Establishing an Effective GBIF
Participant Node
Concepts and general considerations
GBIF Secretariat
Version 1.0, 2020-07-09 18:22:29 UTC

Table of Contents
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Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Persistent URI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Document Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. What is a GBIF Participant node? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Box 1. Definitions of key structures and roles in the GBIF network at the level of Participant
country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Box 2. GBIF Head of Delegation and Node Manager: roles and responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2. Why are Participant nodes needed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Box 3. Stakeholders involved in GBIF activities at the Participant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. What services do Participant nodes provide? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.1. Coordinating the landscape of biodiversity-related initiatives including participating in the
GBIF network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.2. Supporting biodiversity data mobilization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3. Supporting biodiversity data analysis and use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.4. Supporting biodiversity data management and curation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4. What do Participant nodes need to be effective?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.1. Basic requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.1.1. Functional capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.2. Technical capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.1.3. Capacity self-assessment for national biodiversity information facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.2. Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5. What is the recommended process for establishing a Participant node? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5.1. How should a GBIF Participant select the institutional location for a node? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.2. What are the recommendations on the staff roles within nodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Box 4. A participatory approach to establishing a Participant node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Box 5: Example of staff roles for a Participant node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
6. Further support for establishing a Participant node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.1. How can I find examples of Participant nodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.2. How can the GBIF Participant Node Managers Committee assist in establishing Participant
nodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.3. How does GBIF support capacity enhancement for Participant nodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6.4. What other documentation and resources are available for Participant nodes? . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.5. Contact for further support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Colophon
Suggested citation
GBIF Secretariat (2019) Establishing an Effective GBIF Participant Node: Concepts and generalconsiderations. Copenhagen. https://doi.org/10.15468/doc-z79c-sa53.

Contributors
Mélianie Raymond [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6158-8202], Kyle Copas [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6590599X],

Tim

Hirsch[https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5015-5807],

Andrea

Hahn

and

Marie

Grosjean[https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2685-8078]

Licence
Establishing an Effective GBIF Participant Node is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Unported License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0].

Persistent URI
https://doi.org/10.15468/doc-z79c-sa53

Document Control
Second (GitHub) edition published, April 2019.
First edition [https://doi.org/10.15468/doc.fm4b-6q42], March 2015, by Mélianie Raymond [https://orcid.org/
0000-0002-6158-8202], Olaf Bánki [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6197-9951], Kyle Copas [https://orcid.org/00000002-6590-599X], Alberto González-Talaván, Tim Hirsch [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5015-5807] and Donald

Hobern [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6492-4016].
Originally based on an earlier publication, Towards establishing a functional GBIF Participant Node (PartI): definitions and general considerations.

Cover image
Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Hardy County, Florida, United States. Photo 2018 thebugroomno2
via iNaturalist research-grade observations [https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1945467387], licensed under
CC BY-NC 4.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/].

Introduction
The conservation and sustainable use of biological resources depend on an understanding of
biodiversity and the processes that underlie it. While 250 years of biodiversity research and datacollection have generated a wealth of information, it is scattered across a multitude of sources and1formats: from museum collection specimens and local government reports to published literatureand university researchers’ own computers. On top of these historical resources, today’s
technological and scientific advances are generating more data in huge quantities and fresh formats.
Mobilizing this information in a structured way while using common standards and common
platforms not only contributes to the understanding of biodiversity, but also enables a vast range ofuses, creates new research opportunities and supports policymaking at the national and global
levels.
GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility—is an international network [https://www.gbif.org/
the-gbif-network] and research infrastructure [https://www.gbif.org] that exists to enable free and open

access to biodiversity data from all sources and to support biodiversity science, environmental
research, and evidence-based decision-making. GBIF operates as a federated system of distributed
data publishing efforts, coordinated through a global informatics infrastructure and collaborative
network.
Since GBIF’s founding in 2001, the participating countries and organizations have been testing anddeveloping models for coordinating the mobilization, management and reuse of biodiversity data at
the national level or within an organization’s scope. The formation of Participant ‘nodes’ has been
central to these efforts. Designated by each Participant, these teams coordinate the needs andinterests of the many stakeholders involved.
This guide draws on the experience of the GBIF network to offer guidance on establishing aneffective Participant node. It targets two main audiences within the ‘GBIF family’: the delegates
representing each Participant on the GBIF Governing Board, and the node managers appointed tocoordinate biodiversity information facilities within each country or organization. It can also be usedby countries and institutions that have not yet joined GBIF, but are making plans to do so. It
introduces key concepts and generalized views of Participant node activities, including
recommendations on a participatory approach to follow in designating a node, and designing its
governance structures.

1. What is a GBIF Participant node?
Participants in GBIF are countries, international organizations or economies having signed the GBIF
Memorandum of Understanding [https://www.gbif.org/document/80661] (MOU). Signatories to thisagreement express their commitment to establish a co-ordinated effort to support open access anduse of biodiversity data, to advance scientific research, and to promote technological and sustainable
development.
A GBIF Participant node is a team designated by a Participant to coordinate a network ofpeople and institutions that produce, manage and use biodiversity data, collectively building
an infrastructure for delivering biodiversity information. They are supported by organizationalarrangements and informatics solutions, working to improve the availability and usefulness of
biodiversity data for research, policy and decision-making. For countries, these networks
aresometimes referred to as a biodiversity information facility (see Box 1).
Two main roles are assigned when a Participant joins GBIF: the Head of Delegation and the nodemanager (see Box 2). The Head of Delegation represents the country, economy or organization on
the GBIF Governing Board, and acts as the Participant’s primary focal point for all GBIF-related2

activity. The node manager leads the operational activities of the country or organization incoordinating the mobilization and use of open-access biodiversity data, and also represents theParticipant on the GBIF Participant Node Managers Committee [https://www.gbif.org/contact-us/
directory?group=nodesCommittee]. A Participant node is typically hosted by an existing biodiversity-

