Organisational Capacity Manuals
The curriculum of the GIFTCLA CBO capacity-building programme. Each manual is a full PDF you can read online or download, followed by an assessment you complete for your own organisation.
Unlock all eight for €29The Basics
What a community-based organisation is, how it is legally formed, and the foundations every CBO needs before it grows.
Your assessment covers:
- • What is your CBO's current legal status and registration number (if any)?
- • Which founding documents does your CBO have in place, and which are missing?
- • State your CBO's purpose and the community it serves in three sentences.
- • List three actions to strengthen your foundations in the next 90 days.
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Organisational Governance
Building an accountable board or committee, separating governance from management, and keeping proper records of decisions.
Your assessment covers:
- • Who sits on your governing body, and what skills does each member bring?
- • How often does your governing body meet, and how are decisions recorded?
- • How is governance separated from day-to-day management in your CBO?
- • Which governance policies do you still need (conflict of interest, code of conduct, delegation)?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Strategic Planning
Turning vision into a costed, measurable plan, with situational analysis, objectives and indicators your CBO can track.
Your assessment covers:
- • Write your CBO's vision and mission statements as they stand today.
- • Give two strengths, two weaknesses, two opportunities and two threats for your CBO.
- • State three strategic objectives for the next three years, with one indicator each.
- • What people, money and partnerships do you need to deliver these objectives?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Managing Finances
Budgeting, bookkeeping, internal controls, cash handling and financial reporting that satisfies funders and members.
Your assessment covers:
- • How is your annual budget prepared and approved?
- • How do you record income and expenditure, and who checks the records?
- • Which internal controls are in place for cash, procurement and signatories?
- • What financial reports do your board, members and funders receive, and how often?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Managing People
Recruiting, supervising and developing staff and volunteers, with fair employment practice and healthy team culture.
Your assessment covers:
- • Describe your current team: paid staff, volunteers and their reporting lines.
- • Which people-management documents exist (job descriptions, contracts, HR policy, volunteer agreements)?
- • How are staff and volunteers supervised, supported and appraised?
- • What are your team's three biggest capacity gaps, and how will you close them?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Managing Projects
Designing, planning, implementing and monitoring community projects from concept note to close-out report.
Your assessment covers:
- • Name the project you are assessing and the problem it addresses.
- • Outline the main activities, timeline and responsible people.
- • List the top three risks to this project and your mitigation for each.
- • How will you monitor progress and evaluate results?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Office Administration
Records, filing, correspondence, assets, meetings and the daily systems that keep a CBO running reliably.
Your assessment covers:
- • How are your organisation's records filed and backed up?
- • Do you keep an asset register? Describe what it covers or what it would need to cover.
- • Which administrative routines are in place (correspondence log, meeting calendar, stock control)?
- • How do you keep community members' personal information safe?
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.
Publicity and Fundraising
Telling your story, building a supporter base, and raising funds locally and from institutional donors.
Your assessment covers:
- • Write your CBO's story in one paragraph a supporter could repeat.
- • Which communication channels do you use, and who is responsible for each?
- • Where does your income come from today, and where should it come from in two years?
- • Name three funding opportunities you will pursue and the next step for each.
Manual PDF and assessment unlock after registration and payment.