Robin Hood Model
Robin Hood Model
Robin Hood Model
Robin Hood Model
What Sets us apart
Proven and Impactful Content
We work with practical, well-tested tools and approaches, shaped by over ten years of experience in civil society. Our content is continuously refined through practice and feedback.
Care for People and Purpose
We care about the people we work with and the purpose they serve. Through reflection, trust, and personal support, we create learning spaces that enable real change.
Outstanding Facilitation
Our work is guided by skilled, well-prepared facilitation that is engaging, structured, and goal-oriented. We design and lead processes that help people move from learning to action.
Our KEY CONCEPTS
Our leadership development and coaching work is grounded in a set of practical concepts and tools that are part of the Civil Society Academy toolbox.
These concepts have been developed, tested and iterated over more than a decade and are used across organisational strategy processes, fundraising support and partnership development.
Double Diamond – Strategy Development Process
The Double Diamond structures strategy development as a process of divergence and convergence, helping organisations first understand challenges deeply before defining clear strategic priorities. It enables inclusive, analytical and creative strategy processes that lead to actionable and realistic strategic choices.
The Impact Navigator
The Impact Navigator provides a holistic framework to reflect on purpose, culture, structures, people, impact and resources. It supports leadership teams to assess organisational coherence and to identify concrete entry points for strategic and organisational change.
The Three Horizons Model
The Three Horizons model helps organisations balance short-term performance, medium-term adaptation and long-term transformation. It supports strategic conversations about where to invest, what to strengthen, and which new approaches to explore over time.
Trends NGOs Should Watch
Our trends framework helps organisations anticipate and reflect on emerging social, political, technological and funding trends shaping civil society. It supports strategic foresight and enables organisations to adapt their strategies to a rapidly changing environment.
Collaborative & Transactional Partnership Models
This framework distinguishes between transactional and collaborative partnership models, highlighting different levels of shared decision-making, risk and accountability. It helps organisations and partners consciously design partnerships that are fit for purpose and aligned with their strategic ambitions.
The Fundraising Canvas
The Fundraising Canvas is a practical planning tool that supports organisations to design coherent fundraising strategies, linking purpose, value propositions, target audiences, channels and resources. It enables teams to move from ad-hoc fundraising towards a more strategic and diversified resource mobilisation approach.
Our tRACK rECORD
Organisational strategy and change processes
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A comprehensive toolbox for strategy and change: Our organisational strategy work is grounded in a well-tested toolbox combining analytical and creative approaches, including the Double Diamond, Impact Navigator, maturity assessments, trend and context analysis, as well as design thinking methods to support innovation and adaptive decision-making.
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Inclusive and adaptive strategy design: We facilitate participatory strategy processes that integrate organisational analysis, prioritisation and implementation planning, delivered online and in-person and adapted to complex and changing contexts.
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Strategy processes for international and national organisations: We have facilitated around 15 organisational and country strategy processes for international organisations and their partners, as well as multiple processes for national organisations and initiatives for instacne MAITRI in India.
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Strategic support to coalitions and multi-actor partnerships: A significant part of our strategy work focuses on advocacy coalitions and multi-actor partnerships, particularly in African contexts, supporting them to clarify purpose, governance, roles and strategic direction using the same strategic toolbox applied to organisations.
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Digital learning and MOOCs: We have supported an online learning platform for organisational strategy and organisational leadership and have already designed and delivered three MOOCs in this area, translating our strategic frameworks into scalable digital learning formats.
Fundraising and resource mobilisation
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Open fundraising trainings: We have delivered around eight open trainings on fundraising and resource mobilisation, typically one per year, strengthening both strategic and practical fundraising capacities.
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Tailor-made fundraising workshops: In addition, we have facilitated around 10 customised fundraising workshops for organisations such as Yohanita, Helvetas, Welthungerhilfe and Land for Life, among others.
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Hands-on mentoring approach: Our fundraising support combines training, coaching and mentoring, often accompanying organisations through the development and implementation of fundraising strategies.
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Strengthening partner capacities: For example, we supported four Land for Life partner organisations through fundraising strategy development and mentoring, resulting in strengthened fundraising capacities and concrete successes.
