NGO capacity building and sustainability in the Pacific

As the work of NGOs broadens and becomes more com- plex, concerns about their capacity and sustainability will loom much larger and have more significant implications for develop- ment processes. The main issue addressed in this paper is how NGOs and donors variously view the relationship between capacity building and financial and organisational sustainability. To this end we firstly explore varying definitions of capacity building, high- lighting distinctly Pacific perspectives of the concept and subse- quently look at emerging practices used by Pacific NGOs to create sustainable organisations. The role of donor organisations in Pacific NGO capacity building is critiqued. We conclude that despite considerable rhetoric about the need for donors to adopt more co- ordinated approaches to capacity building, there is limited evidence to suggest that donors are prepared to act together to set up, for example, joint capacity building funds. Donors must accept that the long-term processes of development and the roles played by Non- Governmental and Community Based Organisations require a rethink- ing of the standard funding cycle and the focus on 'exit strategies'.