South Central India Network for Development Alternatives (SCINDeA)

Role of the Secretariat

The Secretariat coordinates the various programmes by :

• Maintaining a steady line of communication with all members NGOs
• Facilitating inter-organisational communication as well as dissemination of information
• Making regular NGO visits for strengthening programme components
• Organising capacity building programmes based on need to different categories of staff of partner organisations
• Arranging periodic visitation programmes (decentralized coordination) between partner organisations of the Network
• Providing a steady flow of information between member NGOs, SCINDeA Secretariat and the Resource Sharing Partner
• Arranging for evaluation/assessment of programmes
• Facilitating an effective linkage with other existing Networks for mutual dialogue and sharing

In addition the Secretariat arranges and facilitates visits at different levels :

• Heads of NGOs visiting each other
• Decentralised Coordination in programme & finance
• Beneficiaries visiting programmes – people to people exchange

Nature of Present Involvement and Support to Partners

SCINDeA has been providing different kinds of services to partners. SCINDeA works predominantly with medium sized organisations. Given below are the major involvements with partners :

• Identify appropriate need based issues in the region
• Provide support on planning of activities and formulating proposals
• Budget planning and finalization of budgets with partners
• Project and budget monitoring
• Capacity building of partners (programmatic, SOP, OIO, RTI, Gender etc.)
• Facilitating linkage and collaboration for partners
• Raise resources or facilitate contacts to partner organizations
• Ensure gender mainstreaming among partners
• Ensure legal compliances by partners
• Evaluation

Responsibility of Partner Organizations

• Chief functionaries shall ensure project compliance
• SCINDeA and partner organisations will enter into a MOU with clear understanding of terms and conditions
• All partners should be committed to show outcomes from the project being implemented
• All partners shall strictly adhere to activities and budget approved in the MOU. Necessary deviations will be permitted through written request from partners and written consent from the SCINDeA Secretariat
• Projects being implemented should contribute to the larger development of the society
• Regular and timely correspondence with SCINDeA should be maintained
• Facilitate monitoring visits on request from SCINDeA
• Organizations should maintain transparency and be accountable to the terms and conditions of the projects
• Should ensure gender equity in project implementation
• Democratic functioning should be adhered to and respected for implementing the project
• Participatory effort along with stakeholders should be the basis of implementing the project

Role of SCINDeA in Partnership

• SCINDeA will identify those partners whose vision, mission and values correspond to the vision, mission and values of SCINDeA
• Partner selection will adhere to the Partner Selection Policy. The selection process will be transparent and accountable to partners
• Enter into a clear MOU before starting any partnership or activities on a project with a partner
• Ensure timely disbursement of resources committed to partners
• SCINDeA will undertake a minimum of 3 monitoring visits in a year to ensure project compliance
• There will be regular correspondence between SCINDeA and partners

Strategy for Strengthening Partnership

• Based on need SCINDeA will provide conceptual understanding and support on the project
• SCINDeA will facilitate need based learning on project implementation
• SCINDeA will facilitate need based alliance and networking with other stakeholders
• SCINDeA will regularly share information on the development of the project, findings of its monitoring and evaluation, and feedback to improve project implementation
• Partners will be provided necessary guidance for proper and timely implementation of the project
• SCINDeA will maintain transparency on project implementation, governance and financial implementation

Induction of New Members into the SCINDeA Network

Partner’s who seek membership to the SCINDeA Network are required to send an application. This is submitted to the Management Committee of the SCINDeA Association.

• The name of the potential partner is proposed by a partner organization of the Network
• This is to be seconded by another partner organization of the Network
• A Joint Appraisal Team is constituted to visit the partner
• The JAT comprises of the Executive Director, Consultant and Accountant from the Secretariat along with the CEO’s of two nearby partner’s
• During the JAT visit the team interacts with the Director and staff team. The accountant of SCINDeA looks in the legal aspects of the partner and its compliance with statutory requirements. The financial management systems of the organization are reviewed as also the financial absorption capacity. The JAT team then visits the field of the partner, studies the programs and interacts with the community
• A report of the JAT visit is prepared & shared in the Management Committees of the Network and a final decision taken
• The inclusion of the partner as a member of the Network is then ratified in the Annual General Body Meeting of the SCINDeA Association
• The newly inducted partner is then invited to participate in the next Annual General Body Meeting
• The newly inducted partner is required to be an observed of the SCINDeA programmes for one year and participate in the capacity building programs organized by the Secretariat
• The partner then gets into the funding process from the second year & becomes regular partner