related institution or institutions in the Participant country, or by Participant organizations.
A broad range of stakeholders are involved in GBIF-related activities at the Participant level,
including data holders, biodiversity knowledge experts, data users, and decision-makers Box 3).
Participant nodes have the role of connecting each of these audiences’ needs and interests, enablingthem to contribute to and benefit from participation in the GBIF network.
Participant nodes typically have four main functions (see also Section 3):• Coordinating a community of initiatives relating to biodiversity, including making connections to
the international GBIF network• Promoting and supporting the mobilization of biodiversity data within the country ororganization’s scope• Encouraging the reuse of the available data to support biodiversity-related science and support
decision-making for sustainable development• Providing expertise on biodiversity data management and improving data quality to support
users' needs
Participant nodes are thus knowledge hubs both for biodiversity data and broader GBIF-related
activities. They not only guide stakeholders to relevant sources of biodiversity information but also tosuch things as:• Policies relating to biodiversity and open access• Expertise on how to run digitization programmes, to organize data management and to
implement data quality practices• Individual experts in different aspects of biodiversity• Broader information about the landscape of biodiversity initiatives
Most Participant nodes develop a collaborative framework of policies, agreements, community
norms and standards, which are adopted by their stakeholders to guide the publication,
management and use of biodiversity data.
The governance structure of each Participant node varies but often takes the form of a board or
steering committee. This configuration enables data holders, users and other stakeholders to takecollective decisions concerning the publishing and reuse of biodiversity data while providing thenode with priorities and guidance on the implementation of its work.
Participant nodes provide the technical expertise to support the publication of biodiversity data of
the highest possible quality by data holders. This involves using informatics infrastructure, andmany implementation models are available, from using hosted data publication services tomaintaining a distributed network of data publishers and a centralized index of the data. The node
may also support a range of other information products and services, for example, by maintaining
a biodiversity data portal and online tools for data analysis.

3Box 1. Definitions of key structures and roles in the GBIF
network at the level of Participant country
Key Structures
Participant: a country, economy or organization that joins GBIF by signing a Memorandum ofUnderstanding [https://www.gbif.org/document/80661] and establishing a co-ordinated effort tosupport open access and use of biodiversity data, to advance scientific research, and topromote technological and sustainable development.
Biodiversity information facility: Variously described as a ‘BIF’, a system or a network, abroader structure of people and institutions, coordinated by the node, that collectively forms
an infrastructure for delivering biodiversity information to relevant stakeholders.
Participant node: a coordinating team designated by the Participant to coordinate a networkof people and institutions that produce, manage and use biodiversity data, collectively building
an infrastructure for delivering biodiversity information.

Key Roles
Delegation: the team of people nominated by Participants to represent them in GBIF decision
making, under the leadership of the Head of Delegation.
Head of Delegation: the person designated by the Participant to act as its representative to
the GBIF Governing Board [https://www.gbif.org/governance] and take part in the global-level
decision making.
Node manager: the person designated by the Participant to manage the activities of the node
to coordinate a biodiversity information facility.
Node staff: the team of people working in a Participant node. They are usually focused on
specific areas such as user support, scientific liaison or technical development.
Biodiversity information facility stakeholders: any person from within a Participant country
or organization who contributes to the overall work of the biodiversity information facility or
benefits from it. Some examples include publishers of biodiversity data, users of GBIFmediated data (e.g. scientific researchers, planning agencies and the private sector) andpolicymakers involved in the development of data policies.

Box 2. GBIF Head of Delegation and Node Manager:
roles and responsibilities

4

Head of Delegation
Following signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), new GBIF Participants arerequested to nominate a Head of Delegation (HoD), to represent the country, economy ororganization on the Governing Board, and to act as the Participant’s primary focal point for all
GBIF-related activity.
The specific responsibilities of the HoD include:• Attending Governing Board meetings held annually, usually in September or October. If
the HoD is not able to attend, he/she can appoint a temporary HoD to attend the meeting.
• Nominating additional delegates to attend Governing Board meetings (a maximum of two
additional delegates may attend each meeting, ideally including the Node Manager);informing the Secretariat prior to each meeting about the composition of the delegation.
• Preparing for such meetings by reading and consulting as appropriate on key documents
submitted for approval by the Governing Board, such as the work programme, budget andstrategic decisions. All documentation is distributed one month in advance of the meeting.
• Responding to intersessional communications from the Secretariat and Governing Board
Chair between Governing Board meetings, including consultations, calls for award
nominations and other requests for which actions or views are sought from Participants.
• In the case of Voting Participants, exercising the Participant’s vote at Governing Board
meetings, including in elections for chairs and vice-chairs of the Governing Board andadvisory committees; and responding to calls for nominations for such posts.
• Within the country or organization of the Participant, leading the strategic direction of GBIF
participation, including oversight of the Participant node and ensuring it has adequate
mandate and resourcing to carry out its core functions.
• For country Participants, maintaining good communications with appropriate government
departments and agencies, including national focal points from other international
biodiversity-related initiatives, to ensure the activities and benefits of GBIF are wellunderstood and supported within governments and in intergovernmental fora.
• For Voting Participants, working with relevant authorities within government departments
or funding agencies, in collaboration with the Secretariat, to ensure that the financial
contribution is paid in full and on time, in order to qualify the country for voting rights; andhelping to address any issues related to payment of the contribution.

