Our Work

Areas of work
The Center’s work is divided into three main areas:

Convening – The Center runs workshops and conferences for civil society practitioners. As a meeting point for civil society, the Center disseminates information and essential know-how.

Capacity Building – The Center offers advice and support on strategy, management and governance issues. We have provided support to Amnesty International, CARE International, ChildFund Alliance, Greenpeace International, the INGO Accountability Charter, Oxfam International, Plan International, Transparency International and others.

Shared Services – The Center offers coordination and support services for joint projects of major CSOs.

The way we work
Founded in April 2007, the Center is legally constituted as a not-for-profit company (gGmbH) and tax exempt under German law. The Center’s lean set-up and outcome focus reflects its credo that business efficiency can and should be applied to civil society tasks.

Customer Focus
Because of conviction, and in the absence of any start-up grant, the Center has developed a strict customer focus ethos. Every programme offered by the Center has been requested by one or more of the leading CSOs. Each event has its own preparation committee made up of CSO representatives and the process of setting the agenda and selecting key inputs takes place in close cooperation with this committee. All participants are invited to evaluate events they have attended and the evaluation results are shared and form the basis for modifications to future events.

Peer Learning
Peer Learning is one of the most important – and most successful – elements of the Center’s programmes. The Center uses a range of formats to promote peer learning among participants: Peer Presentations provide participants with a platform to present their experiences as inputs into workshops; in Peer Advice sessions participants are offered a time slot to present a challenge and receive advice from colleagues; we use Peer Coaching over a period of 24 months in our Leaders Programmes; and, as part of our Global Perspectives conference, we invite organisations to join our Peer-to-Peer MarketPlace to present concrete programmes.

Principles
In our work, we are guided by a number of principles:

Serving civil society: The Center serves CSOs which in turn perform a key role in defining the Center’s activities.

Delivering concrete benefits: The Center strives for concrete results to be implemented in CSOs’ work, delivering improved effectiveness and/or sustainability.

Connecting governments, civil society and business: The Center brings together key actors from all three sectors, facilitating communication, supporting cooperation and creating a basis for target-focused alliances.

Striving for excellence: The Center aims for excellence in its own work and supports other organisations and individuals also striving for excellence.

Transparency: The Center facilitates constructive interaction between its stakeholders which enables learning and a trustful relationship. The Center adheres to the INGO Accountability Charter.

Independence: The Center is independent of influence from any business, university or pressure group with regard to its activities, projects and management.