AnnuAl RepoRt

CDA CollAboRAtive leARning pRojeCts, inC.June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013

one Alewife Center, suite 400, Cambridge MA 02140, usAAvailable for download at: www.cdacollaborative.org

CDA CollAborAtive leArning ProjeCts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on April 3, 2003. We are committed to improving the effectiveness of international actors who provide humanitarian assistance, engage in peace practice, and are involved in supporting sustainable development.

CDA is funDeD PrimArily by governments AnD ComPAnies who suPPort us because we have a proven capacity to combine robust analysis with pragmatic solutions to deliver practical tools and techniques to field staff and international policymakers alike. Our methods are inductive; our approach is collaborative. We work with individuals and organizations in the development, humanitarian, peacebuilding, and corporate domains to assist them with identifying solutions to complex and shared challenges. Our partners are global, but our focus is local, i.e., on people and communities who stand to benefit most from the international assistance system.

Photos: CDA

Clockwise from top right: Do No Harm workshop, Yangon, 2013. Isabella Jean during a Listening Exercise, India, 2012 Photo: Chandrakant Deokar. Reflecting on Peace Practice workshop, Barcelona, 2013. Mary B. Anderson and Marshall Wallace signing their book opting out of War, Cambridge, 2013.

Graphic Design by Jonathan Vogel-Borne

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message from executive Director, 4

vision, mission, and guiding Principles, 5

financial report, 6–7

CDA’s Collaborative learning Process, 8–9

CDA Publications, 10–11

Publications in focus, 12–15

CDA Programs, 17–25

Corporate engagement Program, 18–19

Do no harm Program, 20–21

listening Program, 22–23

Reflecting on Peace Practice Program, 24–25

looking Ahead to the 2013-2014 fiscal year, 26

board and staff, 27

Donors, back cover

Contents

On cover from left to right: Listening Exercise, Pakistan, 2013 Photo: Manuel Pereira. Corporate Engagement Program visit, Sierra Leone, 2011 Photo: CDA. Listening Exercise, Pakistan, 2013 Photo: Manuel Pereira. Corporate Engagement Program visit, Uganda, 2011 Photo: CDA.

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message from the executive Director

Dear friends and colleagues,

W elCOMe tO CDA’s AnnuAl RepORt for the fiscal year June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013. We hope you enjoy the new format we have adopted

for the report, with less text and more links to relevant resources.

this has been a year of many transitions for CDA. First, we made a decision early in this calendar year to use the name “CDA,” rather than the elaborate name “CDA Collab-orative learning projects.” While this remains our legal name, everyone calls us “CDA” anyway! We have a new logo and tagline to accompany the new name. [Discover the story behind our name at: www.cdacollaborative.org/about-us/who-we-are/early-development-of-cda.]

second, I assumed the position of executive Director on January 1, 2013, following the three-year service of steve Darvill. steve decided it was time to return to Australia, where he is now in the vortex of rapid change in their aid program. For me, after ten years as Co-Director of the Reflecting on peace practice program, it has been a period of recalibration. As executive Director, my programmatic focus transitioned into attention to the administrative and financial challenges of the organization, as well as keeping track of all four of CDA’s programs. so far this has been an enjoyable effort, as I work with such a dedicated and talented group of people.

Finally, we have been slowly expanding the number of staff at CDA, and now have fifteen, a gain of two positions in one year. thus we decided to relocate to a bright and spacious new office in Alewife Center, Cambridge, MA. One of the new staff positions is associated with a special grant from the state Department for work on issues of corruption in central Africa. this is an exciting new challenge for CDA, undertaken in partnership with our colleagues at Besa Consulting in Canada. Meanwhile, the continuous challenge of extending CDA’s outreach was met this year by launching a new, user-friendly website and adding a half-time position dealing with CDA commu-nications.

this has also been a very productive year for CDA. We finalized and released two books at the end of 2012:

Time to Listen: Hearing People on the Receiving End of International Aid and Opting Out of War: Strategies to Prevent Violent Conflict. Both of these publications draw conclusions from several years of evidence gathering and analysis. they are highlighted later in this report.

