn of Africa, she noted, is the fact that an estimated 8 mil-lion would have been threatened by famine were it not for programscarried out over the last decade.

Smiths remarks were complemented by a panel discussion featur-ing Nancy Lindborg, assistant administrator of USAIDs Bureau ofDemocracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance; Sarah Cliffe,director of strategy and operations for East Asia and the Pacific at theWorld Bank; and George Rupp, president and CEO of the InternationalRescue Committee.

A senior White House advisor andpanel of experts discuss one of themost intractable issues in development.

By Will Merrow, Speial Assistant to the Pesident,InteAtion

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260 member organizationsworldwide know

the value of a networkthe power of knowledge

InsideNGO provides international relief and

development organizations with one stop for

keeping current on international operations issues.

For information on training, advocacy, professionaldevelopment, and membership go to:

www.InsideNGO.org

or email [email protected]

Lindborg led off by reiterating the importance of consolidatingprogress after a crisis, involving the state and local citizenry, and build-ing institutions.

Cliffe agreed that building confidence between national institutionsand the citizenry is crucial and identified security, justice and employ-ment as the three most critical areas according to World Bank research.

How could we in civil society better work to build confidencein national institutions? she asked the audience. How do you [theNGO community] deliver on partnerships with national institutions?

Rupp followed by observing the large gap between state failure anddevelopment, and arguing a parallel gap exists in the internationalcommunitys response mechanisms. The international aid architectureis structured so as to pay respects to this divide or chasm. Rupp alsoemphasized the importance of reestablishing markets, noting that itis a long-term process.

You cant have people pulling the plant up every month or year to

see how the roots are doing. Otherwise were doomed to make it seemlike a failed state is still failing.Citing World Bank research, Cliffe said transitions take between 15

and 30 years on average. The problem is that countries are fashion-able and one to three years is not long enough. On the timing issue,Lindborg stressed the importance of preparednesshaving plans laidyears ahead of time so funds are ready when a crisis occurs.

The panel also noted the difficult issue of how to reintegrate humanrights violators. We need to have an emphasis on moving forward,Rupp argued. We need a higher tolerance for working with unsavorypeople were going to have to work with the capacities that are there.

Bringing the worlds failed states back from the brink is one of the

greatest challenges of our timean achievement that would consti-tute a giant leap for mankind. Overall, panelists harbored a cautious,tempered optimism.

When you have that kind of chaos, Lindborg declared, you alsohave the possibility of positive change. MD

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USE MEASUREMENT AND ANALYTics. Align with your mission. Engagemen and boys. These top-line messages

on advancing gender equality and benefittingthe bottom line were offered by the panelistsat the annual Commission on the Advance-

ment of Women (CAW) breakfast plenary.Cosponsored this year with the Chamber ofCommerces Business Civic Leadership Cen-ter (BCLC), the plenaryMovers and Shak-ers: Advancing Women, Advancing Rights,Advancing Business focused on why and howthe private sector and development banks areincreasing investments in gender equality andwomens empowerment that enhance NGOsown strategies to advance equal opportunitiesoverseas. There was a particular emphasis onthe need for the private sector to forge innova-

tive partnerships with the nonprofit commu-nity to achieve these results. Taryn Bird, man-ager of global corporate citizenship at BCLC,set the stage for the lively discussion with abrief overview of BCLCs work in advancingwomens rights. The center and its private sec-

tor partners have been making social civicinvestments in female empowerment globallyin support of achieving the Millennium Devel-opment Goals. She spoke of BCLCs desireto build collective action around women-centric programs in response to the privatesectors growing movement toward a shared

value sentiment. She stressed that invest-ing in women is not just the right thing forbusinesses to do, but the smart thing as well.

Susan Hayes, president and CEO of ReSurgeInternational, moderated the panel and

opened the discussion by asking the panel-ists why investing in women is so importantto the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Sally DAmato, a principal at Deloitte Con-sulting LLP, said that from a business perspec-tive, existing data show a clear picture of the

vital role women play within organizations andin the client base. In 1993, Deloitte examinedthe representation of women in leadershiproles in their company and found that womenaccounted for only 7 percent of senior man-agement. In response, Deloitte instituted its

Retention and Advancement of Women Pro-gram, aimed at developing strategies for theadvancement of women in leadership roles.This led to an overall structural evolution tofoster a more engaged approach to diversityin the workplace: women now account for 23percent of Deloittes senior leadership globally.As DAmato noted, Investing in women goesbeyond a moral imperative; it justworks.

In a similar vein, Andrew Morrison, chiefof the Gender & Diversity Unit at the Inter-American Development Bank, explained

New private sector strategies invest in women and

girls as global stakeholders.

By Emily Valk, Administative Assistant, Stategi Impat Team, InteAtion

Wm h em

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that economics as a discipline has becomeincreasingly convinced that limiting the role ofwomen and other marginalized groups stifles

development. Women are at the core of eco-nomic development, Morrison asserted, not-ing that, Gender equality promotes reducedpoverty by empowering women as economicagents and the evidence there is very strong.The impressive results of womens empow-erment include improvements in childrenshealth and education and better handling ofmoney. Infant mortality rates decline 20 per-cent when women instead of men handle afamilys money. He also noted cash transferprograms almost always put resources intothe hands of women. Lack of accountability,resources and will currently hold us back in

terms of business and organizational struc-tures that promote gender equality.

We need to engage men and boys if weare ever going to truly reach gender equalityand womens empowerment, emphasized IlzeMelngailis, vice president of partnerships andimpact initiatives at GBCHealth. GBCHealthsmoMENtum program aims to do just that.

And its business community partners see it asmaking good business sense. The purchasingpower of women is growing tremendouslyand women already control about 20 trillionconsumer spending dollars globally. That is

why GBCHealth concentrates on a holisticframework combining health, education, eco-nomic empowerment, reducing gender-based

violence, and increasing the involvement ofmen and boys. There are several ways inwhich businesses can make a difference:employee engagement, community invest-ments, core competency, philanthropy and

advocacy are just a few.All three of the speakers emphasized that

these innovative strategies will only be suc-cessful if we forge innovative partnerships,especially between the private and nonprofitsectors, and noted monitoring and evaluationas an area with great partnership potential. MD

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HE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGETenvironment in recent history provideda sobering backdrop for this plenary, but

Josh Rogin, staff writer for Foreign Policy mag-

azine,started with an encouraging reminderafter being presented with the Award for Excel-lence in International Reporting.