5

Node Manager
After joining GBIF, Participants are also encouraged as soon as possible to appoint a NodeManager, to lead the operational activities of the country or organization in coordinating themobilization and use of open-access biodiversity data. Detailed guidance is available in thisdocument, but in summary the responsibilities of the Node Manager include:• Managing the node team that will coordinate biodiversity data mobilization, access and use
among relevant stakeholders in the country or organization.
• Collaborating with other node managers and the Secretariat to ensure that the country ororganization benefits fully from GBIF participation, including through mentoringarrangements and guidance to share skills and best practices in biodiversity informatics.
• As a member of the GBIF Nodes Committee, attending global nodes meetings (held every
two years) and regional nodes meetings (held either annually or every two years) as well as
technical workshops and training events.
• Paying close attention to communications from the GBIF Secretariat, including webinars
and newsletters, on technical developments and opportunities such as capacity
enhancement support calls, and keeping the Secretariat informed about node activities
that may be of interest to the wider community• Establishing a close working relationship with the HoD to ensure he/she is well informed
about the needs and performance of the node, and ideally attending Governing Board
meetings as an additional delegate

2. Why are Participant nodes needed?
Participant nodes and biodiversity information facilities help GBIF Participants increase the returnfrom their past, current, and future investments in biodiversity research and data collection. They
help make the publication of primary data part of the scientific mainstream, as much part ofculture and practice as publication of the results in research itself. In their facilitating role, nodes
help data holders publish their data using common standards and protocols to ensureinteroperability and open access and make data available for the widest possible reuse. They also
contribute to commitments that promote transparency and open access to scientific data, helping
data holders comply with open data regulations and requirements.
Nodes play a valuable role in promoting data management practices and in encouraging thecommunity of biodiversity knowledge-holders to pool their expertise. This work can in turn
continuously improve the quality and fitness-for-use of available biodiversity data and provide aplatform for taxonomy and collaborative collection management.
By coordinating biodiversity information facilities, nodes are well positioned to assess biodiversity
data availability and gaps (taxonomic, spatial and temporal) at the Participant level, to understanddata and information use and needs, and to implement strategies in response. Thus, nodes cancontribute to setting biodiversity research priorities.
Nodes play a role in coordinating the broad landscape of biodiversity informatics initiatives by6

engaging new communities and making international connections through GBIF. This coordination
helps to create strong partnerships and alignment of efforts, complementing other biodiversityrelated initiatives by providing the data foundations and infrastructure for a wide range ofapplications.
Nodes can also increase the efficiency of implementing a biodiversity information facility by making
use of the common tools, practices, information resources and opportunities for collaborative
capacity enhancement available through the GBIF network. By making the connection to GBIF, nodes
enable the integration of data mobilized at the Participant level with relevant data published byother countries and organizations. Data mobilized through a Participant biodiversity information
facility to serve national needs also become available for reuse by the broader international
audience, raising the visibility of the Participant’s data publishing institutions and mobilization
efforts.
Finally, Participant nodes help develop capacity in the use of collective biodiversity data resources.
Their efforts support both basic and applied research relevant to policy decisions across a range ofissues of primary economic and social importance, including food security, agricultural livelihoods,
disease risk and the impacts of climate change. This also supports information requirements formeeting national and global commitments including biodiversity-related conventions andsustainable development goals. Thus, fully functional Participant nodes and biodiversity information
facilities are instrumental in helping Participants achieve their own biodiversity data-related goals
and targets.

Box 3. Stakeholders involved in GBIF activities at theParticipant level

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The GBIF communication strategy [https://www.gbif.org/document/80926] identifies six audiencesthat represent different groups of stakeholders involved in GBIF activities. While there is someoverlap between these groups, each has separate interests and roles to play in contributing to
GBIF’s vision. A summary is presented here.
The GBIF network
This group includes node managers, staff and governance members; heads of delegation andother Governing Board delegates; advisory committee members; Secretariat staff andcontractors; and relevant staff in affiliate organizations.
The key focus of this group is to support participation in the GBIF network throughengagement

with

the

other

audiences,tosupportbiodiversity

data

mobilization,

management, curation, and use.
Data holders
This group includes, among others, current GBIF data publishers; natural history collection
curators, informaticians and scientists; field biologists; citizen scientists, voluntary recording
networks and observation aggregating sites; authors, editors and publishers of scientificresearch; custodians of historic biodiversity-related literature and multimedia archives; andorganizers and practitioners of surveys and monitoring programmes carried out for publicagencies, protected area management and non-governmental organizations.
The key focus of engaging with data holders is to encourage and support biodiversity data
mobilization: data digitization, data collection and ultimately publication of their data throughthe GBIF network.
Biodiversity knowledge experts
This group includes zoologists, botanists, mycologists and other species specialists;taxonomists; ecologists; expert networks (e.g. IUCN, Birdlife); and nomenclatural associations.
The key focus of engaging with biodiversity knowledge holders is to support biodiversity
data management and curation: continuously improving the quality and fitness-for-use of
the data mobilized by the GBIF network, and demonstrating that the work of these groups
benefits from strong biodiversity information facilities, at national and global levels.
Data users
This group includes ecologists, including macroecologists and biogeographers; species
distribution modellers (includes analysts of climate change impacts, invasive species risk,
human disease vectors); conservation practitioners, including protected area planners;
environmental impact analysts and strategic spatial planning authorities; genetic resources
experts (for crop diversity, medicinal compounds etc.); and the ecosystem assessment
community.
The key focus of engaging with species occurrence data users is to support biodiversity data
use: reusing the data accessible through GBIF to support biodiversity-related sciences and8environmental research, ultimately to support evidence-based decision making.
Decision-makers
This group includes national government ministry and agency officials; research funding
agencies; intergovernmental convention officials and national delegates; and global
foundations.
The key focus of engaging with funders and executive decision makers is to build support for
all GBIF-related activities.
Public stakeholders
This group includes educators; students; wildlife enthusiasts; environmentally engaged
individuals; and the non-scientific software developer community.
While at the global level these groups are secondary to the others, they may still be key
stakeholders involved in national or organizational GBIF activities, for example through citizen
science initiatives. Engagement with these groups can build wider support for activities tomobilize biodiversity data and to make biodiversity information about a country freely
available to all citizens.