In addition to these two books, CDA staff have shared their lessons through working papers, articles, issue papers, and guidance products on a wide range of topics of interest to humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, and corporate actors. Most of these are available on our improved website, and a list of publications is provided in this report.

Also in this report, each of the CDA programs has briefly outlined their accomplishments during the 2013 fiscal year and their expected activities during the 2014 fiscal year. Yet as an organization, CDA is increasingly identifying cross-cutting lessons and challenges shared across its four programs. this coming year, in an effort to make cross-program integration a reality, we are exploring how best to realign CDA programs and link the rich array of partners with whom we work.

Recently CDA has been exploring a cross-CDA collabo-rative learning effort regarding the general theme of prevention of armed violence. each CDA program has sorted through how it could contribute to learning in this area within their specialized area as we determine a specific focus for this effort. In a similar vein, we have recognized that each CDA program is addressing issues of monitoring and evaluation in one way or another. this is, then, another area for cross-cutting work. We are also seriously considering establishing CDA field presence in a few selected locations, in order to sustain application of CDA principles, lessons, and practical tools.

We look forward to engaging with many of you during the year ahead. please let us know if you have any questions or feedback for us.

best wishes,Peter woodrow

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CDA’s mission, vision, and guiding Principles

mission CDA facilitates collaborative learning promoting effective and accountable international engagements.

visionCDA strives for a world in which communities and nations demon-strate resilience, drive their own development, and resolve conflicts without resorting to armed violence.

guiding Principles

respect | Accountability | fairness | transparency

We maintain relationships of respect, accountability, fairness, and transparency with those whom we work and engage with, as well as with our learning partners and donors.

People are a source of guidance

The views and perspectives of people affected by international assistance are an important source of guidance for improving future practice.

local Capacities are more effective

Local capacities for economic development, social change, and peacebuilding are more effective and more sustainable as the basis for policies and practices.

Context mattersContext matters, and all interventions have impacts on the societies and people involved.

independence | integrity | Partnership

We preserve CDA’s independence and integrity by working with international organizations in a spirit of partnership.

impartialityWe sustain our impartiality with multiple interest groups by refraining from becoming an implementing agency.

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financial report

PerCentAge of ProgrAm eXPenses out of CDA’s totAl eXPenses

the accompanying pie chart shows the distribution of CDA expenses across all programs and administration. During FY 2012-13, 83% of expenses were attributable to direct and indirect program expenses and 17% to administration, monitoring, and evaluation.

CDA generated $1,415,107 in new and previously obligated funds during FY 2012-13, ending May 31, 2013. this repre-sents a decrease of 33% when compared to the FY 2011-12 outcome ($2,098,911) and is similar to the FY 2010-11 income of $1,463,136. A significant portion of the difference between FY 2012 and FY 2013 can be attributed to the timing of when revenues were received.

program expenses increased slightly over the previous fiscal year, from $1,541,611 to $1,741,267, resulting in a decrease in net assets of $326,160. Donors to CDA’s programs this year include the German Ministry for economic Cooperation and Development, norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, swiss Agency for Development Cooperation, us Department of state, us Agency for International Development, uK Depart-ment for International Development, peacenexus Foundation, total s.A., and suncor.

CDA’s financial statements are audited on an annual basis by Bernard Johnson & Company, p.C. in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting principles (GAAp) and the International Financial Reporting standards (IFRs). the following statement of Financial position and statement of Activities for the year ending May 31, 2013 are extracted from CDA’s financial statements. the complete audited statements are available upon request to CDA management.