Rogin pointed out that in light of the recentstress on the U.S. foreign assistance budget,many advocates have focused on making thenational security argument: Aid is an invest-

ment in national security and is in the strategicself interest of the United States.

This may be true, but it completely ignoresthe moral case for aid. The NGO community

must emphasize the compassionate argument,Rogin stated firmly. You guys have the moralhigh ground, he declared, reminding every-one that presenting aid as a national securitytool could change how the U.S. governmentuses aid and risks corrupting the process.

He called on the NGO community to redou-

ble its efforts and find new champions for the

issue. He also called out the Obama admin-istration for being too eager to sacrifice pro-grams lacking large domestic constituencies.

The plenary then shifted to transparencyand information-sharing in civil societyorganizationsa critical topic in a tighterbudget environmentwith a panel featuringCaroline Anstey, vice president for externalaffairs at the World Bank; Tony Pipa, deputyassistant to the administrator in the Bureaufor Policy, Planning and Learning at USAID;Jean-Louis Sarbib, CEO of DevelopmentGateway; and Bradford Smith, president ofthe Foundation Center.

Anstey started the discussion by stressingthe critical importance of these topics. Thefuture of development is transparency. Findingmistakes is part of doing development better.

Pipa followed with a description of USAIDstransparency initiatives, including the publica-tion of data online through data.gov and theForeign Assistance Dashboard and the sharingof information with governments and citizensof the agencys partner countries. Smith high-lighted the importance of there being demandfor information, positing that foundationsmay not be that interested in transparency.

Sarbib offered five specific issues he sees asmost critical: making information compatible;keeping information current and complete;finding an incentive to make transparencysustainable; involving beneficiaries to con-firm if projects have actually materialized;and providing information on project budgetsand outcomes to foster greater accountability.

Sarbib also highlighted the power of map-ping, conjuring the image of 8-year old boysplaying soccer to illustrate the importance ofdeploying resources strategically.

Staying honest with donors and the public.


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Panelists emphasized that the scope of

transparency and information-sharing mustinclude qualitative and quantitative data. Weare what we measure we focus on what wemeasure, Anstey stated, expressing fear thatunmeasurable goals may not be accomplished.Sarbib provided an example from Africa. Foryears we built roads, but did not build theministry of roads. The more we focus onquantitative goals, the more we are at risk ofnarrowing the complex field of developmentinto things we can show to Congressman Xor Senator Y.

Anstey said the World Bank has developedan appreciation for the benefits of being trans-parent and noted partner countries may alsoneed to be persuaded that transparency is intheir interest.

As for the NGO community, panelistsvoiced strong support for transparency, evenif it requires admitting mistakes to donors.If you dont admit them, somebodys goingto find them anyway, Anstey stated. Smithnoted that NGOs are always better off disclos-ing mistakes, and while scandals can hurt asector in the short run, the long-term impactis improved governance and oversight.

Theres an inevitability about this, Anstey

maintained. If people giving you money arentasking for it now, they will in a few years. Shealso projected that indicators would assumeincreased importance over time. The battlein the future is not going to be about whatyou release; its going to be about how youmeasure things.

While Rogin opened with advice on howthe sector could rescue itself from the imme-diate budget crisis, the panel discussionoffered a window into the future landscapesof philanthropy and development. MD

Julia Vadala Taft Outstanding

Leadeship Awad

Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta

Milded robbins Leet Awad

Donald Steinberg

Disability Inlusion Awad

International Foundation forElectoral Systems (IFES)

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Humanitaian Awad

Dr. Thangamuthu Sathiyamoorthy

Milded robbins Leet Awad

Melanne Verveer

Awad fo Exellene in Intenational repoting

Josh Rogin

Seuity Advisoy Goups

Distinguished Ahievement AwadFabian Chimakati Shivachi

Forum 2011 Award Winners

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HE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BANGLADESH IN 1971and today is, in the words of the man partly responsible for thecountrys progress, a kind of miracle. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel

Peace Prize Laureate and recognized father of microcredit, keynotedthe closing plenary with a discussion of the philosophy he applied inBangladesh and a passionate argument for the ability of civil societyto make change throughout the world.

In part as a result of his social businesses, over 80 percent of thecountrys poor have good connections with microcredit and there isa telephone for every three people in the country. Yunuss messagewas that progress occurred because civil society took the initiative.The countrys gradual health improvements have occurred becauseNGOs and other civil society groupsnot governmenttook action.

Allowing individuals to solve their problems is the key to solvingtheir problems, he declared, arguing government is a slow machinethat can obstruct development.

He highlighted the importance of empowering women and youth,citing the impact of this in Bangladesh, and said empowering peoplerequires reimagining what we think individuals value. We have beentrained to think that people want to make money . We ignore thatother part of us which can change the world. How can we unleashthat? How can we open it up?

According to Yunus, one manifestation of this is social business.Regarding the successful businesses he started, he stated, I didnt cre-

ate it to own it; I created it to solve a problem. He gave the example ofpartnering with Dannon to improve nutrition by making yogurt moreavailable to children. What about the other business, the business ofchanging the world? That is not included in our economic theory.

Yunus then joined panelists Doug Rutzen, president and CEO of theInternational Center for Not-for-Profit Law; Ingrid Srinath, secretarygeneral of CIVICUS; Ken Wollack, president of the National Demo-cratic Institute; and Stacy Rhodes, chief of staff of the U.S. Peace Corps.

Rutzen opened by identifying three major trends in the workingenvironment of civil society organizations: the restriction on foreignfunding of civil society groups; the restriction of civic space aroundadvocacy work; and the existential threat to civil societyincluding

the death penalty in some areas of the world. He labeled these changes

a counterrevolution to the positive developments of the Arab Spring.Srinath saw recent global events in the context of a struggle betweenthe individual and the state: The social contract itself is being rene-gotiated. She sees an opportunity presented by the record amount ofdissatisfaction with governments and the fact that the worlds poorare better organized and connected than ever before.

Yunus called for individuals to take a greater role in solving socialproblems, decrying the separation between a government addressingsocial issues and a citizenry that generates wealth, only participatingin problem-solving by voting.

Wollack responded that in the current environment, more resourcesmust be directed at intermediary institutions between governments and

Muhammad Yunus speaks about theunique power of civil society and the

Forum closes with a panel discussionof the NGO communitys workingenvironment.

