—First published on LinkedIn on October 10th, 2023—

By Imogen Bryson, The Share Trust Technical Support Lead, with Selvan Mwesigye, LCA Uganda Country Representative, Derrick Ogwal, LCA Uganda Member, and Rose Pinnington, PhD, King's College London

In recent years, the aid sector has been buzzing with the term "localisation." The goal is empowering local organisations, respecting local knowledge and practices, and shifting more resources toward local actors. However, has this truly resulted in a shift of power? Not necessarily, especially because international partners still hold the reins.

Despite commitments by Grand Bargain signatories in 2016 to target 25% of their funding to Local and National Organizations (LNOs), less than 1% of the $167.8 billion of total Official Development Assistance in 2018 went directly to local development actors. A study by The Share Trust and the Warande Advisory Centre estimates that local intermediaries could deliver programming that is 32% more cost efficient than international intermediaries, by stripping out inflated international overhead and salary costs.

In response to the enduring impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns, the Local Coalition Accelerator (LCA) Uganda, a coalition of 14 LNOs operating in Kampala, has come together to challenge the traditional way of doing business. Traditional funding models involve large bilateral donors funnelling resources through UN agencies or international NGOs as “intermediaries”, who then distribute these funds to local organisations. This approach is commonplace, and excludes local actors from participating in critical strategic and priority-setting discussions.

LCA Uganda, with financial support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and technical support from The Share Trust and the Warande Advisory Centre, is blazing a new trail by positioning local actors as intermediaries for funding. The LCA jointly designed their second Joint Action Plan (JAPII), based on the needs of their communities, rather than priorities dictated by donor or INGO expectations.

The creation of JAPII wasn’t a solitary effort. It was the product of collaboration, reflecting the coalition's "one team approach." Through three workshops involving LCA members and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) representatives, they identified challenges, aligned activities with KCCA's strategic objectives, and set measurable targets.

*LCA Uganda at the DMAT workshop in Kampala in May 2023. Photo credit: Imogen Bryson*

This pioneering approach is not without challenges, as the LCA, The Share Trust and the Warande Advisory Centre continually work to disentangle lingering neo-colonial power dynamics within the sector, and among themselves. During JAPII, the LCA took a decisive step by employing the Decision Mapping Tool (DMAT), developed by King's College London. This helped gauge the effectiveness of this innovative approach in transferring real decision-making power to local hands, putting the theory of 'a new way of doing business' to the test.

"Localisation isn't just a buzzword; it's a fundamental shift in how we operate. The DMAT helps us walk the talk by putting real decision-making power in local hands." - Derrick Ogwal, LCA Uganda Member

Initially tested in Kenya and India, the DMAT offers a lens into the decision-making processes of aid interventions, addressing critical questions about power distribution based on a process that maps decisions across three central ‘Decision Spaces’: 1) the Local Decision Space where decisions are made by local actors autonomously; 2) the Partnership Decisions Space where decisions are made between local and external actors; and 3) the External Decision Space where decisions are made without the involvement of local actors. The tool does not predefine ‘who is local’, enabling the definition to be contextualised by its users. It is implemented in a two-stage process: mapping and reflection.

Stage 1: The tool starts by mapping the perception of stakeholders regarding where decisions are made. These decision spaces range from local to international, creating a spectrum with partnership space in between.

Stage 2: In the subsequent stage, stakeholders engage in discussions to understand why certain decisions are perceived within different spaces. The primary objective is to foster greater understanding and create actionable plans.

As part of LCA Uganda’s DMAT process earlier this year, the coalition members, the Steering Committee, The Share Trust and the Warande Advisory Centre were all consulted separately to collect data on perceptions around power in their partnership. Then in May 2023, following these discussions, a group session was facilitated by the King's College team to discuss the findings and propose solutions.

"The DMAT approach helped the ULCA to understand the different decision making levels within the coalition and how these decisions resonate with the entire vision of the ULCA. We used the DMAT in JAPII to understand how external (donor) decisions and powers shape local actors development planning process." - Selvan Mwesige, LCA Uganda Member/Share Trust Liaison

The findings were as insightful as they were actionable. The power dynamics within the LCA's decision-making process revealed both strengths and areas for improvement. Community involvement in goal setting was widely praised, with a recommendation to keep community needs at the forefront. Design decisions showed evidence of collaboration but also highlighted a need to clarify roles to prevent confusion, underlining the delicate balance of power in a coalition with multiple actors and stakeholders. Similarly, misunderstandings in delivery and adaptive planning approaches stressed the importance of enhanced communication between stakeholders to ensure effective decision-making. The subject of funding brought transparency and inclusivity to the spotlight, essential for maintaining equitable power distribution among participants and ensuring accountability. Lastly, the recommendation for a comprehensive exit strategy for The Share Trust/Warande Advisory Centre, involving all stakeholders rather than adhering to a strict predetermined timeline, showcased a commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, respecting the autonomy of the coalition members.

For the DMAT team, a more nuanced approach within the local decision space was suggested. The aim is to dissect the local decision-making process with greater precision.

"Through the DMAT process, we discovered our strengths and areas where a little extra care is needed. It illuminated the path to transparency, understanding, and shared prosperity." - Theresa Nyaketcho, LCA Uganda Member

The DMAT has not just been a theoretical exercise; it is a practical tool that has begun to reshape decision-making within the LCA. The insights it offers are instrumental in delivering projects that are more effective and contextually relevant. The process of localisation is not about merely shifting resources. It is about a fundamental change in power dynamics, aligning actions with local priorities. By continually reassessing and adapting decision-making processes, the spirit of localisation is not just embraced but put into practice, promising lasting, positive change in the communities served.

For more information on LCA Uganda and their work, follow the coalition on Twitter. To learn more about the DMAT, visit the website or read the policy brief.

Let's Talk About Power: LCA Uganda and the Decision Mapping Tool