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statement of Financial position

Year Ending May 31, 2013 May 31, 2012

Assets us$

total non-current assets 50,504 15,000

total current assets 739,624 1,050,524

total Assets 790,128 1,065,524

liAbilities AnD net Assets us$

total net assets 703,621 1,029,780

total current liabilities 86,507 35,744

total liabilities and net Assets 790,128 1,065,524

statement of ActivitiesYear Ending

May 31, 2013 May 31, 2012

Revenue us$

grant Revenue 1,110,620 1,691,780

Contract Revenue 277,429 405,795

other 27,058 1,336

total Revenue 1,415,107 2,098,911

expenses us$

program expense 1,288,025 1,190,240

Administration and support expense 453,242 351,371

total expense 1,741,267 1,541,611

CHAnge in net Assets us$

net assets, begining of year 1,029,780 472,480

net assets, end of year 703,620 1,029,780

total change in net assets (326,160) 557,300

financial report

CDA’s Collaborative learning and Dissemination Processes

Initial consultation: framing of the question + identi�cation of information

needs

Initial case studies of �eld experiences

and literature review

Consultation early themes and

patterns.

Additional cases studies and consultations:

preliminary Issue Papers

Intensive case analysis revised Issue Papers

(provisional �ndings)

Feedback Workshops among practitioners validation/re�nement

of learning

Consolidated lessons

REPORT or BOOK

Collaborative Learning Process

Identi�cation of an important question

Progresss toward sustainable peace

with justice

New questions for study

Development of practical guidance

and toolsAwareness

raising, general dissemination

Training workshops

Mentoring, coaching, accompaniment

Dissemination Activities

Improvements in program design, quality

& e�ectiveness

Organizational learning, systems change

Desired results, not in CDA’s control!

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Theory of ChangeIf practitioners are provided with evidence-based findings regarding what works, and are accompanied through individual learning and organizational systems change, improved programming is more likely to achieve sustainable development with peace and justice.

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CDA’s Core Commitment is to collaborative learning across organizations and contexts. the top cycle shows the typical steps in CDA’s learning methodology. the bottom cycle depicts how CDA disseminates its findings through aware-ness raising, training, and other forms of engagement.

Collaborative learning values:• Involve people directly in the learning process.• test assumptions and inform policy and practice from field experience.• utilize joint reflective practice for mutual sharing and stimulating changes in policy and practice.• Base learning on a wide range of perspectives elicited through open-ended inquiry.

this year’s learning and Dissemination in numbers

Aware

ness Raising effortsCDA wrote

21 publications, including

2 new books

tra

ining to build skills

CDA delivered 57 presentations and led 13 training and

workshop events

supp

ort program Design

CDA responded to 4 DFID Help Desk Requests*

*What is a Help Desk Request? CDA is engaged in the Conflict, Crime and Violence Results Initiative (CCvRi), which is a partnership between the uK Department for international Development (DFiD)’s

Conflict Humanitarian and Security Department and a consortium of leading organizations in the fields of conflict, security, and justice. CCVRI maintains a Help Desk function that provides direct and customized support to DFID country offices as they try to improve measurement of results

in local contexts. CDA responds to Help Desk requests as a member of a CCVRI conflict-oriented sub-consortium, with CARe uK and search for Common ground.

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CDA Publications

ArticlesQuestions for Planning Any Development Project. DnH program staff. CDA. june 2012

Application of the RPP Program Reflection Exercise Addressing Land Related Conflicts in Tierra Firma. peter Woodrow, Koenraad van brabant. CDA.

november 2012

Aid Recipient perspectives on strengthening Country systems. Dayna brown. usAiD. november 2012

the Do no Harm Chain: linking Analysis to Actio in using both DnH Frameworks. nicole goddard. CDA. May 2013

What Do local people Really think? Do our evaluation systems Really Measure What Matters? Dayna brown. interAction: Monthly Developments.