By Will Merrow, Speial Assistant to the Pesident,InteAtion

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civil society, including politicians and their parties. There will alwaysbe tensions between civil society and government. The question is howdo you manage those tensions? When there is separation, how do you

build these bridges? He suggested the international community isuniquely positioned to bring people together to build these connections.

Srinath highlighted the importance of having an infrastructurewithin the NGO community, calling for greater investment in plat-forms and connections. Rhodes highlighted the Peace Corpss workwith NGOs and civil society groups, calling the partnerships win-

win arrangements.The speakers painted a picture of a watershed moment for relation-

ships between governments, citizens and civil society groups and a

fast-changing, perilous working environment for NGOs.We are in a completely different environment, Yunus observed.

This is a time to review what NGOs should be. He was, however,decidedly hopeful. Human creativity is so enormous, so limitless,that if you put that creativity into action, none of the problems we areserious about can survive. MD

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HROUGHOUT THE 2011 FORUM,member CEOs had the opportunity toattend closed-door events covering a

range of topics critical to the NGO commu-nity, featuring the off-the-record perspectivesof plenary panelists, senior U.S. governmentofficials, InterAction leadership and represen-tatives of major private foundations.

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The first session featured an address by Mil-lennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEODaniel Yohannes, followed by a panel made upof Ashoka CEO Bill Drayton, Save the Chil-dren President and CEO-elect Carolyn Miles,

Brookings Institute Senior Fellow and GlobalEconomy and Development Deputy DirectorHomi Kharas, and InterAction President andCEO Sam Worthington.

One participant declared that the MCCand the U.S. NGO community need to worktogether more so today than at any other timein the past, dubbing NGOs the eyes and earsof U.S. foreign assistance. After questions onMCCs approach to country ownership andworking with disabled and elderly popula-tions, the event switched to a continuation

of the mornings discussion of the shiftinglandscape of development work.

Panelists and member CEOs exploredtrending topics such as country ownership,building local capacity and the role of multi-national corporations. The panel also featuredsome debate on the importance of nationalgovernments in achieving economic andsocial development, and on the importanceof innovation as compared to replication.

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The second CEO workshop provided aspace for dialogue with senior USAID offi-cials, including Deputy Administrator Donald

Steinberg, Counselor Hilda Arellano, Assistantto the Administrator in the Bureau for Policy,Planning, and Learning Susan Reichle, andGeneral Counsel Lisa Gomer.

Panelists and member CEOs discussedUSAIDs recent evolution and the tasks cur-rently before the agency. Its critically impor-tant for those of us who care about this tostand together, one participant said, acknowl-edging the deteriorating budget environmentfor foreign assistance funding.

Participants argued that USAID must take

into account the increased importance of part-nerships (with local governments, NGOs onthe ground and international organizations),

the fact that 70 percent of USAID resourcescurrently go toward failing or fragile states andconflict environments, and the importance ofstrengthening systems. One participant calledfor USAID staff to become more develop-ment experts and less assistance experts,while another stated the importance of ensur-ing that recent reforms are made irreversiblein the coming years.

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The Forum also offered a formal opportu-nity for member CEOs to speak with Inter-

Action leadership. President and CEO SamWorthington and Executive Vice PresidentLindsay Coates sat down with CEOs to fieldquestions about InterAction, its relationshipwith its members and the general workingenvironment for NGOs.

Worthington was adamant about the col-lective weight of the NGO community. Wevebecome diplomatic actors on a global stage,he observed. In the discussion, he stressedthe importance of members and InterActionlearning from each other, noting the value ofnetworking to develop relationships amongCEOsparticularly mentoring relationshipsbetween new executives and those with moreexperience. The discussion also touched onthe legitimacy of NGOs working in the GlobalSouth and the need for sensitivity in this regard.

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Fridays first CEO event gave member execu-tives the chance to hear directly from represen-tatives of high-profile foundations, featuringthe voices of Nancy MacPherson, managingdirector for evaluation at the Rockefeller Foun-dation, and Nick Deychakiwsky, program offi-

cer at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.Participants discussed the importance ofworking at the intersection of different fields,

Off-the-record sessions allow member executivesto meet with key government and civil society figures.


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ForUM 2011 ceo WorKsHos

Attendees elect new board members, reviewfinancials and outlook.


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despite the fact that many funders and NGOsare still siloed in their approach to issues. Theissue of building connections was also raised

by one participant who noted that civil societyis a system, and any system requires infrastruc-ture. Panelists discussed how foundations canbest structure themselves to encourage theseintegrative approaches to grant-making.

hlhp vAudrey Bracey Deegan, managing director

of the OMG Center for Collaborative Learn-ing; Erik Kessler, principal and managingdirector of Arabella Philanthropic Investors;and Doug Balfour, CEO of Geneva Global,discussed the thinking behind their firmsstrategies for investing to advance clientsphilanthropic interests.

In an animated dialogue, member CEOsand panelists agreed on the importance of(and the need to improve) reporting onthe impact of the NGO communitys workworldwide. The importance of involv-ing and connecting with donors beyond awritten proposal and report should not beunderestimated, a panelist assured. Yourorganizations are very creative, so be creative,recommended another.

When NGOs communications (e.g.,appeals, proposals or reports) reach donors,

they are likely to be benchmarked againstcorporate proposals, the panel pointed out.A high percentage of panelists donors havestrong professional or family ties to U.S. busi-nesses; it is therefore fundamental, one par-ticipant declared, that InterAction membersretain their voice and message but also under-stand how to best communicate in that world.

Finally, the panel suggested that civil soci-ety groups should not forget to listeneffec-tively engaging a donor entails listening care-fully to their ideas as well. MD

HE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETing provided an opportunity for membersto approve new additions to InterActions

board of directors and receive an update from

board leadership on InterActions health andstrategic vision. It also provided a forum formember CEOs to directly question the board.

InterAction President and CEO SamWorthington began by identifying InterAc-tion not as a 52-person organization, but as aconversation among 50,000 people with vary-ing agendas. One central challenge for the com-munity, he argued, is having a voice at the table:NGOs do not yet have the gravitas they shouldhave given their collective weight. He also notedthe difficulty of the current budget environ-ment for civil society groups and the rise incollaboration and dialogue among InterActionmembers around key issues. He then openedthe floor to questions from member CEOs.

