PRO - Strengthening Together Activity (STA)

OVERVIEW

The Strengthening Together Activity (STA) improves the operational performance of USAID/Colombia’s local partners so that they can become more self-reliant and effective in achieving their development aims.  STA encourages USAID/Colombia’s local partners to adopt Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches, and strengthens local partners’ communication, advocacy, and outreach.  STA also enhances the ecosystem of civil society actors in Colombia by increasing the provision of capacity development services to civil society organizations, and by creating and strengthening networks of local partners in Bogotá and Medellín. The activity is implemented by FHI 360 and it runs from September 2021 to August 2024.

GOALS 

IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

STA improves local partners’ organizational performance through a combination of partner-directed technical assistance and institutional grants. STA also builds local partners’ connections with, and understanding of, local systems and factors that influence development outcomes.

IMPLEMENT COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING APPROACHES 

STA encourages local partners to adopt approaches that foster adaptive learning and collaboration, enhanced data use for strategic decision making, and improved knowledge management. It does this through technical assistance, coaching, and peer learning.

STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION, MESSAGING, AND OUTREACH 

STA helps local partners conduct outreach to key stakeholders using Social Behavior Change principles. This enables local partners to better communicate their impact to target audiences and society, and to advocate for social change.

PROVIDE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 

STA improves the provision of capacity development services to civil society organizations in Bogotá and Medellín through Civil Society Strengthening Hubs. These hubs will offer comprehensive and integrated services, including capacity development tools and methodologies, to civil society organizations.

ANTICIPATED RESULTS 

• Co-create and help implement 25 organizational strengthening plans;
• Implement five social and behavioral change communication initiatives;
• Develop 15 learning communities around strategic subjects for organizational strengthening;
• Advocate for the development of a public policy to support civil society organizations' work in the country;
• Assess the capacities of 25 of USAID/Colombia’s local partners using the Integrated Diagnostic Assessment tool;
• Host two "Whole System in the Room" retreats with 100 organizations from Bogotá and Medellín respectively;
• Organize five study trips to promote experience and knowledge exchange in strategic areas for organizational management and sustainability;
• Design and implement of a Civil Society Strengthening Hub to provide capacity development services to civil society organizations in Colombia; and
• Develop a market study about the development needs of Colombian civil society organizations and possible financing models to cover these needs.