USAID Local Solutions Support, a four-year activity funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), provides a wide range of support to non-profit associations (NPAs) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, helping to boost their organizational capacity and improve their effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

Laos has enjoyed strong economic growth, but this has not translated into broad-based development within the country. Local institutions play a critical role in addressing development challenges and social needs. Persistent gaps in organizational skills, systems and leadership limit these institutions’ opportunities to leverage resources and attract funding, limiting their growth and sustainability – and therefore, the long-term ability to carry out their mission. Through organizational development support to these institutions, USAID is helping increase local leadership and improve NPAs’ ability to influence, create and implement effective solutions, enhancing overall development in Laos.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY SERVICES

The project uses comprehensive research to assess human resource development challenges in Laos and map beneficiaries and service providers. This research will provide a critical understanding of the local context in order customize and tailor training resources and assistance. The mapping of local institutions, their services, and skill development needs will outline the landscape of local solutions development within Laos and identify institutions to support.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATIONS

USAID works with local NPAs to bolster a range of core competencies including financial management, strategic planning, human resources, fundraising, gender and inclusion, marketing and project management. Selected NPAs participate in an organizational assessment and craft detailed human resource development plans focused on working towards self-sufficiency. This allows NPAs to collaborate with their peers on strategic initiatives, apply their new skills by implementing process improvements within their organizations and enhance their peers’ abilities. This work boosts the performance of Lao organizations and expands the pool of local trainers and institutions that provide organizational capacity development services to their peers.

A LEARNING PROCESS

To promote broad-based local skills development within Laos, USAID Local Solutions Support encourages greater dialogue and collaboration between organizations in Laos, within and across sectors. To do this, the activity organizes learning and networking forums for various actors including other NPAs, the private sector, universities, international donors, USAID implementing partners and providers of local capacity development services.

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES

The USAID Local Solutions Support activity:

• Improves human resources, systems and the sustainability of local institutions
• Enhances the ability of local institutions to generate and diversify revenue streams
• Increases collaboration and connectivity among civil society institutions in Laos, within and across sectors
• Increases pool of local service providers capable of supporting their peers in the long term

PARTNER: USAID partners with RTI International to strengthen local institutions within Laos.