3. What services do Participant nodes
provide?
The specific responsibilities and services provided by each node vary considerably, depending in parton the Participant’s priorities for joining GBIF. Furthermore, some GBIF Participant nodes provide
services that are delivered by separate biodiversity-related institutions in other countries andorganizations. Nevertheless, the services and responsibilities of nodes can be broadly grouped into
four main categories:

3.1. Coordinating the landscape of biodiversity-related
initiatives including participating in the GBIF network
Examples of services include:• Promoting synergies with national and regional activities involving other global biodiversity
initiatives, such as the CBD Clearing-House Mechanism [http://www.cbd.int/chm/default.shtml], IPBES[https://www.ipbes.net], IUCN [https://iucn.org], OBIS [https://obis.org] and others, including close
liaison or joint working with relevant nodes or focal points for these initiatives• Coordinating communication activities relating to biodiversity information and informatics
activities, sharing communications with the wider GBIF community through the Secretariat, anddisseminating relevant global information to stakeholder networks within the node’s country ororganization• Benefiting from and contributing to capacity development activities across the network, such as

9mentoring, training, sharing of expertise through task groups, participation in collaborative
projects, testing and advising on new developments from other Participants and the GBIF
Secretariat• Taking part in the GBIF Participant Node Managers Committee and regional sub-committees, byproviding guidance on and contributing to the implementation of GBIF work programmes in linewith Participant priorities• Promoting the expansion of GBIF participation to other countries and organizations

3.2. Supporting biodiversity data mobilization
Examples of services include:• Organizing biodiversity data within the Participant’s domain to ensure open access to all digitally
available biodiversity data
• Promoting and coordinating national investment in the digitization and mobilization of
biodiversity information• Providing a technical infrastructure and support to enable biodiversity data to be published on
the Internet and through the GBIF network (including sampling-event metadata, occurrencedata, checklist data and collections metadata [https://www.gbif.org/dataset-classes])• Promoting the benefits of data publishing, for example, through the use of data papers[https://www.gbif.org/data-papers] as a mechanism to gain recognition for sharing of datasets• Developing a culture of open access and supporting open data requirements mandated, forexample, through grant conditions• Maintaining a collaborative framework between data holders and users, for example, throughdata sharing agreements that enable data sharing to occur according to agreed terms andencourage data reuse• Promoting public engagement in biodiversity issues, for example, by supporting citizen science
initiatives that mobilize observational data
• Developing strategies, materials and activities to engage private companies to publish and reusebiodiversity data

3.3. Supporting biodiversity data analysis and use
Examples of services include:• Facilitating access to biodiversity data by promoting the use of the GBIF infrastructure and/or bymaintaining a national or thematic biodiversity data portal• Promoting the use of correct citation practices [https://www.gbif.org/citation-guidelines] for data
accessed through the GBIF network• Acting as a reference institution for biodiversity information• Providing support for biodiversity research, through evaluation of data needs and data gaps
• Encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation between scientists, by sharing relevant examples of

10

data

use

[https://www.gbif.org/resource/search?contentType=dataUse]

andthrough

capacity

development activities• Providing support for the compilation, maintenance and publishing of national, sub-national andthematic species inventories and checklists, and the use of these lists to underpin other activities(e.g., conservation work, national reporting)• Providing support for policy by, for example, offering advice on the designation of biodiversity
research priorities, and helping to mainstream the use of of biodiversity data and information indecision-making, spatial planning, biosecurity, conservation and protected area management• Providing support for national reporting on biodiversity, for example under the Convention on
Biological Diversity and other multilateral biodiversity-related agreements

3.4. Supporting biodiversity data management andcuration
Examples of services include:• Increasing the quality of available biodiversity data to meet GBIF data quality requirements[https://www.gbif.org/data-quality-requirements], for example, through the standardization anddocumentation of existing data sources with metadata• Assisting data holders with data management, using appropriate tools and practices, such as the
GBIF data validator [https://www.gbif.org/tools/data-validator], and through capacity development
programmes focused on biodiversity informatics• Acting as a permanent repository for biodiversity data within the Participant’s domain for dataholders that do not have the capacity to maintain their own permanent records• Providing endorsement of biodiversity data publishers [https://www.gbif.org/endorsement-guidelines]
to be added to the GBIF network• Coordinating with other biodiversity-related initiatives to ensure maximum interoperability
across biodiversity data types

4. What do Participant nodes need to beeffective?
4.1. Basic requirements
The capacities required by Participant nodes can be broadly divided into two categories (see the GBIF
capacity enhancement framework [https://www.gbif.org/document/80954/]):• Functional capacities: relating to organizational and institutional effectiveness• Technical capacities: the specific skills, knowledge and competencies that Participants need tomobilize, manage and use biodiversity data
The following basic requirements need to be considered when establishing a Participant node. The

11

lack of any of these will reduce the overall effectiveness of the node.

