This tool is designed to provide a framework through which a National Society can analyse the sustainability of its current activities and capacities. The goal is to increase understanding of the balance within a National Society between capacities which are long term in nature, and those which are based on short term funding (whether from partner national societies, foreign or domestic governments, or other funding agencies). This may raise questions for the National Society as to how it develops its own sustainable capacities through the strategic planning cycle, in particular if certain activities and capacities are felt to be too important to the National Society to be dependent on short-term funding. It may for example also highlight relationship management for capacity building as a key component of a strategic plan.
The tool is applicable to the domestic work of all National Societies, as well as to the international work of those National Societies working internationally.
The tool is relevant to the strategic planning process for two reasons:
It is essential that strategic planning is based on an accurate assessment of the organisation’s current capacity as a baseline for defining how this should change through the period of the strategic plan.
The tool prompts discussion of how time-limited funding can be used strategically to build long-term National Society capacity.
