Tamale: The National Consortium for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO Ghana), in collaboration with Africa Kids and the Northern Network for Education Development (NET), has successfully conducted a one-day resource mobilisation training workshop for officers of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
According to Ghana News Agency, the training focused on equipping non-profit leaders with the necessary skills to tap into local funding opportunities, ensuring the sustainability of their operations amid declining international donor support. Funded by the KGL Foundation, the event gathered leaders from civil society organisations and grassroots non-profits to enhance their capacity in resource mobilisation within Ghana.
Mr Michael Kwame Acquah, Chief Operations Officer of NCVO Ghana, highlighted the importance of the initiative during his address in Tamale. He emphasized that the training was part of broader efforts to provide organisations with practical strategies to remain operational in light of the dwindling inflow of foreign funding. He pointed out that many non-profits are experiencing financial challenges due to a reduction in international donor support, including the closure of some USAID-funded programmes, which has affected critical community projects.
Mr Acquah stressed the necessity for non-profit organisations to rethink their resource mobilisation strategies, moving away from over-reliance on external donors to leveraging local opportunities. The training aimed to help participants strengthen their internal systems, such as financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and organisational compliance, making them more appealing to potential local funders. He questioned whether organisations were prepared to receive local funds, highlighting the need for proper systems, transparency, and accountability.
Mr Christian Elongue, a development leader and knowledge management expert who facilitated a session at the workshop, encouraged participants to adopt strategic resource mobilisation instead of traditional fundraising approaches. He noted that Africa was rich in resources but needed to better harness existing opportunities through trust-building and community engagement. Mr Elongue explained that resource mobilisation is about activating assets, people, networks, skills, and trust, serving as a sustainability strategy rather than a survival tactic.
Mr Benjamin Dimongso Kafari, Executive Director of ASERD Ghana and a participant in the event, underscored the significance of such training programmes in promoting sustainable development, especially in northern Ghana.