Capacity building is defined as the "process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast-changing world."
Ann PhilbinCapacity Building in Social Justice OrganizationsFord Foundation, 1996
Capacity Building is taking center stage these days among funders who are looking for nonprofits to be organizationally effective prior to funding them. As a result, many organizations are looking closely at how to be front and center on this stage. Enter planning. Strategic planning, financial planning, succession planning—all have their place in a strong, well governed organization, so the question often isn’t should we plan, but rather how should we plan?.
Two options available to nonprofits are to use either an outside consultant or a facilitator as part of your planning process. Either option should provide a measurable benefit to your planning session; your choice will depend on what you are expecting their role to be in the planning process.
Consultant
When you hire a consultant, you are in essence looking for an analysis of your situation by an expert in the field. You are paying for and receiving the benefit of their knowledge and experience in the form of recommendations and suggested actions.
According to Peter Block in his book Flawless Consulting, the primary goal of consulting is some kind of change. This change comes in two varieties:
1. Creating change in an organization of a structure, policy or procedural nature.
2. People in an organization learning something new so that they may manage themselves differently.
The question your consultant should be asking is How can I make my client more successful?.1 The consultant will be involved in the process, will make comments, suggestions and provide feedback as part of the planning process. Once the planning is complete, the consultant’s involvement may then continue into the implementation of the change for the organization.
Facilitator
When you make the decision to utilize a facilitator in your planning session, their participation will be very different. Your group will provide the expertise (resource group) and the facilitator acts as your guide to keep the process moving along. You are benefiting from the facilitator’s understanding of the planning process and her ability to assess the dynamics of the group to help the group achieve its desired results.
In other words, your facilitator will be present at the planning session, but it will be the group itself that will discuss the issue and the possible solutions. The facilitator will ensure that the group stays focused and productive, that one or two members of the group doesn’t dominate the discussion while others are silent, manage conflict, as well as model neutrality. A facilitator will help the group illustrate their future state and note the action steps; she can also act as the scribe, taking notes and organizing them so that the group is free to focus on issue and content.
The facilitator’s involvement ends when planning is complete, they do not participate in the implementation of the change; however, they may can be engaged as a ‘coach’ to continue to monitor the group’s progress on action steps.
The following chart provides a clear illustration of the differences between consulting and facilitation.
Consulting Vs. Facilitation 1
Consulting
- Analysis by an expert
- Not neutral
- The consultant offers content in the form of expert advice
- May be involved in the implementation
- Recommendations for action by consultant
Facilitation
- Analysis by clients
- Neutral
- The facilitator invites an experience and exchange in the form of process, engaging the group to stay focused and on point. The faciliatior will not engage as a reosurce expert.
- Client responsible for the implementation
- Reommendations for action by client
1 (source: I. Bens, p. 18-Advanced Facilitation)
Often the professional you choose will not only be a skilled consultant but also as a skilled facilitator. By clearly explaining your organization’s expectations for your planning session, they will be able to assist you with the choice about what is best for your group.
For more information on the information contained in this article, or for consulting or facilitation, please contact the Bucks County Center for Nonprofit Management, 215-343-2727.
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