International Land Coalition Our Vision Secure and equitable access to and control over land reduces poverty and contribute to identity, dignity and inclusion Our Mission The International Land Coalition is a global alliance of civil society and intergovernmental organizations working together to promote secure and equitable access to and control over land for poor women and men through advocacy, dialogue, and capacity building
Resource Mobilization Strategy of the International Land Coalition
Mobilizing resources for the Strategic Framework 2007-2011 1. The principle of shared benefits and shared responsibilities, including helping to meet the resource needs of the institution, lies at the heart of any sustainable coalition. Although this has been acknowledged by the Coalition Council, ILC resources have until now been provided through a limited number of grants by large donors. This reliance on large grants by few donors makes ILC vulnerable, as changes in donor priorities could have a significant impact on ILC s resource base. 2. In order to reduce its vulnerability and guarantee its autonomy and sustainability, ILC needs to expand and diversify its resource base. This document sets out the objectives, principles and targets for ILC s resource mobilization efforts to improve its sustainability as an institution, placing particular attention on securing the financial resources to implement the 2007-2011 Strategic Framework. 3. While recognizing that the members and partners of ILC are contributing a significant amount of their own resources toward to the implementation of the Strategic Framework, this strategy refers to the mobilization of funds that will be administered and disbursed through the ILC Secretariat. Such funding is intended to strengthen the work of members and partners. 1
Background 4. Over the past decade, ILC s budget (actual disbursements per calendar year) has increased from just under US$500,000 in 2000 to more than US$3.5 million in 2007, and there is a clear trend to diversification of funding sources. Figure 1: Disbursements through the ILC Secretariat (2000-2007) Source: ILC financial statements 2000-2006, as per PricewaterhouseCooper SpA. The 2007 figures reflect available resources and not disbursements. 1 1 WFP (World Food Programme), SDC (Swiss Development Cooperation), BSF (Belgian Survival Fund), DFID (Department for International Development), IDRC (International Development Research Centre), JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), EC (European Commission), IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development). 2
5. IFAD s contribution to ILC s budget decreased from 84% in 2003 to approximately 37% in 2007. While this trend is encouraging, the fluctuating levels of funding from non-ifad sources continue to pose a challenge for ILC sustainability. Institutional cost, in particular, is still largely covered out of the large grants. Diversifying programme funding, though challenging, is less difficult than raising the funds necessary to cover ILC s institutional cost. Figure 2: Donor contributions to ILC s institutional cost (left) and programmes in 2007 (right) ILC institutional costs - 2007 ILC programmes resources - 2007 6 The ILC achieves its objectives through networking, advocacy and policy work facilitated among members, building collective action and supporting the work of partners. ILC s institutional roles and related costs in supporting and facilitating these objectives are different from the roles and costs of a grant-giving organization. The costs would be significant if the costs were only for the administration of the ILC programmes. However, the costs, rather than being administrative, provide operational, governance, staff and communication support that is essential to the functioning of the Coalition and the implementation of its objectives. 3
Guiding principles 7. The following principles will guide resource mobilization efforts during the period 2007-2011 2 : (i) Clarify the distinction and funding needs to sustain the institutional functions of ILC from the programme costs, which can be scaled up or adjusted downwards in response to funding variability; (ii) Aim to establish multi-year partnerships with donors based on a multi-year, results-oriented programme of work; (iii) Use small grant funds and short-term collaboration for pilots, aiming to foster longer-term relationships with donors as above; (iv) Involve members in resource mobilization efforts through: (a) requiring members to contribute in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution; (b) seeking input from members on the content of proposals to reflect the realities and needs of the membership; (c) introducing co-financing; and (d) involving members in identifying and opening contacts with prospective donors, except as it may compromise their own funding; (v) Focus on ILC priority countries and key themes as determined by the ILC membership in the preparation of proposals to ensure coherence; (vi) Follow a participatory approach that seeks to establish a partnership between donor agencies and members of the Coalition to benefit from the knowledge and objectives held in common.; (vii) Use communications as a tool for resource mobilization (seminars, meetings, sharing of documents, newsletters); (viii) Seek full cost recovery of institutional cosst as part of funding arrangements with donors; (ix) Through an expansion of membership, an increasing amount of resources for programmes benefit ILC members, rather than partners. (x) Seek to diversity the funding base, with no single donor carrying the major burden for the budget for the implementation of the Strategic Framework. 2 It should be noted that such elements will be adapted to be in line with the business model decided upon after the 2007 Assembly of Members. Moreover, ILC faces institutional changes in the first two years of the strategic plan period that may have an impact on resource mobilization. The 2009 Assembly of Members will provide an opportunity to consider alternative scenarios that might arise). 4
