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Final Report for the AIDSCAP
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Table of Contents I. Country Program Description
III. Non-Subproject Highlights II. Subproject Highlights Institutional Development Institutional Development and Sustainability Plans for Dominican NGOs (FCO 56451-1,-2)
Objectives The Agencia Latinoamericana de Expertos en Planificación H. (ALEPH) is a private consulting firm devoted to institutional development and strategic planning. ALEPH was chosen because of its considerable experience working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and the public sector. The principal goal of this project was to strengthen the capacity of local NGOs to respond to the HIV epidemic in the Dominican Republic. The five NGOs chosen were the key HIV prevention organization in the country. These organizations had been receiving technical support and capacity building skills from AIDSCAP since 1992. However, many programmatic and administrative weaknesses still existed. The objective was to develop comprehensive institutional development and sustainability plans for each NGO. The NGOs were Amigos Siempre Amigos (ASA), the Coordinadora de Animación Socio-Cultural (CASCO), the Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN), the Comité de Vigilancia y Control del SIDA (COVICOSIDA) and the Instituto Dominicano de Desarollo Integral (IDDI). Some of the NGOs worked only on HIV/AIDS, others worked more generally in health and development. There were three phases of the plan. First, ALEPH sought to examine the current state of each NGO, looking specifically at the organization's background, current structure, technical and training needs, and management policies. Second, ALEPH would design sustainability plans tailored to each NGO. Third, ALEPH would design evaluation systems with appropriate indicators so that each NGO could monitor its progress. Accomplishments This project succeeded in producing institutional development and sustainability plans for the five key HIV prevention NGOs in the Dominican Republic. The plans were disseminated to the NGOs themselves and to AIDSCAP. Consultants from ALEPH identified the strengths and weaknesses of each organization, as well as future opportunities and potential threats to the organizations. This self-knowledge is central to the development of strong institutions. Strengths common to the NGOs included their staff's commitment to the organizations and the existence of a group of dedicated volunteers. Weaknesses common to the NGOs included financial disorganization, often characterized by late payment of salaries, and poor communication between management and staff. Some of the NGOs did not have mission statements; others lacked specific strategies for achieving the goals of their NGO's mission statement. ALEPH consultants worked with representatives of the various NGOs to develop mission statements where necessary and to identify strategies for achieving these goals. Consultants also worked with the NGOs' management to improve management of human resources. The most important outcome of this project was that all five NGOs have secured funding to continue their HIV/AIDS prevention activities once AIDSCAP funding ends. Lessons Learned Having outside consultants evaluate the implementing agencies and propose institutional development and sustainability plans can be an effective way to build capacity among local NGOs. This process may be most effective when undertaken early in the life of the institutions. |
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