Conservationists need to build high-performing, well-managed, strategically adept organizations that deliver results. Ultimately if we are going to save the planet, we need not only greater financial investment and more ambitious policy targets - we need truly outstanding conservation organizations as well.
Read MoreOn 31 March, we held our first webinar on Strategic Planning. More than 400 people signed up from all over the world - from leaders of grassroots institutions to teams from larger funding organizations. Click to watch the webinar, and learn more from the Q&A session with the audience.
Read MoreA good strategic plan should address a core set of questions – here are three simple and basic ones that we always push our partners to answer:
What does an organization do uniquely well?
What does an organization need to get better at?
What should an organization not be doing at all?
Here we lay out a simple set of five questions that provide the backbone of any strategy or strategic plan. If an organization can answer these five questions clearly, it has a sound underlying strategy, even if it is not written down anywhere.
Read MoreAs we frequently find ourselves emphasizing at Maliasili Initiatives throughout all our work with our partners, the single most important question any organization needs to answer is: What do we want to achieve? The key to answering this question, and in building the systems and plans to help an organization achieve its core purpose and mission, lies in setting good goals.
Read MoreOrganizations are both complex and simple. They are complex in that they are made up of different people, working together to solve difficult social problems that often operate at multiple scales and over long time horizons. Successful organizations tend to grow, which adds to the scope of work, level of resources, number of relationships that must be managed and so forth. Thus growth and success only increase an organization’s level of complexity.
Read MoreWe find that outstanding organizations, focused on results and achieving large-scale impact, also tend to be hedgehogs. A focus on solving a particular problem, and refining a specific methodology that produces consistent results, is in line with the ‘hedgehog concept.’ This kind of focus characterizes an organization like Lion Guardians, with its rigorous approach to resolving conflicts between people and lions, or Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative, which its replicable methods for community forest management.
Read MoreThis is an exciting and daunting week for the world. For three days global leaders, pop stars, development experts, and citizen activists will convene in New York City with the ambitious goal of setting an agenda to end poverty, empower women, feed the hungry, and protect the environment – among others. This short (3 minute) video by IIED provides a clear and succinct overview of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Read MoreWhere MCDI works, the future for people and forests looks brighter. And while MCDI has made considerable progress in scaling it’s efforts, it’s operations cover only a fraction of the country. So, in going back to the Congress’s theme, if you want to invest in a sustainable future for people and forests, strengthening leading organizations like MCDI is a great place to start.
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