Project Processes & Practices

MBB recognizes the following about any initiative, intervention, activity or project:

Local Partners 
MBB’s teams work with local participants who help the team understand cultural considerations and guide the design, implementation, evolution and evaluation of the project.

Funding Sensitivity 
MBB funds all administrative overhead from member dues and contributions. Individual members volunteer their time for projects. Grants for travel expenses or in-country activities are carefully scrutinized so as not to compromise the MBB mission, vision or values. The terms and conditions of any funding source may not compromise MBB's ability to act ethically, responsibly or otherwise consistent with its values.

Preparation & Training 
MBB participants are encouraged to prepare extensively prior to engaging in any project activity. This includes learning the history of the region, its economy, its politics, its conflict context, and its culture. Additionally, teams are asked to orient their members to MBB principles, team processes, the history of the project and its partners, and  travel and security requirements.

Quality Assurance & Assessments 
MBB values quality assurance. The organization and teams employ debriefing for lessons learned, as well as monitoring and evaluation as much as possible.

Reasonable Expectations 
MBB strives not to create unrealistic expectations, nor to promise more than can be delivered over reasonable time periods. 

Selection of Teams 
Process qualifications, language fluency, in-region experience, prior relationships with stakeholders and cross-cultural knowledge are key criteria involved in assembling teams for projects. Teams are often multidisciplinary and are also assembled with consideration of diversity, creativity, commitment and ability to collaborate with each other and the project partners.

Service 
MBB intervenes for the benefit of others and not for its own purposes.

Stakeholder Awareness 
MBB strives for continued study of the cultural groups and identity concepts/issues of the participants, and the past, present and future activities in the region. MBB recognizes that there are often alternative historical narratives and perceptions of the conflict held by the participants.

 
Volunteers & Pro Bono Work 
MBB does not pay compensation or fees to its project team participants. MBB volunteers take quiet credit and find value in the work itself. Volunteers are focused on providing meaningful assistance in one locale over a number of years.