The strategic planning process helps ensure that civil-society and organization leadership, staff and stakeholders are working together toward common goals. Three Stones uses a highly participatory approach involving staff, senior management, board members, beneficiaries and external stakeholders to gather multiple inputs and refine priorities. We help create a common vision with sequenced steps for organizations to achieve objectives and goals, then adopt new practices.  

 

We work to develop strategic plans, establish follow-up mechanisms, and implement strategy to help with program alignment. For example, in 2017, Three Stones facilitated and completed a 5-year strategy for Network of International NGOs (NINGO), comprised of 70 organizations. This strategy will contribute to improved coordination and maintenance of a positive and inclusive dialogue with the Government of Rwanda and Development Partners, while representing the needs and concerns of NINGO members. The strategy also helps ensure that civil society’s collective contribution to sustainable development goals in Rwanda is demonstrated and acknowledged.

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SYSTEM STRENGTHENING

Three Stones supports community and government capacity development employing local solutions. We offer comprehensive expertise in training, ensuring that communities and local leaders are skilled to successfully implement activities and sustainably achieve intended outcomes. We provide dynamic and collaborative services including impact analysis, policy advocacy, staff training, team-building and leadership development.

 

Three Stones believes in the power of capacity building to empower institutions and communities to better plan, manage, budget, monitor and evaluate project activities. By working to increase capacity, Three Stones has helped organizations and communities to improve accountability and program more effectively, equitably and efficiently. We believe that strengthened capacity heightens project ownership and improves the likelihood of sustainability.

 

Three Stones utilizes a multi-pronged approach to systems strengthen. It includes:

(1) Collaborative and organization-led, to build internal capacity in operations, systems and priorities

(2) Adaptive, to client circumstances to improve impact and cost-effectiveness

(3) Aligned, to priorities and structures to improve human and financial resourcing

(4) Systematic, to holistically consider and leverage how what is done in one part of the organization impacts another.

 

Our experience building local capacity includes human resource policies/planning and financial systems strengthening; surveys of key stakeholders (internal and external to the organization); facilitating participatory strategic planning workshops; technical prioritization and approach strengthening. Last, as part of our system strengthening, we have experience with curriculum and materials development as well training. Recently, for example, we developed and then trained on a change agents’ advocacy curriculum for women graduates for Women for Women International.

 

Three Stones conducted an economic diplomacy strategy assessment for trade for the government of Rwanda. We have also assisted the USAID Democracy and Governance Office to conduct and synthesize an assessment of Rwanda’s democracy, rights and governance (DRG) sectors. On the national and policy level, Three Stones conducted the DFID-funded Economic Diplomacy Assessment for the Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM). During this activity we provided technical assistance to the Rwandan Government to analyze the cultural, administrative, geographical and economic situation and potential. Further, we outlined actual trading partners and assessed the political, legal, financial-economic and socio-cultural risks associated with globalization. Additionally, Three Stones has provided strategy support to the SDG Center for Africa to develop their three-year approach for effective implementation in Rwanda and beyond.

 

On the global level, Three Stones facilitated the Middle East and North Africa workshop in Amman, Jordan to develop a strategic framework for sustainable WASH services on behalf of UNICEF and World Vision.

 

Three Stones provides NATO with on-going technical guidance to help understand and improve on their Soft Power approach. In this regard, we have acted as a trusted partner to aid the NATO Southern Hub as it charters how to engage in trusting relationships with local community to better help predict and prevent instability. 

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