Mutual Capacity Strengthening Guidelines for Transitions to Local Ownership

This resource provides practical guidelines to practitioners at all levels, and was developed as part of the Stopping As Success: Locally Led Transitions in Development (SAS+) activity, implemented by a consortium consisting of CDA Collaborative Learning Projects, Peace Direct, and Search for Common Ground, with support and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It draws from 19 case studies of transitions involving international and local actors, as well as through experiences accompanying and learning alongside 10+ SAS+ partnerships with transitions taking place in nearly 30 contexts. Here we highlight mutual capacity strengthening as a way to encourage shared ownership over transition processes and support equitable, authentic partnership, as well as to assist with planning and implementation of capacity strengthening activities during responsible transitions, such that they enable locally led development.

This resource addresses familiar challenges to capacity strengthening and new challenges drawn from our experience relevant for anyone planning, implementing, or funding a transition process. For simplicity, in many instances this resource directly addresses ‘international’ and ‘local’ audiences. However, those using the guidance may take liberty to tailor advice as appropriate. Finally, this guidance is not sector specific. Guidelines are meant to be organizational and relational, rather than tailored to a specific type of programming.