[wickreconsulting]
sustainability
Sustainability is on the tip of every nonprofits tongue. We want to create long term solutions, to solve problems at their roots, not just treat their symptoms. But its far too easy to become part of a landscape. Nonprofits may create dependencies in the communities they serve, abdicate governments of their responsibilities, they build and then are surprised when their creations tumble to the ground.
They key to sustainability is ownership by community, civil society, and government. But tapping into social capital is both art and science. It takes insight into tangled webs of power and influence and relationship. Organizations that do this well do it strategically. They consider exit strategies before they enter a community. They distinguish between empowerment and participation. And they are sensitive to and flexible with changing realities on the ground.
Having lived on the side of people in poverty, Ive seen what interventions look like from their perspective, and Ive grown to understand the myriad ways that communities respond to help from outside. I can help you evaluate the sustainability of your work, and develop strategies to improve ownership and consequently to do work that will make a difference in the long run.
[WickReality]
