1. A precarious balance: reaching targets through and in partner- organizations An ICCO policy paper for the institutionalization of capacity development of partner-organizations in financial management Presentation ICCO 25 March 2011 Anna Lentink

2. Content presentation

Objective research / policy paper

Approach

ICCOs policy

ICCOs practice

Policy options and boundary conditions

The way forward

3. Objective Policy paper

Master Product for CIDIN, Nijmegen

Policy paper for ICCO

Research question:

Which approach can ICCO take to institutionalize capacity development of partner organisations in financial management?

4. Methodology

In-depth interviews

Analysing of documents

Participative observation

5. Shift policy 2003/2004

Partnership/ civil society policy

Financial management

Institutional approach

Efficiency & sustainability

6. Consequences procedures and work division

Contract

Job description FO

Trainings, checklists, guidelines

Projects and information sharing

7. Capacitity development in practice

Approaches of financial officers vary

as for:

The degree of attention for capacity development

• controlling vs advising

The way of capacity development

• through regular project monitoring

• through separate trajectories

8. Factors that influence the work of the FO

Cooperation FO en PO

Relationship with partner organisation

Workload

Support structures ICCO

9. Cooperation FO en PO

FOs struggle to get input valued

Confusion tasks FO / work division

Added value of good cooperation for projectmonitoring

10. Relation with partner organisation

Difficult to comply with contract conditions

Causes:

• Workload/ size portfolios

• Hands-off approach

11. Workload

Increased workload, increased number of tasks

Less time per partner to monitor

• • Consequence:monitoring is not for learning

12. Support structures ICCO

Management Information System

Structure and monitoring FOs work

Policy

13. Consequences

Not enough capacity development of partner organisations in financial management

No clear ICCO approach

not structurally worked on this ICCO objective

14. Policy options 15. Boundary conditions

ICCOs identity

Civil society South VS own objectives

Monitoring for learning - monitoring foraccountability

Quality capacity development

• commitment- program cycle approach- flexibility- identity- tailor made

Practical situation ICCO

16. Choice policy option:option 4 17. Recommendations (1)

Compliance with ICCOs policies

• ICCO policy

• Policy unit

• Monitor work FOs

18. Recommendations (2)

Support structure

• Mainstream capacity development in project cycle

• Monitor Regional Managers on targets

• Unambiguous financial project monitoring

19. Recommendations (3)

Performance of the FO

• Clear and realistic job description FO

• • • Benchmark!

• Stimulate cooperation FO and PO

• Capacities function profile FOs

20. Thank you for your attention