Nominations Committee Chair AnneGoddard, president and CEO of ChildFundInternational, then reviewed the role of Inter-Actions board of directors and presentedsix member CEOs whom the NominationsCommittee had selected from a pool of 15applicants to serve on the board. The com-mittees goal, she informed members, was toselect candidates who collectively would bringdiversity to the board, including diversity asindividuals and in terms of the organizations

they represent. The nominees were: Pape Gaye, president and CEO of Intra-Health;

Cindy Hallberlin, president and CEO ofGood360;

Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of Mercy Corps; John Nunes, president and CEO of

Lutheran World Relief; Tessie San Martin, president and CEO of

Plan USA; and Adam Weinberg, president and CEO of

World Learning.

The nominees present spoke briefly abouttheir goals in applying to serve on the boardand were then voted on by the members. Allwere approved, with the only non-yes votes

being abstentions. The new board memberswill serve three-year terms and be eligible toserve a second term if reelected.

The board of directors also recentlyapproved six new members at its August 9meeting: ACDI/VOCA, the Eagle WingsFoundation, the Enough Project of the Cen-ter for American Progress (Associate Mem-bership), the Global Giving Foundation, theLions Clubs International Foundation, and theNGOLD Center at Northern Illinois Univer-sity (Associate Membership).

Following the election of new board mem-bers, Treasurer Jonathan Quick, president andCEO of Management Sciences for Health, pro-

vided an overview of InterActions positivefinancial health. Members were presented witha copy of InterActions 2011 financial audit.

Worthington then recognized Daniel Pel-legrom, retiring president of Pathfinder Inter-national, for his years of service. He noted thatin past years, Pellegrom has played an extraor-dinarily active role in working for the healthof the NGO community.

Finally, Worthington highlighted theupcoming Member CEO Retreat, to be heldin December. MD

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SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE[SEA] of beneficiaries cannot be anafterthought in terms of security of

both beneficiaries and staff. SEA must beincluded in [an] organizations programs tobetter serve those who need us the most.Fabian Chimakati Shivachi, regional safetyand security manager in the Republic of South

Sudan with FHI 360 (formerly AED) and win-ner of the Security Award at this years Forumcandidly shared this observation, drawing onhis experience as a security officer working inSouth Sudan and as a participant of the SEACommunity-Based Complaints Mechanismsworkshop conducted by InterAction in Nai-robi, Kenya.

Margaret Pollack, director for multilateralcoordination and external relations and senioradvisor, Bureau of Population, Refugees andMigration, State Department (PRM), echoed

Shivachis concerns. She underscored theextreme vulnerability of affected populationstargeted for exploitation and emphasized theneed for NGOs to prioritize the prevention ofsexual exploitation and abuse of beneficiariesfrom the earliest stages of emerging humani-tarian crises. She also urged senior managersto take the lead within their organizations to

institutionalize SEA prevention and response.Participants in the Forum session wereintroduced to a range of tools developed byInterAction and funded by PRM to preventand respond to the sexual exploitation andabuse of beneficiaries by staff. Drawing heav-ily on existing materials, including the BuildingSafer Organizations Guidelines on Receiving andInvestigating Allegations of Abuse and Exploita-tion by Humanitarian Workers, the curriculafor three workshops were developed over thecourse of InterAction project. These workshop

curriculaone on investigations, one on com-munity-based complaints mechanisms and oneon the management of investigationswere

piloted over the previous nine months.The three-day investigations workshop is

highly interactive, incorporating case studiesand role playing to illustrate the principles andmethods for investigating SEA allegations.The two-day community-based complaintsmechanisms (CBCM) workshop teaches par-ticipants how to develop an effective CBCMthat can be adapted for agency implementa-tion. The CBCM workshop builds on exist-ing guidance to walk participants throughorganizational procedures that encouragebeneficiaries to come forward with SEAcomplaints and how to engage communi-

ties to design complaints mechanisms. Themanagement of investigations workshop is aday-long workshop, geared toward senior staffwho have primary responsibility for oversee-ing SEA investigations. The curricula for allthree workshops was scheduled for posting onInterActions website (www.interaction.org/sea) by the end of September. These practicalworkshops are geared towards InterActionmembers to provide training opportunitiesfor NGO staff to build organizational capaci-ties to respond appropriately to allegationsand prevent sexual exploitation and abuse ofbeneficiaries by an organizations own staff.

Beyond building staff capacity to investigateand implement preventive measures, seniorNGO managers need to lead the organization-wide change necessary to prevent this type ofabuse, which one Forum participant character-ized as the most egregious violation of human-itarian principles. To support such efforts andto help reach more aid workers with this mes-sage, two e-learning modules have also beendeveloped. The aim of these e-learning mod-ules is to help inform aid workers about theoccurrence of sexual exploitation and abuseof beneficiaries and their roles to prevent and

respond to it. The SEA 101 e-learning modulewas launched during the Forum session. Thesecond e-learning is geared towards informingsenior managers of the key responsibilities formanaging an SEA investigation and where tofind additional resource materials. Both werescheduled for posting on InterActions websiteat the end of September. MD

For more information about the tools avail-able, please contact the author [email protected] .

Practical prevention tools for your organization.

By Margot Bokanga, Pojet coodinato, InteAtion

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OVER THE LAST DECADE, THE LANDSCAPE THATNGOs use to communicate with their constituents has shifteddramatically. Instead of organizations and the media being

gatekeepers and deciding what the public hears, today everyone is atthe microphone thanks to social media. But how do you measure yourimpact? Heather Holdridge, Fenton Communications vice presidentfor digital in their D.C. office, and Victoria Marzilli, new media spe-cialist for Oxfam America, examined this issue in an engaging panel.

Holdridge emphasized the need to know your goals and your audi-ence. Once you know those, measuring your impact is much easier.Since social media is so different from traditional media, she suggeststhat you measure it by what your constituents see (your number offollowers), what they say (how many times they echo your message),what they feel (if they personalize your message), and what they do(if they take action on your message). She emphasized that withoutgood content, social media is infinitely harder.

Holdridge then presented a case study of a campaign last year tiedinto InterAction member American Jewish World Services (AJWS)annual anti-hunger campaign. AJWS branched out from traditionaldiscussions of hunger into discussions of food security and food aid,writing a blog called Five Questions Monsanto Needs to Answer aboutits Seed Donation to Haiti about its May 2010 donation to Haitianfarmers. AJWS cross-posted the piece to several different blogs, mar-keting it through social media. Monsanto even wrote a response blog.