Partnerships, localisation and ways of working
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Localisation strategies and coalition support: We supported localisation processes in eight countries as part of a joint programme, combining advocacy strategy development with coalition building among localisation actors.
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Partnership guidance and capacity building: We developed guidance materials and readers for Welthungerhilfe to support the mainstreaming of partnership approaches and the rollout of partnership trainings across country offices.
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Deep insight into partnership dynamics: Through long-term work with local and international partners, coalitions and multi-actor partnerships, we bring practical insight into power dynamics, collaboration challenges and enabling conditions for effective partnerships.
Strategic HR and people systems (emerging area)
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Developing strategic HR approaches: We are strengthening our offer on strategic HR and people management, focusing on systems that support organisational performance, leadership development and talent pathways.
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Forward-looking HR expertise: This work builds on senior experience in implementing strategic HR systems in large organisations (e.g. PRADAN in India) and is designed as a forward-looking offer for civil society organisations.
What others say about us
Constanze vonOppeln,
WHH Land for Life
"The Land for Life initiative profited immensely from the close accompaniment of CSA. Above all, CSA supported us in mainstreaming a “process-oriented and adaptive mindset” among the team: ensuring regular reflection, learning, and replanning. Today, we navigate the complexities of this land governance policy intervention with increased confidence."
Manisha,
Maitri India
"The process with CSA on developing multi-annual strategy, leadership and organizational development, and fundraising have been very good. A very important component has been 'reflection."
Partners
Facilitators
DIRK REBER
Topics: Leadership, Organisational Development, Fundraising, Youth Empowerment
Dirk has been committed to the civil society sector for more than 25 years. With his passion, positive energy, optimism, and autonomy, he likes to see people grow and find their true purpose and values. His empathy and international experience in leadership positions throughout Asia and Africa made him an exceptional facilitator, trainer, and coach: Dirk would love to work with you in one of the CSA courses. In addition, he is also a qualified outdoor trainer. His family and nature are central to Dirk's life.
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Joachim Schwarz
Topics: Leadership, Social Innovation, Advocacy,
Multi-Actor Partnerships, Coaching
Joachim is passionate about social justice and is on a mission to support like-minded civil society actors and social entrepreneurs to become more powerful and innovative. Hence, in 2014 he left his NGO career to build the Civil Society Academy. He is an outstanding facilitator and coach with expertise in social innovation, leadership, organisational change, and advocacy. After more than 20 years in Africa and Asia, he is now based in Berlin.
Dr. Petra Speier-werner
Topics: Leadership, Multi-Actor Partnerships,
Coaching
Petra’s mission is to be a source of inspiration and love that holds a space for everyone to grow and flow. She has been working in different sectors in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Being an organizational psychologist, economist and political scientist with a doctorate in change management, her trainings, lectures, and coaching are nurtured by her interdisciplinary approach.
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Retta Menberu
Topics: Leadership, Advocacy, Human Rights Based Approach
Retta Menberu Woldetsadik (M.D., MSc) stands up for civil society-state dynamics, good governance, advocacy, and a rights-based approach to development. Since 2018 he has been part of CSA, built up, and leads the Africa office to advocate for change and empower the youth. After working more than two decades in development and health leadership, as a trainer, researcher, and consultant in clinical medicine and public health, Retta developed himself to a broader development leadership and facilitation role by operating as Country Director for ActionAid International, and as regional Strategy Adviser for Rush Foundation. Additionally to his work with CSA, he works as a coordinator, researcher, adviser, and facilitator of international development and humanitarian organizations, alliances, and multi-actor partnerships in diverse contexts across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Sohini paul
Topics: Leadership, Social Accountability, Advocacy,
Human Rights-Based Approach, Coaching
As a facilitator and coach of Civil Society Academy, she has focused on providing trainings and workshops on leadership and team management in several countries across Asia and Africa. She also facilitates trainings on advocacy and human rights-based approach. Sohini has a Social Science background with master’s degrees in Geography and Regional Planning. She is a certified Life and Leadership Coach. She has more than two decades of experience in the development sector, during which time she supported the work of numerous social change organizations, working on issues of local self-governance, right to information and land rights. She has worked on capacity building of civil society organizations, from grassroots community groups to large networks. Sohini is passionate about civil society strengthening and holds space for those who are ready to learn and be happy - this is reflected in her facilitation style.