Resource Type: Tools

Networks, if effective, enable civil society organisations (CSOs) and citizens to build their power, by amplifying their voices and providing greater legitimacy and influence for sustainable development and social change.

The intention of NEF is to help networks to:

• Monitor progress and performance;
• Identify strengths, capacity gaps and set targets;
• Improve planning for greater impact.

In a progressively complex and interdependent world, civil society is increasingly forming networks, movements and other agile structures – either formal, informal or virtual to advocate for change. A key priority of the Foundation is to support civil society networks to develop their capacity to constructively engage with decision-makers to influence relevant policy. The network effectiveness framework (NEF) offers a structure and methodology to assist civil society networks to systematically monitor and improve their effectiveness in key dimensions of their performance. NEF is anchored in the Foundation’s Capacity Development Framework which asserts that capacity diagnostics are an intrinsic part of a change process and should recognise strengths and promote self- learning.

The NEF provides a self-assessment methodology to measure achievements, set targets and identify actions needed for progress. NEF recognises that networks are structured and operate in various ways, some will be stronger than others in certain aspects, but despite their variation, key elements of effectiveness can be used to structure analysis and monitor progress. Two key reference documents: the network’s theory of change and a map of network structure and linkages will be used to assess effectiveness. Continuously revising them will be part of the NEF change process.

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The Participation and Transparency Monitoring Tool (PATT) is an easy to use scale that will provide single numeric indicators to qualify the effectiveness of the Commonwealth Foundation’s participatory governance programme projects.

These are delivered in partnership with regional civil society platforms to enhance collaboration and learning between civil society organisations and institutions in governance.

Download The Participation and Transparency Tool

What is the aim of the toolkit?

Civil Society Accountability: Principles and Practice is a toolkit developed by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute. It explores what accountability means for civil society organisations and provides

suggestions on how to put accountability into practice. The aims of the toolkit are threefold:

1. To identify common principles of accountability for CSOs in Trinidad and Tobago;
2. To highlight how CSOs currently demonstrate good accountability practice and also provide good practice standards;
3. To provide practical steps, tools and frameworks that CSOs can use to realise accountability in their day-to-day activities and interactions with stakeholders.

What is the aim of the toolkit?
Civil Society Accountability: Principles and Practice is a toolkit developed by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute. It explores what accountability means for civil society organisations and provides
suggestions on how to put accountability into practice. The aims of the toolkit are threefold:

1. To identify common principles of accountability for CSOs in Trinidad and Tobago;
2. To highlight how CSOs currently demonstrate good accountability practice and also provide good practice standards;
3. To provide practical steps, tools and frameworks that CSOs can use to realise accountability in their day-to-day activities and interactions with stakeholders.

Who is the toolkit for?

Civil Society Accountability: Principles and Practice – A toolkit for civil society organisations in Sierra Leone was developed by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Campaign for Good Governance, Sierra Leone.

It explores what accountability means for civil society organisations (CSOs) in a post-conflict context. The aims of the toolkit are threefold:

to recognise and lay down the foundation for working with common principles of accountability for CSOs in a post-conflict context; to identify current good accountability practices that exist among CSOs and identify areas where capacity needs building in the sector and further support is required; and finally to provide practical steps, tools and templates that CSOs can use to realise accountability in their day-to-day activities and interactions with stakeholders.

Who is the toolkit for?
 
Civil Society Accountability: Principles and Practice – A toolkit for civil society organisations in Sierra Leone was developed by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Campaign for Good Governance, Sierra Leone.
It explores what accountability means for civil society organisations (CSOs) in a post-conflict context. The aims of the toolkit are threefold:
to recognise and lay down the foundation for working with common principles of accountability for CSOs in a post-conflict context; to identify current good accountability practices that exist among CSOs and identify areas where capacity needs building in the sector and further support is required; and finally to provide practical steps, tools and templates that CSOs can use to realise accountability in their day-to-day activities and interactions with stakeholders.