May 2013

blog PostsWhen was the last time you just sat and listened? Dayna brown. CDA. December 2012

Another look inside the aid “industry”. Dayna brown. CDA. january 2013

old Whines. Marshall Wallace. CDA. February 2013

We are committed to listen to you. isabella jean. CDA. February 2013

the b-Word. Candice Montalvo. CDA. February 2013

evidence – is it in the eye of the beholder? Dayna brown. CDA. March 2013

best practices. Candice Montalvo. CDA. April 2013

listening leads to better outcomes. Dayna brown. CDA. April 2013

booksTime to Listen: Hearing People on the Receiving End of International Aid. Mary b. Anderson, Dayna brown,

isabella jean. December 2012

Opting Out of War: Strategies to Prevent Violent Conflict. Mary b. Anderson, Marshall Wallace. lynne Rienner publishers.

january 2013

guidance notesRisk and Do no Harm. DnH program staff. CDA. August 2012

Developing options. DnH program staff. CDA. August 2012

Monitoring and Evaluating Conflict Sensitivity: Methodological Challenges and Practical Solutions. Diana Chigas, Rachel goldwyn. uK Aid.

March 2013

Practical Approaches to Theories of Change in Conflict, Security and Justice Programmes Part I. peter Woodrow with nick oatley. uK Aid.

March 2013

Human Rights and Do no Harm. DnH program staff. CDA. April 2013

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issue Paperslinkages and Convergences. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

Claims and Reality of linkages between peace Writ large and peace Writ little. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

Women, gender, and peacebuilding: Do Contributions Add up? Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

the Contribution of Civil society in peacebuilding. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

leadership and Adding up. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

“outsider” Roles and Relationships in Cumulative impacts. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

strategies for Dealing with the Hard to Reach. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

Addressing or neglecting persistent issues: threats of Renewed violence or a long-term Development Agenda. Rpp program staff. CDA.

August 2012

timing of Work and progress in Domains. Rpp program staff. CDA. August 2012

newslettersDo no Harm summer 2012 newsletter. DnH program staff. CDA. june 2012

CDA summer 2012 newsletter. CDA staff. CDA. August 2012

Do no Harm Fall 2012 newsletter. DnH program staff. CDA. november 2012

CDA Winter 2012 newsletter. CDA staff. CDA. December 2012

Cep Winter 2013 newsletter. Cep program staff. CDA. February 2013

CDA spring 2013 newsletter. CDA staff. CDA. April 2013

reportslistening exercise Report from tamil nadu southern india. isabella jean. oxfam international. september 2012

Theories and Indicators of Change (THINC): Concepts and Primers for Conflict Management and Mitiga-tion. eileen babbitt, Diana Chigas, Robert Wilkinson. usAiD.

january 2013

Theories and Indicators of Change (THINC) Briefing Paper: Concepts and Primers for Conflict Management and Mitigation. eileen babbitt, Diana Chigas, Robert Wilkinson. usAiD.

january 2013

working PapersEvaluating Impact in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Programs. Mark M. Rogers. CDA. november 2012

evaluating Relevance in peacebuilding programs. Mark M. Rogers. CDA. november 2012

An Alternative to Formal evaluation of peacebuilding: program Quality Assessment. Diana Chigas, Cordula Reimann, peter Woodrow. CDA.

December 2012

evaluability Assessments in peacebuilding programming. Cordula Reimann. CDA. December 2012

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Opting Out of War: Strategies to Prevent Violent Conflictnew book by Mary B. Anderson and Marshall Wallace

i n the MIDst OF WAR, some communities develop strategies to exempt themselves from participation in surrounding violence. this book reports stories of

existing capacities and resilience on the part of multiple communities—some quite sizable and significant—that manage to prevent violent conflict when all the incentives that surround them are to become involved, to fight.

