Capacity Building for Fundraising and Better Service Delivery

PIND's Capacity Building activities is one of our four key enablers towards effective socio-economic engagements. This is inclusive of governance for growth, and peaceful coexistence in the Niger Delta—directly contributing to our long-term objectives and overall goals. It is designed and positioned to strengthen the institutional and technical capacity of the organizations that we work with: business associations, civil society, government, and service providers.

A key area of our capacity-building enabler is bolstering the institutions that support Bayelsa State, Delta State, and Ondo State communities and their respective regional development committees (RDCs) to carry out development projects that improve people's lives.

In 2018, to effectively support the aforementioned Niger Delta communities, we conducted an organizational capacity assessment (OCA) on the regional development committees (RDCs) to identify areas for building or strengthening their capacities. In 2021, to close observed gaps, we trained and built their capacities in three areas: sustainable program management, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and video production and photography. These areas would enhance committee planning, management, execution, and program monitoring skills; promote more representation of women, youth, and persons living with disabilities (PWDs); and support activities related to resource mobilization, advocacy, communication, and stakeholder engagement).

In 2020, to help them expand their funding sources, we had organized a four-day virtual training for 12 organizations on resource mobilization and proposal writing. We followed up with these organizations throughout 2021 to monitor the impact of the training and how well they have fared. Through our support, the Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons (SEYP) secured a grant of NGN 10 million/USD 24,390 to train 150 women and youth to produce and sell local fabric materials in Auchi, Edo State. We also mentored the local civil society organizations (CSOs) on implementing projects using the market systems development (MSD) approach. Thanks to our influence, CSOs in the region cumulatively secured NGN 25.6 million/USD 6,243 in funding in 2021 and delivered better services to their constituents.