Civil society

CIVIL SOCIETY: What can donors and grantees do to ensure that the grantee has what it takes to get the job done?
To begin with, both have to ask whether the overhead in question is an important piece of the organization’s ability to do its work well. For most civil societies of any size, for instance, it would be hard to argue that a capable accountant would be a “bad” overhead. The same applies to a human resource function that will help to develop an organization’s people and build its managerial bench strength, or an up-to-date information technology platform that will help staff make better decisions, or a chief operating officer who can manage the organization’s administrative systems, leaving the executive director free to focus on program issues, and to develop funding, avoiding burn out. “Good” overhead, in its many forms, is simply what it takes to achieve the results that the civil society and its supporters seek.
A growing number of pioneering donors and grantees are taking powerful and exemplary steps to recognize good overhead, and to ensure that the beneficiaries and causes they are passionate about, have the most and best support possible.

Birungi K. Desiderius
077 2 426 607
Executive Director
Better World Uganda
P. O. Box 406, Hoima-Uganda