Stories of Thirteen Communities the stories of thirteen communities show that opting out of violent conflict is possible. normal people living normal lives have the option to say no to war, and they exercise that option. normal leaders in systems that already exist can and do respond to and support their people in non-engagement strategies. this kind of conflict prevention does not require special training, new leadership, or special funding. It occurs, repeatedly and around the world, in different types of conflict.

the communities described in this book were successful because they acted with intentionality and planning to set themselves apart from the agendas of the war, for pragmatic rather than ideological reasons. they did not avoid interaction with actors in the conflict nor attempt to be irrelevant to the battle. they were not hidden from view by remoteness or because of insignificance in numbers.

the alternate route they chose is not war prevention, but it does constitute prevention of violent conflict in their contexts. the communities themselves did not claim to be models of universal applicability, and we do not make this claim for them. In most cases, they also did not attempt to influence other communities or the wider war dynamics as peace or anti-war activists.

Relevance for Conflict Prevention the stories are inter-esting and impressive in and of themselves. Beyond that, by describing, comparing, and analyzing these thirteen examples, this book intends to add to and broaden the discussion of how conflict prevention can work in other areas. the cumulative evidence from the communities represents a strong coherent body of experience that can provide useful and practical insights for local and interna-tional actors who seek to improve the outcomes of current conflict prevention efforts.

Strategies for Non-Engagement & Resilience What do these communities do that succeeds? Do their strate-gies hold any relevant lessons for broader peacemaking efforts undertaken by international actors?

CDA Publications in focus

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these non-war communities shared six characteristic capacities that supported and informed each other as the communities relied upon them to stay out of war:

1. Making a decision to opt out of war as a commu-nity.

2. Choosing an identity that was well known, tradi-tional, and incompatible with the war.

3. Maintaining normal life as much as possible through continuing to provide services and promote economic activity.

4. supporting internal cohesion through local dispute resolution and codes of conduct.

5. Achieving security through engagement with fighters and trickery.

6. Celebrating with one another through festivals, holidays, sporting events, etc.

If war breaks out and widespread violence occurs, this indicates that existing prevention systems have not been strong enough. Worse, war itself causes many pre-existing connections to fail. As a result, most observers—both insiders and outsiders—conclude that new systems need to be imagined and created to enable a warring society to become peaceful.

this conclusion is undoubtedly true, but it may be less true than we imagine. these thirteen communities provide examples of strategies and processes for avoiding participation in conflict that exist more often and in more warring areas than we usually recognize. the thirteen situations are not unique. In each of these locations and in many others around the world where conflict occurs, we have heard many stories of similar groups.

In areas where war was being waged, these communi-ties were able to opt out of the conflict and to develop strategies by which they survived without joining sides. taken together, their stories provide useful insights into the capacities needed to prevent conflict and provide strong markers of resilience. they show that such capaci-ties and resilience exist—even in warring areas. they deserve our attention and provide instruction for other communities and for international actors.

During Corporate Engagement Program visit, Madagascar, 2011. Photo: CDA

The book can be found for purchase here on CDA’s website.

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D Oes the WAY international assistance is provided make sense? Is it working as we mean it to? this book approaches these questions by asking people

on the receiving side about their experiences with inter-national aid efforts. It captures the ideas, insights, and analyses of almost 6,000 people across twenty countries where international aid has been provided.

From such a range of locations and people, one might expect vastly different ideas and opinions. however, remarkably consistent patterns and common judgments emerged. In the midst of difference, there was striking unanimity and consistency about the processes and the effects of the current international aid system.

the evidence presented in this book shows that people want smarter aid, not necessarily more aid. using their words, their experiences, and their ideas, this book describes why the cumulative impacts of international aid efforts have not met expectations. It describes a way forward to make changes that, according to those on the receiving end, will lead to more effective and lasting results.

local voices need to be heard: four Key messages

1. International aid is a good thing that is appreciated.

2. Assistance as it is now provided is not achieving its intent.

3. Fundamental changes must be made in how aid is provided if it is to become an effective tool in support of positive and lasting economic, social, and political changes.

4. these fundamental changes in how aid is provided are both possible and doable.