4.1.1. Functional capacities
Planning and Policy Capacity
The ability to formulate strategies, plans and policies based on relevant assessments.
1. A clear mandate (official; institutional) through which the node is given formal responsibility forpromoting, coordinating and facilitating the management and use of biodiversity data among
the relevant stakeholder institutions within the Participant’s domain.
2. A governance structure that is representative of the major stakeholders within the Participant’s
domain. An actively engaged governing body that guides and supports the node’s work helps toensure that the relevant actors feel ownership of the node’s work.
3. A clearly stated long-term purpose with plans for the medium and short term. The node needs areadily understood vision and mission that motivate the node’s team, governance and broader
stakeholders. The node needs to be able to formulate a general strategy and regular work plansin line with priorities at the Participant level. These plans should define expectations about what
the node will deliver in a given time frame and will help evaluate the node’s performance.
Engagement Capacity
The ability to initiate and sustain partnerships and networks.
4. A collaborative framework to form a biodiversity information facility, defined and agreed to by
the relevant stakeholders and partners within the Participant’s domain. This framework should
ensure that the node has a well-defined role within the landscape of biodiversity-related
institutions, based on strong partnerships and complementary services (see Section 5.1). It
should include community norms and relevant formal agreements around data publishing anddata access. It should also ensure that the node recognizes and values its constituent
organizations and individuals that contribute to and use its services, in order to build good
relationships with them.
5. Communications and outreach plans, tools and materials to support collaborative work
between the members of the node’s network and to encourage the ongoing addition of new
members. Materials can include a website, newsletters, brochures, mailing lists and use of social
media platforms. The GBIF communications strategy [https://www.gbif.org/document/80926/] canhelp identify key messages for relevant audiences, and Participants can coordinate with theSecretariat on communication activities within the wider GBIF network.
Implementation and Evaluation Capacity
The ability to manage, fund, budget, implement and evaluate projects and programmes.
6. Dedicated staff members to implement the node’s mandate and work plans (see Section 5.2).
The node team will require a broad range of skills, ranging from biodiversity informatics to
network coordination and supported by appropriate training.
7. Institutional and financial support, in line with services the node is expected to provide and tosupport the delivery of the node’s work plans. Institutional support can include administrative12

assistance, hosting facilities, and political endorsement necessary to engage key partners, raiseinterest and visibility, and mobilize funds.

4.1.2. Technical capacities
Biodiversity data mobilization
The ability to collect, digitize and publish biodiversity data.
8. Access to infrastructure to support the mobilization of biodiversity data. Existing tools[https://www.gbif.org/ipt] support a range of implementation models, from using hosted data
publication tools to maintaining a distributed network of data publishers and a centralized index
of data.
9. A programme to encourage and support data holders in mobilizing their data, including, forexample, promotion of incentives for data sharing and publication, technical helpdesk assistance,
the translation or adaptation of documentation and manuals, the organization of training
workshops and an e-learning platform.
Biodiversity data management and curation
The ability to manage and curate biodiversity data, as a means of continuously improving data
quality.
10. A workflow for contributing to data quality improvement, linked to the processes ofendorsing data publishers joining the GBIF network and evaluation of datasets. This can include
guidance and information for data holders on data quality requirements [https://www.gbif.org/dataquality-requirements]

and

data

management

techniques

(see

best

practice

documents[https://www.gbif.org/resource/search?q=best&contentType=document]), use of data quality tools andprocesses available from the GBIF network (for example, the GBIF data validator[https://www.gbif.org/tools/data-validator]), and ensuring that data holder can receive data quality
feedback from the GBIF community.
Biodiversity data analysis and use
The ability to access, analyse and use biodiversity data.
11. Tools and expertise to generate an agreed set of information products and services
including, for example, national, sub-national and thematic species lists, contributions tobiodiversity status reporting, a metadata catalogue, and an analysis of biodiversity data needs
and gaps that complement those produced by other stakeholders.
12. A programme to support access and use of biodiversity data available through the GBIF
network, possibly including a national or thematic biodiversity data portal. This could include
organizing training workshops, linking to national education programmes, translating andadapting documentation, and actions to raise visibility at relevant scientific conferences.

4.1.3. Capacity self-assessment for national biodiversity information facilities
The situation of each GBIF Participant is unique, with different capacity strengths and challenges.
The capacity self-assessment tool for national biodiversity information facilities [https://www.gbif.org/
13

tool/6Y2SqK8XokHUqIFUn6TLxX/] is designed to assist countries with planning at any stage ofdevelopment by identifying capacity strengths and needs relating to the Participant node and thebroader stakeholder network. The self-assessment questionnaire provides more detail on thecapacity requirements for establishing an effective Participant node and we recommend completingit as part of the planning process for a new node, updating it regularly to track progress.
Once you have identified the key capacity needs, gaining access to the advice and experience of the
GBIF network can help new Participants to establish effective nodes as efficiently as possible.
Projects and partnerships with other Participants and their nodes can be an effective form of
capacity development, for which there are many successful examples [http://www.gbif.org/
capacityenhancement/past-projects].

GBIF

has

a

capacityenhancement

supportprogramme[http://www.gbif.org/capacityenhancement/support-programme] that provides co-funding each year to
support such projects. Less formal exchanges of ideas and experiences, for example, throughregional meetings of GBIF nodes, also offer valuable opportunities to help nodes develop the basic
capacity requirements. See Section 6 for more detail.

4.2. Characteristics
In addition to the basic requirements, the following four characteristics help Participant nodes to beeffective:
1. Neutrality. Since nodes are established to coordinate, promote and facilitate data sharing
activities among multiple institutions, any perceived lack of neutrality will reduce theireffectiveness. For example, other biodiversity institutions and potential partners may bereluctant to collaborate if a node institution is directly involved in generating data for its own
research purposes, suggesting it is a competitor or guided by vested interests. However,institutions thus engaged may also build a reputation of trust within the community by offeringresources and services—including specialized knowledge about data curation—to otherinstitutions with similar aims. The node should be able to work with all relevant stakeholders,
independently of any preferences or priorities that are not defined or agreed by the wholecommunity. The institutional location of the node is decisive for its neutrality (see Section 5.1).
2. Leadership and initiative. Nodes need to be able to stimulate interest and mobilize people andorganizations to publish and use biodiversity data. The node should offer an inspiring, wellconnected team engaged in similar initiatives elsewhere, and able to convene multiple
communities to encourage participation, collaboration and other synergies effectively.
3. A focus on service. Nodes are established to assist a community of people and institutions, andshould therefore seek to serve rather than dictate. As a support facility for the Participant’s
network, the service-oriented approach should permeate all the activities carried out by thenode.
4. Adaptability. Nodes need the ability to respond to change in the typically broad and complex
landscape of funders, contributors and partners, to adapt their strategies to maintain theirrelevance, and to provide continuously stable services to their stakeholders. These qualities canbenefit from a focus on periodic evaluation and assessment, as well as by providing ongoinglearning opportunities for the node’s staff.