AJWS Twitter followers rose significantly, and retweets and mentionsincreased sixfold, a huge win for AJWS.Marzilli also presented a case study: an Oxfam America social

media campaign around the 2010 UN Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDG) Summit called The World I Want, to introduce theMDGs to a broader public in plain language instead of jargon familiaronly to aid workers. To engage their followers, Oxfam America wrotea blog post with several other countries Oxfam branches, and theyused the Twitter hashtag #worldIwant to allow their followers to jointhe conversation. (A hashtag in Twitter is a searchable word with thecharacter # in front of it so you can see comments on a topic even fromusers you do not actively follow.) Oxfam highlighted one suggestion

for each of the eight MDGs on large cards outside the UN summit onthe MDGs in September 2010.

Marzilli then explained the metrics they used to measure theirimpactnumber of uses of their Twitter hashtag, number of newfollowers, number of influential people who participated (includingthe secretary of education in Rio de Janiero, Brazil), and the overallsentiment participants expressedand why. She emphasized that socialmedia campaigns are about your followers, not your organization. Thesession then opened up into a Q&A for audience members.

Since social media involves presenting yourself to the public andallowing them to respond, sometimes you get very public, negativecomments. One audience member asked for ideas on countering thisand measuring the impact of the response. Marzilli suggested that thiscreates opportunities to correct misconceptions in that same publicforum, or to allow your followers to support you by doing the same.

Another audience member asked for suggestions on getting blogsto cross-post your organizations pieces, as in the AJWS campaign.Holdridge explained that, when possible, it is best to start building the

relationship with other blogs when you do not need anything fromthem, so that when you do, the structure of the relationship and thereciprocity are already built.

In response to a question about who should be doing social media,Holdridge pointed out that more people are likely to see your organiza-tions website and social media output than its press releases, so youshould treat your organizations online program with the same careand professionalism as you do press releases.

In closing, since the panel focused mainly on Facebook and Twitter,Holdridge and Marzilli suggested other social media forums that theyhave found to be useful: LinkedIn, YouTube, StumbleUpon, act.ly andTumblr. MD

Experts offer insights on how tomaximize your influence and impact.

ByMargaret Christoph

, Senio communiationsAssoiate, InteAtion

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HE INTERNATIONAL HOUSING COALITION IHC ANDHabitat for Humanity International (HFHI) sponsored the panelAddressing the Future Bottom Billion, which looked at the chal-

lenges and opportunities of working in an increasingly urban world.As more people in the developing world move to cities, uniquely urbanproblems grow, including, but not limited to, the growth of slums andinformal settlements.

This panel discussed strategies for addressing urban issues and howcross-sectoral programming can help to address these complex issues.In addition, two panelists presented case studies on their organizationswork in urban settings.

The panel was moderated by Bob Dubinsky, chair of the board ofdirectors at IHC. Panelist Jessica Rosen, team leader for urban programsand engineering services at USAID, reviewed USAIDs upcoming urbanstrategy. Mario Flores, director of disaster response field operations at

HFHI, then discussed HFHIs experiences in rebuilding a neighbor-hood in Port-au-Prince following last years earthquake and the uniquechallenges of post-disaster work in cities. Kirti Devi, senior projectdevelopment specialist at TCG International, wrapped up the panelpresentations with remarks on TCGIs work in Bhubaneswar, India.

Participants made several key points. The panelists stressed thaturban challenges are unique and require immediate attention as urban-ization in the developing world continues to rise. In fact, 90 percentof all growth in urban areas is happening in the developing world.

The panelists also emphasized the importance of cross-sectoral pro-gramming. While many development projects are funded for a specificsector, the nature of urban challenges, including informal settlementsand population density, demands integrated programming. Interven-tions also benefit from community participation and leadership.

Since most urban growth will be in small- and medium-sized cities,urban policy should be broadly defined to include these cities, and theurban challenges they face must be addressed. Audience membersnoted the linkage between urban and rural social problems as youngerpeople move between cities and rural areas or send money from citiesto rural areas. The impact of urban migration on the elderly populationwas also raised and the panelists agreed that this was an importanttopic that has not been fully considered. MD

The development challenges of anincreasingly urban world.

By Susan Corts Hill, Pesident and cEO, Intenational

Housing coalition

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Brandeis UniversityThe heller Schoolfor Social

Policyand ManageMenT

M.S. in International Health Policy

and Management

Graduate Programs in Sustainable

International Development

Knowledge Advancing Social Justice

http://heller.brandeis.edu

[email protected]

Phone: 781-736-3820

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IF WE THINK OF EACH NGO AS ANisland in a world of data sharing, signifi-cant bridges still need to be built between

them. Though technical advances have nar-rowed many gaps, significant cultural andpractical challenges remain concerning whyand how organizations choose to share data.This Forum session tackled issues about the

value proposition of data sharing, develop-ing technical standards to enable data sharingand the organizational cultures that facilitateand inhibit data exchange. Throughout theworkshop, participants stressed the need for

geographic information to add value and pro-vide a narrative for data.The value proposition is the need for

NGO staff to know that time spent collect-ing, processing, analyzing and sharing datawill produce an outcome worth the effort.Marian Spivey-Estrada, manager of informa-tion and reporting in International Servicesat the American Red Cross, explained thatbecause data standards and definitions varyacross organizations, the benefits of shar-ing (e.g., improved efficiency, coordination,

transparency and donor confidence) are oftenovershadowed by the tremendous resourcesrequired to make the process work. But whenorganizations unite around a shared goalwith associated data and shared definitionsto go with itsharing becomes an output ofan existing process. NGOs also find it easierto invest time in sharing data if they see thatimproved standards lead to added value: forexample, improving their ability to targetbeneficiaries by more easily accessing dataon demographics or service provision. Spivey-Estrada also noted data sharing is based upon

trust built over time and involves changes toprogram management and organizationalstructures and cultures.