Goal 8. To mobilize the resources needed to meet the financial requirements for the effective implementation of ILC s Strategic Framework based on a diversified, multi-year and renewable donor programme that matches funding needs to a multi-year programme of work. Objectives and targets 9. In the Plan of Action, ILC has set overarching targets to be achieved by December 2008: not less than 65% of funds disbursed through the Secretariat and not less than 50% of its administrative resources will be provided from non-ifad sources. Tied to these targets, and to achieve the overarching goal of ILC s resource mobilization strategy, there are three complementary resource mobilization (RM) objectives: RM Objective 1: Ensure sufficient financial resources to enable ILC to accomplish its strategic objectives with a minimal level of annual fluctuation in its budget; RM Objective 2: Involve members more actively in resource mobilization; Objective 3: Establish or expand relationships with donors beyond financial support for mutually beneficial partnerships. 10 With its Strategic Framework for 2007-2011, ILC attempts to continue activities in its core areas of work, while addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the Coalition to improve its functioning in a context of increasing ILC visibility and scope. 11. The targets specified for each RM Objective are based on the analysis of ILC s current financial situation, which has been marked by dependency on large contributions from single donors, a limited involvement of members in resource mobilization, as well as an interest in the ILC membership to establish relationships with donors that go beyond funding. The targets set for each objective aim to diversify the sources of financial contributions and to control institutional costs; increase members involvement in resource mobilization, encouraging members contributions, but also reflecting this growing responsibility by channelling more resources to members; and, finally, to improve the flow of information within ILC, to take advantage of funding opportunities, but also, importantly, to stimulate relationships with donors based on knowledge sharing. 5
12. RM Objective 1: Ensure sufficient and diversified financial resources to enable ILC to accomplish its strategic objectives with a minimal level of annual fluctuation in its budget. Targets US$3.5 million per year are raised for the biennium 2007-2008 and US$ 4 million each for the subsequent triebiennium 2009-20110. Institutional costs 3 do not exceed 50% of the ILC secretariat-administered total budget 13. RM Objective 2: Involve members more actively in resource mobilization. Targets Members contribute in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution. Institutional costs do not exceed 50% of the ILC secretariat-administered total budget 14. RM Objective 3: Establish or expand relationships with donors beyond financial support for mutually beneficial partnerships. Targets Outreach to all ILC donors is strengthened through regular reporting (written and through visits) and knowledge sharing. An annual corporate report is produced for ILC membership and further shared with the donor community, especially in priority countries. 3 Institutional costs are composed of: (i) operational cost (housing the Secretariat and ensuring its functioning); (ii) governance costs for ILC governing bodies (Assembly of Members, Coalition Council and recently introduced decentralized structures); (iii) Secretariat staff cost; and (iv) institutional communication costs. 6
Roles and responsibilities 15. The ILC membership will not only be involved more actively in resource mobilization efforts, but also benefit as resources are directed increasingly towards members. 16. The Coalition Council will provide guidance to and monitoring of the ILC Secretariat and regional structures in the implementation of the Strategic Framework, including the resource mobilization efforts made. The Council will also inform the ILC Secretariat of funding opportunities from within and outside the ILC network so that this information can be widely shared among members. 17. The ILC Secretariat will be responsible for implementing this resource mobilization strategy and accomplishing the above-mentioned targets through the identification of potential funding sources, and the preparation and submission of proposals, involving relevant members as much as possible in this process. The Secretariat will undertake research on funding opportunities and will set up a dedicated space on its webpage to inform members and partners of such opportunities within and beyond the ILC network. Furthermore, the ILC Secretariat will maintain relationships with donors through regular reporting, and will expand relationships to promote a mutual learning environment for instance, through involving donor agencies in national-level activities. Finally, the Secretariat will report on progress to the Coalition Council and Assembly of Members. 7
INTERNATIONAL LAND COALITION Via del Serafico 107, 00142, Rome, Italy Tel +39 06 5459 2445 Fax +39 06 5043 463 E-mail: coalition@ifad.org www.landcoalition.org