14

5. What is the recommended process forestablishing a Participant node?
Establishing a Participant node involves a number of critical decisions that will impact its
effectiveness, which therefore deserve careful consideration from the beginning. These decisions
mostly apply to country Participants, although some extend to organizations when there are several
networked institutions in which a node could potentially be based. The process is typically influenced
by factors specific to the Participant’s context including:
1. The institutional landscape at the Participant level: the number and type of institutions involved
with biodiversity, roles, social and economic context, research tradition, etc.
2. The interests, needs, and priorities of the Participant with regard to biodiversity data andinformation
3. The current and potential capacity of the Participant, in terms of funding, infrastructure, staff,
etc.
While these factors vary considerably between Participants, lessons from the community can help
new GBIF Participants, or those going through strategic changes in their decision-making processes.
Box 4 shows a simplified participatory approach towards making some of the key decisions
necessary to establish an effective node.
The key recommendation is to start a participatory process at the Participant level, ideally led by the
Head of Delegation or the institution that has been given the responsibility to sign the GBIF
Memorandum of Understanding. This process should include discussing the long-term vision andmission for the Participant node, and formulating a recommendation for the node’s establishment. It
can be useful to begin by envisaging the scope of the biodiversity information facility required by theParticipant, rather than looking at the role of the coordinating node in isolation. An effective firststep is for the Head of Delegation or lead institution to convene a group of representatives from theParticipant’s key biodiversity stakeholder institutions, helping to ensure their ownership of theprocess from the beginning.
See box 4Many tools exist to support dialogue around the establishment of a Participant node. We
recommend carrying out a capacity self-assessment [https://www.gbif.org/tool/6Y2SqK8XokHUqIFUn6TLxX/](see Section 4.1.3) to identify the key capacity strengths and needs, and from which to measureprogress in future. A preliminary content needs assessment [https://www.gbif.org/document/80890]
conducted at the Participant level through a survey, workshop or literature analysis (possibly led by aconsultant) can provide valuable information to guide the stakeholder group in formulating theirrecommendations. This assessment helps ensure that the needs and priorities of a broad
stakeholder group are represented in the process. Stakeholder mapping can also shape anunderstanding how the biodiversity information facility and node will address the Participant’s needs
and priorities, and complement other biodiversity-related or information-related initiatives.
After defining the scope of a biodiversity information facility and the long-term vision and goals for
its coordinating node, stakeholders are ready to discuss implementation plans for the node. Theseshould include aspects such as the collaborative framework, infrastructure requirements,

15

governance structure, funding, membership of governing and/or advisory bodies, the node’s roles
and responsibilities, as well as the key decision on where to locate the node.
The following questions can help the process of establishing a node:
1. Which of the identified needs should the node address, and which can the members of the wider
stakeholder network serve?
2. Which type of agreements (e.g., data sharing/use agreements, community norms, a formal
mandate for the node) are needed to support effective collaboration between stakeholders?
3. What type of informatics infrastructure provides the ideal model for a Participant biodiversity
information facility? Are there intermediate stages in developing this infrastructure that would
allow the provision of basic services as early as possible? Should the infrastructure rely on a
distributed system, or should the node act as a central hub for the network?
4. What type of governance structure should the node have? How can this help to create a sense ofownership in the node’s activities for the biodiversity information facility’s key stakeholders?
5. Does the node require advisory bodies, like scientific committees?
6. Which institutional location would provide the node with the best combination of neutrality andcapacity to support key services?
7. Which institutional location would provide the node with the greatest institutional and financial
support, as well as the maximum long-term stability? (See Section 5.1).
When designing and implementing the process of establishing a node, new Participants areencouraged to seek regular advice and guidance directly from existing Participants and theSecretariat: past experience often helps to identify potential problems and find effective solutions.
Ideally, the results of this process should form the basis of the recommendations for establishing theParticipant node (including formal aspects such as the legal mandate). The group of stakeholders
convened to support this process may be encouraged to become the initial members of the node’s
network and governing bodies.
Establishing a Participant node and biodiversity information facility is about changing the way
individuals and institutions operate and cooperate. There is no single perfect solution, and choices
will depend on the circumstances and priorities of each Participant. The more inclusive, transparent
and participatory the process is, the greater the chances are that the node will effectively meet theParticipant’s biodiversity information needs into the long term.

5.1. How should a GBIF Participant select theinstitutional location for a node?
As discussed above, the institutional location for the node is a critical decision likely to have longterm impacts on its effectiveness in coordinating biodiversity information for the country. Table 1
summarizes the types of institutions previously designated as hosts of GBIF Participant nodes, aswell as some of the potential advantages and disadvantages associated with each type of host.
Focused mainly on countries rather than organizations, the table does not provide a single
recommendation on where to locate a node but can serve as a reference while considering options.
These examples are generalized and will vary greatly depending on the specific situation of the
16Participant. The potential disadvantages in the right-hand column may not be applicable to all
countries or host institutions.
In addition to choosing the location of the node, Participants need to decide the position of the nodeteam within the host institution: will it be an autonomous body with an independent mandate, adedicated section or department of the host institution, or a group of staff members sharing theirnode responsibilities with other functions? New Participants are advised to consult with colleagues in
the network and examine the country profiles on GBIF.org [https://www.gbif.org/the-gbif-network] to help
identify the most appropriate model for national circumstances.
As a final note, some GBIF Participants have chosen to divide their node team among several hostinstitutions. In such cases, Participants are advised to designate one institution to coordinate nodeactivity and act as the main contact point for interactions with the GBIF Secretariat and the global
network. Only one representative per Participant may be appointed to the Participant NodeManagers Committee.
Table 1. Generalized examples of the types of institutions designated as hosts of GBIF Participant nodes.

