Strategic capacity building to enhance the programmatic quality and scope, support systems and resource mobilization for national NGOs in Yemen In response to YHPF Second Allocation call for submissions and the strategic third line of effort dedicated to supporting the Capacity Building of National Non-governmental organizations (NNGOs), DRC is proposing a two-year Capacity Building intervention to enhance the abilities of key NNGOs in terms of their programmatic quality, scale, and scope in critically impacted areas of Yemen. The proposed intervention will be complemented by DRC’s robust and multi-sectoral program that includes CCCM, WASH, Shelter/NFI, Protection, emergency response, and livelihoods activities, while focusing specifically on strengthening the technical expertise of CCCM, Protection, Shelter and WASH programming and organizational systems, and improving access to funding opportunities for the targeted NNGOs. 

To ensure in-depth and high-quality partnership, eight NNGOs will be selected by DRC for partnership within this intervention (four each from the North and South). The selection will be based on operational presence and access in critically impacted and high priority areas, technical interests, and a preexisting portfolio into which the capacity building partnership will be integrated and develop complementarities. A minimum of four partners will be those implementing CCCM, and the remaining four may be partners in other areas of DRC technical expertise, notably Protection, WASH or Shelter. Relevant national authorities and Cluster will also be consulted at this stage to maximize the potential for unhindered implementation of the partnership. The proposed intervention will employ diverse modes of capacity building, beginning in the first phase of the project with an assessment of the capacities, strengths, challenges, goals and opportunities for the targeted NNGOs. Based on the assessment analysis and contextual considerations, a comprehensive capacity building plan will be developed by the respective project manager, optimally within the first three months of the project period. The capacity building plan will be developed collaboratively with the NNGO and will be endorsed by both parties, signifying mutual agreement and investment in achieving the activities and goals outlined in the plan. 

DRC is proposing to provide the targeted partners with funds for a micro pilot project in the second half of the project period to pilot priority activities utilizing the knowledge and skills gained throughout the duration of the project. This practical component will require the operationalization of the skills, training and processes developed, and will allow DRC to monitor the performance of the partner to make recommendations, corrective actions and to evaluate the impact of the program capacity building component. 

As a complementary approach to expand the scope of the capacity building intervention to a broad range of NGOs in all thematic sectors, DRC will also lead training modules targeting 20 NGOs with monthly training sessions on themes determined consultatively with Cluster Coordination teams. Potential topic areas will be proposal writing and log frame development, project monitoring and reporting mechanisms. 

DRC will commence this intervention independently with close cooperation with OCHA, clusters and partners, but the opportunity of the ECHO consortium partners to join and broaden the geographic scope of the project will be explored within the first 12 months of the project.