Melissa Bator from the Department ofCommunication at the University of Cali-fornia Santa Barbara continued the theme,presenting findings from her survey of pro-gram offices and senior leadership of Inter-Action members. Her research investigatedemployees attitudes and behaviors towardsinter-organizational knowledge sharing,which includes sharing both hard data and less

tangible (tacit) knowledge, such as expertiseand know-how. Interestingly, both senior lead-ers and program officers indicated they are

more likely to share their tacit knowledge thantheir hard data, although respondents fromboth categories did not rate this as a frequentbehavior. These findings prompted discussionof how organizational cultures need to changeto smooth the exchange of knowledge anddata. The session also addressed the role ofcompetition in inter-organizational knowl-edge sharing and the different ways knowl-edge may be transferred, including story-telling about successes and lessons learned.Stephen Davenport, senior director for busi-ness development, innovation and partner-ships at Development Gateway, discussed

technical standardsthe tools that facilitateexchanging hard data. Davenport detailed thedevelopment of the IATI (International AidTransparency Initiative) standard, a processthat is creating an activity-based standard tomanage project information, or ensure that weare all speaking the same language. He alsopresented the geocoding methodology thatwas used by the AidData initiative to geocodethe data for maps.worldbank.org and is nowincorporated in the IATI standard. Davenportnoted that the combination of project pointsoverlaid with data on poverty, education andother indicators begins to tell a story that canbe presented to a wide variety of audiences. Healso cautioned that while standards and map-ping cannot provide a definitive answer, theycan help practitioners ask the right questions.

Andrew Schroeder, director of research andanalysis at Direct Relief International, moder-ated a discussion of the why and how of datasharing and related roadblocks. Participantsdelved into how institutional cultures framedata sharing relationships, with respondentsnoting a general concern over how data willbe used once it is shared, privacy and sensi-tivity concerns related to the level of detail

available, and the need for clear incentives toshare. Discussion also centered on the infor-mation requirements of different audiences,with the idea that lessons learned should beshared alongside success stories. The role ofcompetition between NGOs as a roadblockfor data sharing was also mentioned.

Although practical and cultural challengesfor data sharing remain, participants agreedthe incentives and benefits for knowledgeexchange were numerous and the gaps betweeninformation islands can be bridged. MD

Data sharing for NGO collaboration, coordinationand transparency.

By Emiko Guthe, Mapping Assoiate, InteAtion

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HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A VICTIMof a bad haircut? Did you say anythingto the person who was trying to do

something different with your hair? If youdidnt, what did you do instead? How did you

hold the person accountable for what hap-pened to your hair?

While a bad haircut has little to do withhumanitarian assistance, the sharing of theunfortunate experience kicked off the work-shopAccountability to the People We Serve:Sounds Great, But How Do We Do It?LorettaIshida, technical advisor for emergency M&E(monitoring and evaluation) and learning forCatholic Relief Services (CRS), and CarolynMarks, director of compliance for Save theChildren, guided workshop participantsthrough a discussion about accountability,the different people to whom we are account-

able, and the need to clearly communicate andto provide feedback so that improvementscan be made.

Participants were introduced to the Emer-gency Capacity Building Project (ECB), which

was created to address the capacity gaps con-straining the ability to provide timely, effectiveand high quality preparedness and response toemergencies, including staff capacity, account-ability and impact, and disaster risk reduc-tion. The ECB Project is a formal partnershipbetween six international NGOs (CARE, CRS,Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Save the Children andWorld Vision) working in Bangladesh, Bolivia,the Horn of Africa, Indonesia and Niger.

To address the issue of accountability andimpact, the ECB Project developed the GoodEnough Guide to help field workers develop anunderstanding of what it means to be account-

able to beneficiaries and to help them mea-sure program impact in emergency situations.The focus is inspired by the good enough

approach and is based on five principles ofaccountability: (1) involve people at everystage; (2) profile the people affected by theemergency; (3) identify the changes peoplewant to see; (4) track changes and make feed-back a two-way process; and (5) use feedbackto improve project impact.

Using these principles, organizations canbalance the needs of different groups andbetter ensure positive outcomes of their pro-grams. By involving beneficiaries at everystage, agencies enhance the buy-in for theproject and increase the chances of success.This approach also provides important feed-

back and information that can be used toadjust the project before moving forward.

Profiling the affected population can bedone through needs and vulnerability assess-ments, secondary sources of information,

joint assessments, and assessing the assetsand capacity of the affected community.When an organization identifies changesthe community wants to see, it lessens thechances the community will feel the programis being imposed on them, and also gives thecommunity a stake in the projects success.However, this process of inclusion can cre-ate expectations, and disappointment canarise when those expectations arent met.M&E systems are an important componentof accountability and can provide a way ofgetting people involved in the process. Bothworkshop leaders suggested that feedbackand ways to improve the project should begathered and incorporated from the start ofthe project.

Organizations can achieve the five prin-ciples of accountability through 14 differenttools described in the Good Enough Guide.Agencies can chose to use these tools by them-selves, or they can be combined with any tool

an agency has previously developed.Thesetools and principles can also be applied torecovery and development programs

It is also recognized that while agencies areimproving accountability to the people theyserve, they also need to improve their abilityto measure program impact. MD

To learn more about the Emergency CapacityBuilding project, or to download a copy of theGood Enough Guide, visithttp://www.ecb-project.org.

Sounds great, but how do we do it?

ByAbby Bruell, Pogam Assoiate, Disaste response, InteAtion

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AMERICAN NONPROFITS WITH

employees or contractors stationedoverseas should work with them to

manage their special accounting, tax andhuman resources issues. Expatriate employeesand contractorsthose working overseas formore than one yearcan take advantage ofsignificant tax breaks, including the FederalEarned Income Exclusion (FEIE) of $92,900in 2011 and the Foreign Housing Exclusion(FHE), now $13,006. Increased housing exclu-sions are also available for high-cost areas, andboth exclusions are indexed and therefore can

vary annually.

exp uIn addition to the FEIE and FHE, there are

exclusions for state income tax in some states,but not all. Eligible expatriates must establisha tax home in a foreign country and residethere for the full calendar year, or be physicallypresent overseas for 330 days per year. Thereare limitations on the first-year and last-yearexclusion and housing allowance amounts.

Before starting work overseas, expatriateworkers should submit to their employerIRS Form 673 to exclude income earned ina foreign country from withholding. Human

resources departments need to be diligent inhandling workers W-2 and 1099 forms tocomply with the IRS and minimize organi-zational risk. Employers should run expatriateworkers taxable allowances through payrollduring the year, rather than pay it as a lumpsum at year-end, and must ensure that stateincome tax is withheld for the workers stateof domicile.

The organization can better understandhost country taxation issues for expatriateworkers by conferring with local experts,

other U.S. NGOs and consultants working

in that country. Every effort should be madeto provide workers with tax assistancebutnot tax advice. Nonprofits can make up forexpatriates extra financial burden due to anoverseas living situation by increasing theirsalary, using tax equalization and tax protec-tion schemes (if possible) or reimbursing themfor the tax differential.