Potential advantages

Potential disadvantages

Natural history collections
Existing

knowledgeofthechallenges

and May take significant effort to demonstraterequirements of digitizing and managing natural neutrality (e.g., if it is a zoological collection, that
history data

it can work with other types of collections), orthat it is not competing for digitization funds,etc.
May find difficulty in engaging with othercommunities holding other types of biodiversity
data (e.g., observations, ecological data, etc.)
Can make it difficult for the node to serve theneeds of some stakeholders (e.g., policymakers)
Ministries of science, environment, et al.

Very strong mandate and capacity to influence Challenges to operate at the technical level andand support policy and decision making
Easily aligned with national biodiversity policies,
strategies, and programme

to provide technical support (e.g., to the scientificcommunity)
Easily affected by political changes
May find difficulties in addressing needs fromother

ministries(e.g.,

fromscienceorenvironment)
Biodiversity or biological research institutes

17

Potential advantages
Highpotentialfordeveloping

Potential disadvantages
capacityin Maybiodiversity informatics easily and quickly
Fullknowledge

of

not

be

perceivedasneutralbyallstakeholders, depending on how the institute fits

within the Participant’s overall institutional
biodiversity-research landscape (for example, if there is overlap or

the

realm

competition for resources)

May have a strong and clear institutional
mandateResearch councils or science & technology commissions
Excellent position to use the Participant node to May
coordinate,promoteandfacilitate

not

be

perceivedasneutralbyall

the stakeholders, depending on how the institute fitsmobilization of biodiversity data from researchwithintheParticipant’s

overallinstitutionallandscape (for example, if there is overlap orEasily aligned with national research policies, competition for resources)
strategies, and programmes

Non-governmental organizations
Flexibility and autonomy

Potential lack of mandate, difficulty in formallyengaging with government institutions
May become dependent on projects and projectbased funding
University departments or faculties

High

potentialfordeveloping

capacityin May face neutrality issues

biodiversity informatics easily and quickly

May become dependent on projects and project-

Potential for aligning the node’s activities with based funding
various biodiversity research agenda
National informatics facilities outside the biodiversity/ biological domain
Strong position of neutrality
Ready access to technical capacity in informatics

Need to invest in staff bringing relevant scientificdomain knowledge to work effectively withbiodiversity data

Potentially useful connections with well-funded Need to build contacts and knowledge ofnational priorities on innovation and technology relevant institutional networks

5.2. What are the recommendations on the staff roles
within nodes?
While the specific services that nodes provide vary from one Participant to another (see Section 4), a18

node’s staff need to cover a number of typical functions:• Management and coordination• Outreach, communications, public relations and institutional networking (regional, national orthematic level)• Fundraising and project writing• Administrative work (financial management, reporting, organizing events and meetings etc.)• Capacity enhancement• Technical support service for data holders (helpdesk)• ICT support, webmaster & database management• Software development (data capture and cleaning tools, data visualization tools, data portal &web interfaces, web services, etc.)• Data analysis & modelling• Scientific liaison and promotion of data use in relevant research communities
This diversity of functions makes it clear that nodes require staff with a wide range of skills ranging
from administrative support to expertise in biodiversity informatics. Deciding how to staff a node
will, of course, depend on its expected roles, the level of financial support and the hosting
agreement or institutional location of the node. In cases where nodes are integrated into larger
institutions, functions like administrative tasks are often provided through in-kind support from thehost. The institutional landscape at the Participant level will affect the importance given to particularskills: for example, where a node is coordinating a large number of biodiversity-related institutions, itwill need greater emphasis on outreach and networking skills.
To cover the main functions listed above (assuming administrative support is provided by the hostinstitution), Participants can consider at least the following four roles to ensure the node’s
engagement with stakeholder communities, while providing the necessary technical skills to provide
good technical support to data holders and users:• A node manager as the manager of the team, responsible for the majority of the interactions
with the GBIF network and Secretariat including representation on the Participant nodemanagers’ committee. Nodes may either combine this role with one of the three below or,ideally, dedicate an individual exclusively to the position of node manager.
• A person with a scientific background, knowledge of the relevant research communities, and theability to motivate and communicate with data holders, data users and those engaged in policy
development• A person with a background in biodiversity informatics, skills in data management, and the ability
to provide technical assistance to data holders and data users while maintaining databases• A person with an informatics background, able to develop and maintain an informatics
infrastructure to enable biodiversity data publishing and support access to biodiversity data, forexample, through a national data portal.

19

Box 4. A participatory approach to establishing a
Participant nodeBox 5: Example of staff roles for a Participant nodeThis example assumes that the administrative roles are covered by the host institution.

Node manager

A person with a scientificbackground to motivate networkof data holders, data users

20

A person with strong data
management/analytics
background to provide
technical assistance

A person with web development/
coding skills to maintaine.g. national data portal

6. Further support for establishing a
Participant nodeSupporting the establishment and further development of Participant nodes and their work is apriority for GBIF as a whole. This guide has introduced some important general considerations in theprocess of establishing a node. This section explains other opportunities available to gain fromexperience of the GBIF network in this area.

