NGOi’s Flagship Program the 'Arab Alliance for CSOs Development', a partnership with leading philanthropies in the MENA Region
In line with its mission to develop and empower the civil society sector in the Arab world, NGOi established a strategic partnership with the Ford Foundation & the Asfari Foundation to launch the Arab Alliance for CSO Development (AACSOD/أقصد).
Mission
AACSOD aims to institutionally and operationally upskill the CSO sector as a critical contributor to the wellbeing and social engagement of the population in the Arab region.
Vision
AACSOD will serve as the hub for the CSO sector’s strengthening, continuous upskilling, and knowledge exchange in the Arab region.
Service Portfolio
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Institutional Strengthening & Development
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Contextualization & Arabization
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Training & Capacity Building
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Digitization of Content & Knowledge Sharing
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Organizational Certification
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AACSOD SERVICES
12
COUNTRIES OF THE ARAB WORLD
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aacsod supports
60+
CSOs IN TARGETED COUNTRIES
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AACSOD BRINGs TOGETHER
100+
FUNDERS, PARTNERS, & EXPERTS
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AACSOD offers
24
ONLINE COURSES IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
Supported by
In its first phase, from 2022-2026, AACSOD will provide services to 60 CSOs, including training and capacity-building, institutional strengthening and development, as well as enrollment in AUB-NGOi’s Organizational Certification program for a chance to become recognized for their operational excellence. The Alliance will act as a hub for the CSO sector’s strengthening, continuous improvement, and knowledge exchange in the region by bringing together more than 100 stakeholders, including donors, experts, CSOs, and others.
AACSOD Approach
During the first 5 years of the program, the NGOi, along with its partners, will support CSOs from 12 different Arab countries across the region. Annual calls for applications are launched in selected countries. Eligible CSOs are accepted to enroll in an institutional strengthening cycle that will last between 12 and 18 months. During this cycle, the CSO will benefit from developmental services aimed at strengthening its operations and the capacity of its team members based on standards of best practice set by AUB-NGOi.
One of the main features of AACSOD’s work will be Contextualization & Arabization of services. Stemming from our belief that empowering local CSOs will yield a better, more sustainable impact, AACSOD will focus on developing local organizations through local experts, localized standards, and tailored capacity building programs available in local languages.
Teams from AACSOD-supported CSOs will be able to develop their capacities and their institutions with the guidance of local experts.
These experts are specialized in the Arab CSO sector and have extensive relevant knowledge from the field. All progress and improvements are monitored, shared, and used to improve the sector further.
AACSOD focuses on developing individuals as well as organizations. This ensures a sustainable approach to organizational development and will guarantee effective change. This flagship program will be scalable beyond this first phase into a hub for Arab CSOs to convene, share, learn, and develop symbiotically.
Countries of operation to date
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180 services provided
to the 15 supported CSOs of the 2023 cycle including training & capacity building, mentoring, performance improvement planning, self-assessment, organizational certification, knowledge resources center & community forum
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90 cso staff members
trained through AACSOD capacity building offerings
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23 Geographical areas
supported in three countries by AACSOD CSOs
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17 EXPERTS
engaged in the AACSOD program
Courses Offered by AACSOD