Best practices for managing the nonprofitorganizations expatriate issues include: devel-oping a checklist of all documents, forms andwebsites necessary to handle expatriate issues;conducting entrance and exit conferenceswith all expatriate workers; developing andregularly updating an expatriate policies andprocedures manual; providing periodic andearnings and withholding detail; and network-

ing with other organizations in the UnitedStates and overseas.

F x dU.S. citizens and resident aliens are required

to report their worldwide income on a U.S.income tax return regardless of their tax home.Many expatriate workers are subject to hostcountry taxation; to eliminate double taxation,the IRS allows a foreign tax credit for incometax paid on foreign source income. The creditis not allowed on income that is excluded underthe Foreign Earned Income and Housing Exclu-sions nor for income taxes paid to certain coun-tries such as Cuba or Syria. An income tax treatyis not required to be able to take the credit andany unused foreign tax credits can be carried

back one year or carried forward for 10 years.

F bk au rp(Fbar)

FBAR requires a United Sates person whohas a financial interest in or has signatureauthority over foreign financial accounts tofile Form TD F 90-22.1 with the U.S. Treasuryif the aggregate value of the accounts exceeds$10,000 at any time during the calendar year.The FBAR form is due by June 30 each yearand cannot be extended. The FBAR is aninformational return with no tax or fee asso-ciated with it. However, failure to file the formcan lead to stiff penalties, both civil and crim-inaland the IRS is currently emphasizingcompliance. MD

Best practices for management and the individual.

By Kate Fisken, Intenational Tax Speialist, Pinipal, Gelman, rosenbeg &

Feedman cPAs, Troy Turner, Patne, Tax Depatment, Gelman, rosenbeg

& Feedman, and Bernie Fisken, Pesident, Intenational consultants, Fisken

& company

U.s. exptx

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HE CAUSE OF A HUMANITARIAN

situation should directly influence theresponse. This is especially true in com-

plex emergencies due to conflict or politicalturmoil. Why? Because while safety will alwaysremain a relative state when responding tocrises, in hostile settings NGOs must addressadditional issues to effectively deliver aid andkeep their staffs and beneficiaries safe. Duringthis workshop, and drawing from decadesof combined field experience, Adam Koons,director of relief and humanitarian assis-tance, International Relief & Development(IRD), and Bill Canny, director of emergencyoperations, Catholic Relief Services (CRS),addressed a number of these critical questions.

The first revolved around when NGOsshould rush in and when should they holdback. As Koons noted, this can be difficultto determine, yet the decision has seriousconsequences. For example, postponing ahumanitarian response can result in a s ig-nificant rise in the number of lives lost orlivelihoods destroyed, but going in too earlycan jeopardize NGO staff safety. In the caseof IRD, all staff members are made aware ofthe risks involved, but as an organization theydo not respond on the ground until a certain

level of security can be assured. This includesknowing who needs help, who the combatantsare (if present), who can be collaborated with,who can assist in operational coordination,and how the organization will gain access tothe areas where beneficiaries are in need.

He also highlighted the necessity of non-governmental organizations determining whatrisks they are willing to accept on behalf of thebeneficiaries they serve. There are lines thatshould not be crossed to deliver aid. Theselines may or may not be clear, but working

to define them and then adhering to thesedecisions can literally be a matter of life ordeath for aid workers.

Secondly, both presenters discussed thedifficulties of remaining neutral in politi-cally-made humanitarian situations. Unlikea disaster caused by natural hazards such asearthquakes or cyclones, political disastersrequire a great deal more tact on the part ofNGOs. As Koons stated, it is very easy for anorganization that is not careful to simply bethrown out of the country or be constrained

so badly that it becomes impossible to operateeffectively. To work in these environments,certain compromises must be made in orderto stay and deliver; and this can sometimesmean working with those who had a directrole in the creation of the crisis.

Canny elaborated on this delicate balanceby providing examples from CRS and notingthe importance of maintaining a low-profileapproach in sticky political situations such asthey experience working in Libya and Soma-lia. Humanitarian organizations should think

about the end beneficiary. If lowering visibilityis better for them, then that approach shouldbe taken.

As the panel closed and the discussionwound down, Koons, Canny and the sessionsparticipants were in agreement that tech-niques and strategies must adapt dependingon circumstance. Disasters are different.There is no template that fits all circum-stances, no set format to follow. However,there are common questions to ask, prepara-tions that should be made, and issues to con-

sider when conducting a humanitarianoperation which can increase the likelihoodof success. Whether a crisis is caused by manor the result of a natural hazard, it is vital thatthe response be designed to address a specificcrisis and not the other way around. Deliver-ing aid in hostile environments is a compli-cated endeavor and will seldom go exactly toplan, providing humanitarian relief remainscritical. As Koons explained, You go whereyoure needed; you go because that is whatyou do. MD

Assessing the risks,

preparedness, action andchallenges for NGOs.

By Phil Price, Inten, Humanitaian

Poliy and Patie, InteAtion

nul v. llly-MdHum su

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SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE GLOBAL HEALTH INITIAtive (GHI) in 2009, InterActions Integrating Health in Reliefand Development Working Group has closely followed its devel-

opment and roll out. Earlier this year, the working group surveyedmember organizations working in the GHI Plus countries to identifyhow the in-country consultation process has been implemented so farfrom the perspective of NGOs. (The plus countries are ones identifiedto receive additional technical and management support to implementGHI; currently the plus countries are: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guatemala,Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nepal andRwanda.) The survey results pro-

vide insights into NGO perceptionsand experiences regarding engage-ment by operational agencies andcivil society in the roll out of theGHI at the country level to date.

The results of the survey werepresented at the Forum workshopReports from the Field: The Imple-mentation of the Global HealthInitiative, which also included adialogue with Mary Pack, vicepresident, International Medical Corps; Janis Timberlake, country

support team lead, USAID GHI Launch Team; Jed Hoffman, seniordirector for health and HIV programs at World Vision; and AmbroseMisore, project manager for APHIA II at PATH.

Ky d m h uvy In the field, the level of knowledge about GHI varies, but survey

respondents overwhelmingly indicated that they are only some-what knowledgeable (69 percent) about the initiative versus veryknowledgeable (19 percent). Twelve percent of the respondentsindicated no knowledge of the GHI.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents feel that civil society is engagedwith the GHI process in their countries, while 61 percent do not.

