Capacity-Building Project Model

MBB projects proceed through three main phases:

1. Project Exploration
2. Project Assessment
3. Project Implementation

Project Exploration

MBB members should have initial conversations with each other, potential local and international partners, and others about local needs, possible relationships, and possible projects. Early in these conversations, MBB members should submit a Project Exploration Form to the Projects Committee to keep MBB informed of the possibilities, elicit support for the project, increase linkages and communication, and reduce duplication of effort.  

The Committee will review the Project Exploration Form and help keep the Board informed. When MBB members request it, the Committee will serve as a resource, will help publicize the potential project and recruit potential team members, and will be available to provide guidance. 

Project Assessment

Most project teams will complete one or more assessment trips before fully formulating a project. When a team reaches this stage, the MBB Board will assign a Board Liaison.

To travel on an assessment trip in MBB’s name, the team must review State Department bulletins on the region and draft an Assessment Proposal, which will be reviewed by the Committee and must be approved by the MBB Board. The Assessment Proposal should include the following components:

•  an explanation of efforts and strategies for building relationships with potential partners in the host region and elsewhere;
• research on the political, cultural, and economic context of the host region; drawing on an existing conflict assessment is strongly encouraged;
• an explanation of efforts and strategies for gaining familiarity with conflict and peacebuilding work that has been completed or is underway in the area;
• initial project ideas to be further developed during discussions with partners and analysis of context. 
• a written record of completing the review required by Homeland Security and any other MBB travel and security forms and requirements.

The Committee will review the Assessment Proposal according to these criteria:

• local invitation
• local partners
• team’s cultural and language competence
• sufficient contextual research (cultural, conflict, political, economic)
• feasibility of initial project idea
• potential for sustainability
• team commitment to MBB principles
• leadership ability within the team
• security – sufficient knowledge and mitigation of physical safety risks, plans for response to emergency

Proposals should be able to demonstrate most of these criteria, but can be approved if a few cannot be met.

After review, if the Committee is unwilling to recommend that a proposal, as written, be approved by the MBB Board, the project team may request assistance from the Committee to strengthen the proposal and then may resubmit it to the Committee.  The Committee is happy to work with teams to accomplish this.  Once the Committee determines an Assessment Proposal satisfies criteria sufficient for approval, the Committee will make a recommendation to the full Board of Directors; a project team may also request that the Assessment Proposal be forwarded to the Board in the absence of a Committee recommendation.

The Board may approve or deny the Assessment Proposal. If the Assessment Proposal is not approved but is consistent with MBB values, the team may work to address the Board’s concerns.  Until the Assessment Proposal is approved, team members cannot travel in MBB’s name, except as part of the MBB Ambassadors program.  

Assuming the Assessment Proposal is approved, traveling members of the team need to be Mediator Members or Student/University Members in good standing, and complete all legal forms and satisfy all security and travel requirements. If the team believes a non-member is important to fulfill the team’s purpose, it can raise the money to pay for a membership for that person, or apply for scholarship monies that have been set aside for that purpose. 

Project Implementation

After working on a potential project that was approved at the Assessment stage, if the team determines the project is viable, the team may submit a revised Project Proposal, seeking full project status. This should include a demonstration of the criteria above, as well as the following components:

• a description of the actual project[s] on which the team will focus, including: purpose, subject matter, population likely to benefit from the project, and budget;
• a description of team members, including:
• names, contact information, and MBB membership status
• their roles and responsibilities in project implementation
• their experience and education in each of the conflict resolution/management/transformation practices and trainings planned;
• relevant complementary experience within, or available to, the team (e.g., trauma, business skills, nonprofit management, etc.);
• an identification of confirmed partners and their roles and responsibilities in project implementation, potential partners, and the team’s efforts and strategies for further building these relationships;
• an explanation of how MBB brings added value to the project;
• an explanation of how the project complements other conflict and peacebuilding work that has been completed or is underway in the area, and strategies for further developing this knowledge;
• an identification of potential constraints to implementation of the project and strategies for overcoming those constraints;
• plan for sustainability;
• plans for monitoring and evaluation;
• a demonstration that the team is not competing with ADR professionals who could be paid for this work;
• documentation of a completed review required by Homeland Security for potential partners not included in the Assessment Proposal, and any other MBB travel and security forms and requirements; and
• a description of the team’s Security and Emergency Plan.

The Committee and Board review processes are the same as in the assessment phase.

Assuming the proposed project is approved, the project team will continue to work with a Board Liaison. The Team Leader(s) will work with the team to decide on roles and responsibilities; among them, a Team Security Officer is highly recommended. The team has great discretion to make decisions about interventions, team make-up, fiscal allocations, and other aspects of implementation within the scope of the approved proposal.

The great majority of project work occurs at home, with occasional travel by some, but not necessarily all, members.  The team may solicit other MBB members, interns, and chapters, along with partners and experts outside MBB, to assist it in carrying out the project. The teams are responsible for raising all costs of carrying out the project.

Evaluation is an important component in our projects. Teams are encouraged to develop a monitoring and evaluation plan in the earliest stages; some funders require it, and it helps the team be more reflective and identify necessary course corrections. Some teams may build in a separate evaluation phase and team debriefing.

The team should keep the Committee informed of upcoming and completed trips and other significant developments. Traveling members are encouraged to debrief with the Lessons Learned Committee. The team is encouraged to work with communications volunteers to provide information to the newsletter, website, and Conflictpedia, and to post documents and discussions on the Forum.

Finally, we appreciate your interest in developing a project proposal.  Our mission is to build conflict resolution capacity around the world, and it would not be possible to do so without your willingness to put in the extra time and effort that help us make sure our projects are well thought out, coordinated, safe and effective.  Thank you for helping make that happen.