[Booklet] Sharing Experiences, Building Sustainable Think Tanks

Preface

If a democracy is to be successful, its people must be informed about the realities surrounding them and possess an understanding of how to address the challenges that afflict their society and communities. However, if the truth is concealed or if solutions to society's most pressing challenges are deliberated and implemented solely by special interest groups, societal progress will be impeded. It is with this conviction that independent think tanks are established. While the research and programs undertaken by various independent think tanks may differ, they are all united by a common aspiration for societal improvement and the hope that their insights and knowledge will be disseminated and utilized to enhance the lives of all people, rather than a select few. Nevertheless, this endeavor is fraught with difficulty, and independent think tanks confront numerous challenges, the most significant of which are maintaining independence, ensuring transparent governance, and fostering organizational sustainability.

Recognizing the vital role of independent think tanks in democratic societies and aiming to share knowledge on overcoming the challenges they face, the East Asia Institute, Sandhi Governance Institute, the Open Myanmar Initiative, and the Renaissance Institute have convened to share their distinct experiences with the objective of mutual learning. It is our collective expectation that this process of experience-sharing will not only facilitate the enhancement of our individual institutions but also serve as an opportunity for strengthening connections, thereby integrating our organizations into the international network of similar entities dedicated to advancing democracy. Through these workshops, we seek to reinvigorate ourselves and recommit our efforts toward achieving our respective goals of improving our societies and communities. We are confident that the exchange of our experiences will yield a mutually beneficial impact.

1. Building a Sustainable Civil Society Organization

Introduction

Whether approaching the subject of building a sustainable organization as an established, robust NGO or as a nascent group of individuals aiming to assist their fellow citizens, the most effective starting point is the fundamental basis. At the outset, a clear articulation of the objective provides direction and clarity for the ensuing extensive process. In this context, our objective is to establish a sustainable civil society organization (CSO). To achieve this, we must first clearly define what a CSO is. A CSO is an entity “created to bring about, or support processes to bring about, major positive change in the lives of the beneficiaries, clients or service users they have been formed to serve.”

The critical phrases in this definition are “major positive change” and “to serve,” which serve to differentiate CSOs from profit-seeking enterprises within society. Corporations and businesses measure their success by the profits they generate, quantifiable through expenditures and revenue. Conversely, assessing the success of CSOs in effecting “major positive change” is more challenging due to the subjective nature of the term “positive” and the fact that change may not always materialize despite the organization's extensive efforts. The second phrase, “to serve,” also distinguishes CSOs from profit-seeking entities, as CSOs aim to serve their community or beneficiaries, whereas businesses primarily exist to serve their own interests. Consequently, for a CSO, a crucial initial step is to formulate a mission statement that articulates the positive change the organization seeks to effect and guiding principles that will serve as evaluation criteria for the success of a program, both prospectively and retrospectively. Furthermore, as a CSO is designed to serve its clients rather than the organization or its individual members, a clear governance document is essential to enable external monitoring of the CSO's progress and activities...(Continued)

“Produced by the East Asia Institute in partnership with Sandhi Governance Institute, Renaissance Institute, Open Myanmar Initiative, and Yangon School of Political Science”