What are the main challenges, risks, and trade-offs (e.g., mission drift, instability, conflicts of interest) associated with pursuing strategic autonomy and implementing associated business models for NGOs/CSOs in Africa?
The pursuit of strategic autonomy and the implementation of associated business models for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Africa presents several challenges, risks, and trade-offs. Here are some of the key aspects to consider:
CHALLENGES RELATED TO DEPENDENCE ON INTERNATIONAL DONORS #
- African CSOs are often forced to rely on a handful of funding entities, mostly foreign, in the absence of local funding opportunities. This situation creates dependency that exposes CSOs to the risk of losing funding depending on the strategic priorities and political fluctuations of donors.
- International donors impose particularly stringent criteria to ensure proper management of funds and compliance with their country’s political agenda, which can hamper the proper functioning of CSOs. These criteria often include auditing and certification of accounts, proof of legal existence, proper organizational structure, and financial experience in managing large grants, all of which present obstacles for small CSOs.
- CSOs are sometimes forced to adhere to the themes proposed by donors, even if these themes do not fully align with their initial scope of action or the needs of communities on the ground. According to the Epic-Africa 2019 report, only 20% of grants support the core mission of CSOs, forcing them to pursue actions that are unsuitable for local needs but consistent with donor objectives.
- To secure funding, CSOs sometimes accept unrealistic conditions and objectives imposed by donors.
RISKS OF MISSION DRIFT AND LOSS OF LEGITIMACY #
- The phenomenon of prioritizing donor objectives can undermine the legitimacy of CSOs’ work with local populations. A growing CSO may be perceived as an administrator of donors’ wishes rather than as a member of the local community, thus moving away from its original image and mission.
- Implementing actions that are unsuited to the needs of local populations or too specific to meet the objectives of donors can also harm the legitimacy of CSOs.
CHALLENGES RELATED TO ACCESSING ALTERNATIVE FINANCING #
- Despite the desired diversification of funding sources (regional funds, private funding, crowdfunding), small CSOs in Central Africa face significant challenges in accessing them, particularly due to the lack of qualified personnel and weak structures.
- Access to private funding for local CSOs is currently limited.
COMPROMISES AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTNERSHIPS AND CONSORTIA #
- Partnerships established with donors or other NGOs are often unbalanced and can lead to new difficulties for small local CSOs.
- CSOs find themselves forced to juggle the interests of various actors: donors, local government, other CSOs (competing or collaborating), beneficiaries and members.
OPERATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES #
- The lack of highly qualified personnel and the weakness of governance structures and mechanisms constitute structural obstacles to access to financing.
- CSOs sometimes have great difficulty obtaining payment receipts that comply with donor accounting standards, which can create suspicion.
- The rigorous management of funds demanded by donors is often modeled on that of CSOs in Western countries, without taking into account local realities in Central Africa.
In conclusion, the pursuit of strategic autonomy by African NGOs/CSOs involves navigating complex challenges related to financial dependence, risks of mission drift, and the need to develop alternative business models while strengthening their operational capacities and managing potentially unbalanced relationships with various partners. A critical analysis of power dynamics in NGO operations is crucial to proposing new engagement strategies.