A new Aid ParadigmA paradigm shift is necessary to alter the way interna-tional aid is conceived and provided. At the core of the current externally driven aid delivery system is a focus on the delivery of goods, services, and ideas engendered from outside the local context. Time To Listen proposes transforming the approach to providing aid by engaging with local people in collaborative planning and decision-making processes in which insiders and outsiders analyze the context, generate options, and jointly decide the best strategy for pursuing the desired changes that local people seek, as well as joint evaluations of the progress made and challenges remaining.

To make this shift, donors and aid agencies need to simplify and refocus their policies, procedures, alloca-tion of resources (time and money), and the time and talents of their staff and partners on the ultimate goal of supporting local people to drive their own responses to crises, recovery, and long-term development.

Time To Listen: Hearing People on the Receiving End of International Aidnew book by Mary B. Anderson, Dayna Brown, and Isabella Jean

CDA Publications in focus

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“this focus on the cumulative impact of aid on poor people is really valuable, because it contrasts with most aid evaluations, which focus on individual projects or programs….

but perhaps the most disturbing point is that i cannot think of a previous exercise like this—recording the views of aid recipients on this scale…. If you want a challenging, thoughtful, uncomfortable,

bottom up critique of aid, Time to Listen is the place to start.”

—Duncan Green, Strategic Adviser for Oxfam GB. The full review is available on Duncan’s blog From Poverty To Power. [See more reviews and references to the book’s findings here on our website.]

CDA knows that bringing about systemic change requires a critical mass of individuals and organizations hearing and acting on the findings of Time to Listen both individually and collaboratively. We made the book avail-able for purchase at a low cost and in a free downloadable format so that it would be easily accessible and shareable. We also started a blog, time to listen, which provides a

forum to share ideas and guidance on how to act on the Time to Listen findings. Within a few months of the book’s publication, CDA staff have made many presentations to and held discussions with key audiences including donors, aid agencies, the un, evaluators, researchers, and others on the findings and implications of the lessons in the book.

externally Driven Aid Delivery system Collaborative Aid system

Local people seen as beneficiaries and aid recipients Local people seen as colleagues and drivers of their own development

Focus on identifying needs Focus on supporting/reinforcing capacities and identifying local priorities

Pre-planned/pre-determined programs Context-relevant programs developed jointly by recipient communities and aid providers

Provider-driven decision making Collaborative decision making

Focus on spending on a pre-determined schedule Fit money and timing to strategy and realities on the ground

Staff evaluated and rewarded for managing projects on time and on budget

Staff evaluated and rewarded for quality of relationships and results that recipients say make lasting positive changes in their lives

Monitoring and evaluation by providers on project spending and delivery of planned assistance

Monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up by providers and recipients on the results and long-term effects of assistance

Focus on growth Planned draw down and mutually agreed exit/end of assistance strategy

The book can be found for free download or for purchase here on CDA’s website.

Photo: CDA

Photo: Carrie O’Neil

Photo: CDA

Photo: CDA

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CDA ProgrAms

ACComPlishments & future ProsPeCts

Photo: CDA

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oveR the pAst YeAR, the Corporate engagment program (Cep) has continued disseminating the lessons learned from Getting it Right and launched

a new learning project focused on business and armed non-state actors.

Disseminating lessons from Getting it RightSupporting Corporate Operations this past year we have continued working closely with companies to help them embed conflict sensitivity into their business practices and to expand our learning about approaches to improving corporate practices.

In addition to ongoing work with total, we conducted a field visit to Maersk Drilling in Angola. We developed recom-mendations to make their Corporate social Respon-sibility (CsR) planning tool more robust and to strengthen policies at the headquarters level. We continue to work with suncor energy in their development of internal guidelines for operations in complex environ-ments.

Engagement with China this year we also had an opportunity to engage in dialogue with Chinese compa-nies about their impacts on local communities outside of China. Cep joined with the American Friends service Committee (AFsC) in supporting the new Century Academy on transnational Corporations (nAtC) in devel-oping a Chinese-language volume about social, political,

and conflict risk in complex environments. As part of this collaboration, Cep’s preventing Conflict in exploration (pCe) tool was translated into Chinese and published as an appendix to the nAtC book.

