NGDO strategic responses

Some strategic NGDO responses to the changing international and domestic context include: engaging in the more mainstream state-led governance, and market-led economic activities; scaling-up through continuous networking and careful alliance/coalition-building; opening up of new arenas and themes for, and enlargement of the scope of, advocacy; enhancing bureaucratic literacy as well as research and alliance building capacity; rethinking social organizing strategies in the light of new spatial arrangements and target groups; and professionalizing NGDO practice.

Some alternative market-based resource generation strategies include: promoting corporate philanthropy and responsibility; undertaking cooperative banking in local communities; enhancing development entrepreneurship through various earned-income strategies such as commercial enterprises and market investments; and internal and external alternative trading and marketing. Among the non-market based alternatives, on the other hand, are namely: sourcing and managing public or government funds, both local and national, and the setting-up and management of endowments.

The professionalization of NGDO practice has become imperative because of external demands and internal pressures for more accountability and better performance. Professionalization could be achieved without eroding the NGDO core spirit.