Management and structure

Every organisation needs good management if it is to fulfil its mission, effectively implement its strategy, minimise risks to the organisation, and develop sustainable long-term programmes.

Good management depends on both the personal and professional skills and experience of the managers of the NGO or CBO, and also a proper organisational structure. Technical support in this area should try to ensure that everyone in the organisation knows and understands:

Who is responsible for decision-making and leadership at all levels;
how the activities of the organisation are planned;
how tasks are allocated to staff and volunteers, and how they are given the resources they need to carry out their work;
how implementation is recorded, and progress monitored.
how standard and routine functions of the organisation should be carried out (see Policies and procedures).

Most NGO/CBO support providers (NSPs) will support a range of NGOs and CBOs at different stages of organisational development, and different styles of management and leadership will work better for some organisations than others. Some newly formed organisations may need extensive support with setting up basic systems. Quite a few NGOs and CBOs may need help with developing their existing management systems, especially if they are receiving major grants for the first time, or if they are experiencing rapid growth and scale up of their activities. Some more experienced NGOs may only need in-depth help with tackling particular management issues very specific to their particular circumstances.

Issues to consider

It is important for an NSP not to try to impose one style of management as the perfect model for all its partner NGOs.
There can be a tension between management for immediate results and management for long-term sustainable development and capacity building.
NSPs need to anticipate and address the potentially de-stabilising effect of a large new project or grant on the existing activities and management systems of the rest of the organisation.
Staff and volunteer turnover can be beneficial when it brings ‘fresh blood’ into the organisation but destabilising if it happens too rapidly or on too large a scale. NSPs can help NGOs and CBOs understand why people leave the organisation, anticipate burnout, review how to keep staff or volunteers and plan for appropriate handover of responsibilities.
The appropriate balance between specialist and generalist staff may shift as an organisation grows. NSPs can help NGOs and CBOs plan for this development (for example, by creating systems for developing the skills of generalists).