Partnerships and resource mobilization for development professionals
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Online
Partnerships and resource mobilization for development professionals
17 March–2 May 2025
The course is available in English
Introduction to the course
Resource mobilization and partnerships are essential for driving change and achieving developmental impacts in international cooperation. They involve strategically securing and managing diverse resources-financial, human, informational, and physical-through partnerships. These resources support initiatives aimed at promoting decent work, combating poverty, enhancing health and education, and building sustainable infrastructure, crucial for stimulating economic and social growth across regions in an environmentally sustainable manner. Traditionally, Official Development Assistance (ODA) has been a significant funding source, primarily intended to boost economic development and welfare in developing countries. It encompasses a wide range of support, including technical assistance, scholarships, debt relief, and contributions to multilateral institutions that pursue development goals. Despite a recent increase in ODA, which reached USD 211 billion in 2022-a 17% rise from the previous year due to urgent global responses-the funding landscape is shifting. Non-crisis countries might compete for funds as donor priorities increasingly concentrate on immediate humanitarian and geopolitical challenges. Development cooperation practitioners today are required to extend beyond traditional ODA partnerships and explore both conventional and emerging funding streams in international development. These include Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), private sector engagements, grassroots partnerships, socially responsible banking, income-generating activities, and innovative funding methods such as crowdfunding and social impact bonds. The course is designed to equip development cooperation practitioners from international and civil society organizations, as well as international civil servants and government representatives involved in international development, with the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to enhance their partnerships and resource mobilization efforts.
Who attends this course?
The target audience comprises professionals in the not-for-profit sector at national, regional, or international levels, tasked with supporting the financial self-sustainability and growth objectives of their organizations, or addressing specific financial needs, such as for new activities or projects. The course welcomes all officials and consultants working within or with the UN System, international and non-governmental organizations, public sector bodies, development funds, professional associations, and other entities operating under various mandates but primarily driven by non-profit principles.
What topics does this course cover?
The course adopts a modular approach, covering the following key areas:
- Module 1: Current Trends in International Financing for Development
- Module 2: Overview of Best Practices in Partnerships, Resource Mobilization Strategies and Financial Mechanisms
- Module 3: Methodologies and Tools for Assessing Funding Needs at the Organizational Level
- Module 4: Design and Development of a Resource Mobilization Strategy
- Module 5: Operationalization of a Resource Mobilization Strategy: From Implementation and Monitoring to Evaluation
Throughout these modules, participants will engage in weekly sessions focused on scenarios in resource mobilization for development, including traditional and non-traditional funding sources. These sessions will also include discussions on various resource mobilization practices and testimonials.
What will I learn?
Throughout the five modules, participants will explore various practices and partnerships and resource mobilization experiences from the UN, civil society organisations and other sectors, drafting a resource mobilization strategy tailored to their institutional and/or programme context. The development of the resource mobilisation strategy will progress through the following stages:
- Reviewing trends in funding sources, including Official Development Assistance outlooks, non-traditional donors, the private sector, partnerships, and other stakeholders.
- Conducting a financial situation analysis of their institutions, encompassing both on-balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet assets, termed as 'Capital' and 'complementary resources.'
- Assessing funding needs in relation to long-term sustainability and growth objectives, analyzing opportunities and risks.
- Designing a resource mobilization strategy that aligns with the organization's mandate, strategic framework, and plans.
- Implementing and monitoring the resource mobilization strategy, evaluating its effectiveness, and integrating lessons learned into future partnerships and fund-raising activities.
The underlying concepts correspond to the traditional project cycle, summarized in three phases: Plan (design), Do (implementation), and Check/Act (monitoring and evaluation).
In conjunction with the outlined activities, participants will examine various resource mobilization approaches, including:
- Responding to calls for proposals from bilateral, multilateral, or local donors.
- Engaging in income-generating activities.
- Establishing partnerships with a thematic and regional focus, engaging the private sector through direct investment, public-private partnerships, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
- Participating in multi-donor initiatives and creating trust funds.
- Collaborating with civil society organizations.
- Implementing co-funding mechanisms to enhance engagement and ownership among beneficiary entities.
- Exploring socially responsible financing methods, such as social impact bonds.
- Securing funding from philanthropic organizations and online crowdfunding.
- Investigating other innovative funding modalities.
A critical component of resource mobilization is effective partnership-making, which involves diverse contractual and financial arrangements. Specialists from various organizations, including the UN System, development banks, the European Union, and the private sector, will share their institutional experiences and approaches. Through these interactions, participants will tailor RM strategies suited to their organizational needs. In the fifth week, they will have the opportunity to present and discuss their strategies under the guidance of experts. Participants who successfully complete the programme will receive a certificate recognizing their ability to devise comprehensive resource mobilization strategies.
Delivery modality
This online certification programme spans seven weeks, combining distance learning, self-study, live webinars, and online coaching. It includes five guided training modules and allocates two weeks for developing a final project on resource mobilization strategies. Participants will engage in about 60 hours of learning, averaging 7-8 hours per week over the seven weeks. Activities encompass self-guided learning, webinars with guest speakers, and practical application through case studies. Participants will also design and develop a draft resource mobilization strategy (15-20 pages), which will be presented to and validated by ITCILO experts.
Certification
The course will lead to a Certificate of Achievement.