While 31 percent were aware of in-country consultations takingplace and six percent responded no, the majority of respondents(63 percent) did not know if consultations had taken place. Whenasked about future consultations, 93 percent of the respondentshad no information about upcoming meetings.

All of the respondents indicated that there are no clear indicationsof change in national health policies since the rollout of GHI.

It is clear from the survey results that the consultation process needsto strengthen the involvement of NGOs and civil society organizations,including at the earliest stages of the process. In addition, it is vital towork closely with local government officials to ensure: (1) nationalpolicy and the approach taken by the GHI carries forward; and (2) abalance between institutional/facility-based services and communityroles in health management.

Although the GHI is still in its initial phases, Timberlake cited severalearly success stories, such as in Nepal where maternal mortality hasbeen reduced through funding innovative programming. However, the

GHI faces a tough battle going forward given the difficult economicclimate and lack of knowledge about GHI in Congress. Concerning thein-country consultation process, she called on the NGO communityto assist with organizing civil society in GHI Pluscountries and withhosting consultation meetings.

As more countries are added to the list of GHI Plus countries andmore country plans are approved, the Global Health Bureau will needto begin to demonstrate results and more efficient business practicesin order to ensure sustainability of the GHI. At the same time, theNGO community should continue to challenge the U.S. governmentto be at the forefront of determining and promoting what works (andhighlighting what does not work) in the health arena. MD

A look at the field-level experience todate in Global Health Initiative Pluscountries.

By Danielle Heiberg, Senio Pogam Assoiate,

InteAtion

Hw ig Fu?

the gHi fe ouh le oforwrd ve hedful eoomlme d lk ofkowlede ougHi core.

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MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRY ECONOMIES DEPENDupon activities and resources that are vulnerable to climate

variability and change. For those of us working in internationaldevelopment, climate change impacts, current and anticipated, arean ongoing challenge as we seek to support the health, food security,

safety and economic growth of the global community. Changes inrainfall patterns and temperatures associated with climate change cancontribute to water shortages; decreased crop productivity; increased

spread of tropical diseases; and greater frequency and intensity ofnatural disasters. Understanding when and how these impacts willoccur and supporting the resilience of the communities we work withis now accepted as a necessary element for successful development.Addressing these impacts, however, is an ongoing endeavor.

Just a few years ago, we were struggling with the new vocabulary ofadaptation, vulnerability and resilience and asking the basic question,what does it actually mean to adapt? USAID and partners beganslowly building experience, capacity and tools to adapt developmentefforts to the impacts of climate change. Today our approaches toadaptation are growing in sophistication. Many interesting approaches,technologies and tools have been developed and are being tested acrossa variety of sectors within our community, from international develop-ment to urban planning to ecosystems protection and management.

We are moving from viewing adaptation as a new development sector,to seeing it as a way to deal with one of many stresses that impeded thebroader goals of economic and social development. And we are learningto better involve host country beneficiaries, to learn from them andensure that we work with them to address the stress of climate change.

USAID, Pact and The Nature Conservancy collaborated with theSociety for International Development to host an intensive work-

Forum session offers a marketplaceof ideas.

By John Furlow, climate change Speialist, USAID,

Kristin Clay, Senio Poliy Adviso fo Foeign

Assistane, The Natue consevany, Shari Bush, Senio

Business Development Manage, Pat, and Jennifer

McKnight, climate Adaptation Poliy Analyst, The Natueconsevany

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continued on page 37

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RADITIONALLY, THE WATER SUPply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)sector and the conservation sector have

not had integrated programming. A panel ofWASH and conservation experts addressedthe barriers to integration and the linkagesbetween the sectors in a session at the Forum.

Ron Clemmer, senior technical advisorfor water supply, sanitation and hygiene withWorld Vision, opened with an overview of therole of WASH and conservation in projectdevelopment.

The WASH sector perspective was pre-sented by Dennis Warner, senior technicaladvisor for water supply, sanitation, and

water resources at Catholic Relief Services.He described WASH as the improvement ofaccess to water supply and sanitation ser-

vices and the promotion of hygiene behaviorchange. He also noted numerous opportunitiesfor integrating the two sectors, such as inte-grated water resources management projects,fundraising and community mobilization.The conservation sector perspective, specifi-cally freshwater conservation, was presentedby Sarah Davidson, international freshwaterpolicy advisor with The Nature Conservancy.

She described common freshwater conserva-tion activities, including the preservation ofwater resources through watershed manage-ment practices and the promotion of healthyecosystems to ensure a sustainable water sup-ply. The value of these activities, as seen bycommunities, is that they promote continuedprotection of the environment. Yet there hasbeen surprisingly little effort by the WASHand conservation sectors to collaborate onmutually dependent programs.

Perceptional, institutional and operationalbarriers on both sides need to be overcome inorder for the two sectors to work more closelytogether. Warner noted the perception that

conservation professionals tend to be moreconcerned with the environment than thepeople living in it. Institutional barriers arealso a problem as many, particularly in thedonor community, often focus on one sec-tor or the other, but rarely both. In addition,Davidson pointed out that the two sectors donot speak the same language since profes-sionals in both sectors have different back-grounds, experiences and attitudes. Both pan-elists identified occasional conflicts betweenWASH and conservation objectives and noted

that a lack of integrated monitoring indicatorsposes additional operational barriers.

However, both panelists emphasized that

conservation participation in WASH projects,and vice versa, will help with the developmentof common objectives to guide the establish-ment of integrated projects. Using the water-shed as a framework for analysis will helpidentify available natural resources and thecommunities that depend on them. This willlead to a better understanding of the impactsof development and further environmentalprotection plans. Compilations of case stud-ies and success stories are needed, as well astraining programs that will allow the sectorsto share experiences leading to important nextsteps and lessons learned.

Heather DAgnes, an environment foreignservice officer with USAID, spoke from thedonor perspective, sharing her extensiveexperience with population, health andenvironmental integration. She stressed thatsustainable water resources, including reliableaccess to clean water, help build a constitu-ency to protect the environment, which inturn leads back to sustainable water resources.She agreed with the aforementioned areas ofmisalignment: different professional skill sets,the lack of common objectives and indicators,siloed funding opportunities and the lack ofevidence documented from joint program-ming efforts.

DAgnes said integration is not the end initself, but a means to achieving the goals ofWASH and conservation. Partnerships areimportant since organizations rarely employexpertise in both areas. Moving forward, shesupports joint program design and imple-mentation. DAgnes also emp

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