6.1. How can I find examples of Participant nodes?
The country pages on GBIF.org [https://www.gbif.org/the-gbif-network] provide a summarized view of theParticipants’ GBIF-related activities. They include information about:• The Participant’s membership status and date of joining GBIF
• The Participant node’s date of establishment, website and contact information• An overview of the data published from the country’s institutions, with links to the data
publishers and datasets, as well as data published from anywhere in the world about biodiversity
located in the country• Information on the node’s history, vision and mission, structure and national funding• A list of news items relating to the Participant country and published by the Participant node, as
well as links to social media channels operated by the node
• Peer-reviewed research articles citing GBIF as a data source involving authors from theParticipant country, as well as articles relating to the country• Where available, validated lists of introduced and invasive species occurring in the country
Information

about

organization

Participants[https://www.gbif.org/the-gbif-network/participant-organisations] currently displays information about these Participants’ membership, data publishingactivity, and links to the node’s website.
Participant nodes are encouraged to share guiding examples [https://www.gbif.org/resource/search?
q=%22Nodes%20guidance%22] with the community, documenting their success stories that others canlearn from in establishing or developing their nodes.
Consulting these pages will help to identify the most relevant examples for the specific context of a
new GBIF Participant. New Participants are encouraged to use the contact information for the nodemanagers and staff to ask other network members or capacity enhancement mentors[https://www.gbif.org/mentors] for advice in establishing a node.

6.2. How can the GBIF Participant Node Managers
Committee assist in establishing Participant nodes?
The

Participant

NodeManagers

Committee[https://www.gbif.org/contact-us/directory?

group=nodesCommittee] is a forum for sharing information and best practices between Participant

nodes. It also acts as an advisory committee [https://www.gbif.org/document/80571] making
21

recommendations to the other GBIF governing bodies. The committee comprises all Participant nodemanagers, so as soon as a GBIF Participant has appointed a node manager, he or she is invited totake part in the committee’s activities.
The Nodes Steering Group [https://www.gbif.org/contact-us/directory?group=nsg] (NSG) was establishedwithin the committee in 2011, consisting of the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Participant NodeManagers Committee, and regional representatives from each of the six GBIF regions (Africa, Asia,
Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania). Its objectives include offering specificrecommendations to the relevant GBIF bodies based on feedback provided by Participant nodes, andto provide advice on the GBIF Work Programme relevant to nodes.
The Nodes Committee meets in a Global Nodes Meeting every other year. These meetings, often
combined with training activities, provide an excellent forum for interacting with other nodemanagers and planning collaborative activities. In addition, many of the regional subcommitteesorganize Regional Nodes Meetings either annually or every other year. These meetings advance
regional collaborative work between node managers and provide a forum for discussing priorities
and opportunities within the region.
In between meetings, the committee communicates via mailing lists and teleconferences, also
making use of the GBIF community forum [https://discourse.gbif.org/] to support collaborative work.
New Participant nodes are strongly encouraged to contact members of the Nodes Committee[https://www.gbif.org/contact-us/directory?group=nodesCommittee] to get involved in its activities, access theexpertise of the network and plan collaborative projects to support the establishment of Participant
nodes.

6.3. How does GBIF support capacity enhancement for
Participant nodes?
Capacity enhancement provides an essential foundation for the sustainable functioning andperformance of the GBIF Participant network and all its members, regardless of their level ofdevelopment.
The GBIF Participants and Secretariat have developed a range of capacity enhancement activities andprogrammes to empower all members of the GBIF community to carry out their work in the mosteffective, self-sustained and stable way. Capacity enhancement includes improving the way
Participants can contribute to and benefit from GBIF, how they organize their work and how they
relate to other Participants at regional and global scales. GBIF supports capacity enhancement in the
network through five complementary approaches shown in Box 6.
GBIF maintains capacity self-assessment guidelines for national biodiversity information facilities[https://www.gbif.org/tool/6Y2SqK8XokHUqIFUn6TLxX/] and for data holding institutions [https://www.gbif.org/
document/82785/] as tools to support planning and the tracking of progress, for example throughprojects.
A capacity enhancement support programme [https://www.gbif.org/programme/82219] with an annual
call for project proposals provides GBIF Participants with co-funding to address self-identified
capacity needs through collaborative regional and international projects. These projects can combinea range of actions, including mentoring between Participant nodes, the organization of regional

22

events and training workshops, the development or adaptation of documentation, GBIF advocacy
actions and actions to promote data use. Participants are encouraged to consider developing project
proposals to support the establishment and consolidation of their nodes in collaboration withexperts from the GBIF network. Reviewing past projects [https://www.gbif.org/programme/82219/] canprovide some useful examples of how to structure collaborative actions aiming to establish newParticipant nodes.
GBIF also seeks supplementary funding to support capacity enhancement, as through the
Biodiversity Fund for Asia [https://www.gbif.org/programme/82629/] (BIFA) and the Biodiversity
Information for Development [https://www.gbif.org/programme/82243/] (BID) programme. These
programmes have support projects to mobilize biodiversity data and promote the use of accessible
biodiversity data in support of research and decision-making, and provide training to project teams.
GBIF also provides access to training opportunities for node managers and staff. GBIF-related
training events are held all over the world and are displayed on the events section[https://www.gbif.org/resource/search?contentType=event] of GBIF.org.
Finally, the GBIF network acts as a community of practice, with many node managers and their
teams

volunteering

ascapacityenhancement

5SExsCfj7UaUkMCsuc6Oec/]andbiodiversity

open

data

mentors[https://www.gbif.org/article/

ambassadors[https://www.gbif.org/article/

6dNF1d0tgcI4cmqeoS2sQ4/] to support the further development of the global community. New

Participants are invited to contact the GBIF Secretariat for assistance in identifying mentors to assist
with the development of their node, for example, through training events.

6.4. What other documentation and resources areavailable for Participant nodes?
GBIF maintains a list of freely accessible resources for nodes [https://www.gbif.org/article/
T5SQrMJAU1OdFtHTNOWgN/] including tools, presentations, manuals and documentation for anyone touse and download.

6.5. Contact for further support
Staff from the GBIF Secretariat are available to provide guidance and assistance to Participant nodes.
Please contact nodes@gbif.org [mailto:nodes@gbif.org] for further information.
Box 6. GBIF’s capacity enhancement approach23