On question 2… One of the lessons of this crisis is that people are prepared to work together like never before. This crisis has shown us that we need to work together, be open, share information, work across borders, work across sectors and break down barriers. Being open has never been so important. Coming together (virtually) to have a common understanding of the challenge is vitally important. What do we need to address in a given country or region? It has also shown us that we exist in systems. Currently our health system is being challenged. Our food system is also challenged and strengthening those systems and working in partnership to do so is vitally important.
We also operate in systems of many players from NGOs to the private sectors to Governments and all players need to work together. Creating connections and convening conversations is a practical example of where we can work together to build stronger partnerships and connections.
A2. Companies and NGOs need to maintain a shared focus on the beneficiaries that they support. For Mastercard and our grantees, we are redoubling our efforts to helping the most vulnerable individuals, small businesses and communities build financial security.
We also need to listen to each other. NGOs should not be afraid to let us know what they need from us . . . grant modifications, timeline extensions, flexibility on reporting, reallocation of funds, and we need to be open to accommodating them.
Utilise/support adaptive management – At Mercy Corps, Adaptive Management is at the heart of our programme delivery. Defined as “an intentional approach to making decisions and adjustments in response to new information and changes in context” – adaptive management helps Mercy Corps to be more effective in complex, unpredictable environments and enables us to swiftly adapt our existing programmes and identify emerging needs to support vulnerable communities through this crisis. Considering adaptive management within our own partnerships will be key to ensuring we adjust our goals and approaches for success as needed.
Draw on each other’s experience – We partner because we have shared goals and each bring something to the table to achieve them. We need to capitalise on the unique experience we each bring, for example, Mercy Corps is already drawing on our experience of helping small businesses and communities survive and recover from the economic impact of crisis, such as the devastating outbreaks of Ebola in Liberia and DRC.
In response to Question 2: I think the starting point is to recognise that the new context is bound to change many of the delivery parameters in a partnership programme. It’s unlikely that the changed context will permit the same planned activities to be delivered over the same timeframe with the same funding. The response needs to be based on working closely with partners to decide what needs to change to make progress in the new situation.
On the point about reaching smaller charities, CAF’s hub which I mention above sets out some of the areas we’re seeing most acute need. That includes supporting frontline responders, but also overlooked issues which the lockdown is exacerbating e.g. domestic violence, learning at home, social isolation.
Absolutely, corporate partners have an abundance of skill sets that maybe never get tapped in NGO partnerships. The majority of staff are now home working with potentially more time on their hands where those skills can add much needed support to NGOs struggling with now key areas of operation that they have never faced. Funding is crucial but so is expertise and an outside view of how organisations can adapt, move forward and survive
To reply to question 2, to manage immediate impacts, it is important to consider the following:
Adapt activities – recognise that NGOs may experience difficulties achieving some of the outputs or outcomes agreed as part of the grant before CV-19,
Maintain grant payments at originally-agreed levels during this period, or have a conversation to explore what might be mutually workable
Discuss dates – for example where we might struggle to meet a reporting deadline - have a conversation and agree a more realistic time for NGOs to submit when possible
Provide financial flexibility – It’s helpful if a company can provide flex and knowledge that funding might be needed to help cover sickness, purchase equipment, or deliver services differently, and where possible provide flexibility in moving money between budget headings to ensure our work can continue. Allow continued payment of staff salaries to ensure continuity when activities begin again
Allow for the repurposing of suitable funding to immediately prepare for the response to COVID-19, so that our project teams on the ground are equipped to respond immediately as the situation quickly evolves.
One good principle to achieve this could be to initiate early and open dialogue with partners. Find out the details of any threats to the NGO’s operations or challenges to the continuity of delivery of partnership activities. Share your company’s internal difficulties that may have consequences for the partnership. Build trust that decisions will be taken together, as partners.
Honesty on both sides is key here, we need to move from fear of losing funding and important income streams to what needs to be done in the key markets we serve
Hi Everyone. I am a Social Entrepreneur founder and Director of a local NGO MOOF -Africa ( www.moofafrica.com ) for the last 20 years. Yes our core business is to promote food security and Agribusiness among smallholder farmers in Kenya. This year we had to change our operations to support the government efforts to stop and prevent the spread of COVID-19 which came with no notice! We are promoting hand washing with soap and running water in the community. However we have also become vulnerable to funding. We are wondering if there are any urgent funding channels to support Local NGOs in Kenya towards campaigns against COVID-19. If there are how does one make an application. The local community will need to be involved to help contain and and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thanks
Sinead - absolutely! it is by working together that we will find solutions - and given the strain on healthcare at the moment, how can we partner to shift what we do best, for ex strengthening supply chains, to the benefit of the healthcare sector, by supporting medical supplies and hygiene products supply chains!
i would love to hear from whomever is biggest health business in eg india, middle east, africa- i live in washington dc- the misinformation of any corporation that has sponsored vested interests inside beltway over first 20 years of m3 is not where we would look for virus solutions for the poorest www.economisthealth.comchris.macrae@yahoo.co.ukmasterclass100.com - among tv media i rank japans nhk as most open on what communities need to know before they act
Kate, Sinead, completely agree with the idea of going beyond funds and utilising products and services. Even making use of dormant assets that could be deployed. Do you have any examples of how your using your services to support partners or communities?
There is a really delicate balance to be found between being seen to respond quickly and responding in the most considered and impactful way.
To try and manage this at Standard Chartered we have split the initial USD25 million emergency relief funding up to provide large grants to two global NGOs present in our regions, and then provided the majority of the funding to our regions to allocate to the challenges in each of our markets with their different contexts, usually funding smaller, more local NGOs delivering great impact on the ground in each country.
Hopefully this approach will allow us to be agile, move quickly, have a broad reach and target the most in need within each individual market context.
Completely agree on companies considering what unique assets they have to contribute @SineadDuffy. Philanthropy is the most urgent. But what next… Mastercard is bringing our assets to bear as part of our new $250MM commitment to support small businesses. This includes financial, technology, product and insight assets to support the financial security and vitality of small businesses and their workers AS WELL as philanthropy. https://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/mastercard-commits-250-million-to-support-small-business-financial-security/
@Zahid, a partnership mindset is critical during this time and will help to build greater trust over the longer term, we’ had a great letter of support from donors such as the Ikea Foundation that demonstarted a deep understanding of the challenges and constraints NGOs are experiencing, allowing us to excercise sound judgement to decide the best course of action and offering their help to problem solve with us: