IBIS’ Approach to strengthening Effectiveness IBIS’ Global Partnership Strategy

1. IBIS’ Approach to strengthening EffectivenessIBIS’ Global Partnership Strategy Lars Koch September, 2009

2. New Partnership Strategy WHY? • North/South partnershipsunder pressure. Increasingly questioned what INGOs deliver besides funding • Need to clarify IBIS relation to partners and how partnerships are creating results. • Demand for considering effectiveness and Paris principles in IBIS activities

3. Partnership Strategy – WHAT? • Paris Principles in Partnerships: 1. Partner Assessment and Organisational Development Plan (Ownership, Alignment and Results) • Ownership: Respect and support partners own strategies – finding common ground with IBIS strategies. • Aligning to partners formats, systems and procedures. • Results: Clear what partner can and need and how IBIS contribute 2. Aid Eff Principles (Harmonisation and Mutual accountability) • Harmonise with other donors to the same partner • Mutual accountable to commitments, incl. • Long-term commitments and predictability in funding. • Transparency in strategies, economy and decision making from both partners and IBIS; downward, inward, upward

4. Joint Partner Assessment and Organisational Development Plan • Objective; to strengthen partners to promote Ownership, make Alignment possible and achieve Results • Results for civil society requiere competent, well organized and legitimate organisations. • Joint annual Partner Assessment with all Civil Society partners. • Build on following principles: • Participatory process • Empowering for Partner and IBIS • Gender focused • Learning oriented • Action oriented • Sensitivity in the assessment is crucial. • Flexible and context sensitive tool.

5. Partnership Development Plan • The plan should establish specific thematic and organisational challenges for the partner (and IBIS). • Thematic: Capacity to understand, analyse, and carry out professional activities • Organisational: Internal democracy, administration, planning, strategy, etc. • Clear division of roles, responsibilities and labour between IBIS and partner (results and added value). • IBIS staff will directly provide or facilitate specific elements of capacity building; others will be facilitated through intermediaries (NGO’s), or external consultants or other INGOs. • Establishing different roles for IBIS: • a) IBIS implementing, • b) IBIS very visible in partnership, • c) IBIS provides only focused thematic and/or organisational support, • d) budget support. • Good practices already documented from West Africa.

6. Reporting on Effectiveness principles • From the strategy was shared and up to September 2009 • Participatory Partner Assessment should have been implemented with at least one third (1/3) of the partner organisations in the region/country • Partnership Development Plan is formulated, including both thematic/project related aspects and organisational challenges of the partnership. • The Partnership Development Plan should clearly outline IBIS’ and partner’s roles and responsibilities in the partnership for the coming year, which again will constitute the basis for the annual monitoring of projects and programmes • Harmonisation: Please state number of projects/programmes implemented in coordination with other International NGO’s/donors, and reflecting on advantages and challenges. • Transparency: Please report on new concrete initiatives for improving IBIS’ and Partners’ transparency related to economic resources and project implementation and administration. Please assess briefly advantages and challenges. • Predictability and long term commitmentof partnerships: Please report on the average duration of IBIS’ partnership in the region and reflect on advantages and challenges.