Local development organizations play an important role in impacting local communities. With a unique understanding of the local context in which development programs are being implemented and the ability to mobilize on the ground quickly, these groups are effective and adaptable. But they often struggle to expand the scope and scale of their interventions.
Large donors such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.K. Department for International Development have expressed their desire to work closer with local nongovernmental organizations by funding them directly. Organizational and administrative capacity issues, however, often get in the way of that goal.
“It is not an issue of skill. Ninety-five percent of RTI staff are local staff. The skill exists,” Volkan Cakir, regional director of RTI International’s Nairobi office, told Devex. “Unfortunately, donors look for things that many local organizations cannot demonstrate.”