Cep staff were also featured speakers at a one-day conference that nAtC convened in Beijing. A second

visit to Beijing took place in April 2013, coinciding with meetings of the un Global Compact and the Global Business Initiative. Both visits included meetings with Chinese enterprises, financial institutions, journalists, and civil society organizations (CsOs). We continue to pursue these networking and experi-ence-sharing opportunities in an effort to develop sustained programmatic work with Chinese corporations, financial

institutions, regulatory bodies, and CsR experts.

International Council of Swedish Industry Cep joined with CDA’s Reflecting on peace practice program (Rpp) to produce a chapter in the newly published book Management in Complex Environments. the book was the final product of a project organized by the International Council of swedish Industry (nIR). the chapter integrates Rpp’s thinking about “peace Writ large” with Cep’s knowl-edge of conflict-sensitive business practice. the book was published by nIR in november 2013.

The Corporate Engagement Program (CEP) works to ensure that companies have

positive impacts on communities in the vicinity of their operations by developing and implementing practical management tools for constructive company-community

engagement.

Corporate engagement Program

Corporate Enagagement Program Director, Dost Bardouille,

speaking in Beijing

Accomplishments During this fiscal year

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new initiativesBusiness and Armed Non-State Actors In January 2013, we launched a new collaborative learning project focused on business and armed non-state actors (AnsAs). this multi-year project is aimed at developing guidance for conflict-sensitive business practice in areas of violent intrastate conflict. With the first phase of the project underway, we have produced a literature review and convened an initial consultation, held in Geneva, which brought together representatives of companies, governments, and international agencies, as well as individual experts, to discuss the challenges that companies and other actors face when they operate in areas where AnsAs are active.

the Coming yearCep will continue to work with corporations to support their efforts to improve their impacts and their relation-ships with communities. Field visits to total operation sites in nigeria and Bolivia are scheduled for september and December 2013, respectively. We will pursue further

dialogue with Chinese state-owned enterprises and finan-cial institutions and extend our partnership with nAtC and AFsC. Cep will also continue to work directly with company partners to develop further learning on internal organizational challenges to leading in complex markets. Cep seeks to undertake regular consultations with a small

corporate working group on practical management and systems thinking options towards responsible business.

ANSAs During the first half of 2014, we will complete the first phase of the Business and AnsAs learning project with a state of play reporting on current gaps in and challenges to responsible business in areas where AnsAs are present, as well as an advanced program

plan for phase two to identify lessons learned from companies working in areas where AnsAs are present.

Cambridge Consultation Cep is convening a consulta-tion in the fall with leaders from the extractive industries, nGOs, and governments to discuss key challenges facing businesses that seek to operate constructively in fragile and conflict-affected environments.

A Global Network The past year CEP presented or facilitated at workshops

and confernces in 13 different countries! As a way of staying engaged with our

expanding network of multi-lateral initiatives, peer organizations, and

corporations we started launching our own newsletter. Don’t wait to subscribe!

Practitioners at a Reflecting on Peace Practice workshop in Cyprus, 2012. Photo: CDA

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t he DO nO hARM pROGRAM (Dnh) has spent the past year reflecting on how best to move aid workers from knowledge to understanding to actions. We

have worked on several new approaches, techniques, and methodologies for teaching Do no harm and broadening its reach. We began a process for updating the existing Dnh tools and integrating Dnh with tools from other CDA programs and partner organizations, which included adapting Dnh and expanding the method.

Applying DNH to Land Issues land issues are often driving factors of conflict. Access to land, to titles, and to the resources and benefits associated with land are frequent flashpoints for violence and drawn-out conflicts. Yet technical and legal specialists often view their work as neutral or as a small piece of a larger process, and assume that they need not worry about their impacts on the context.

In June 2012, we began working with a land tenure expert on the challenge of incorporating conflict sensi-tive practices into the work of technical specialists working on land tenure and property rights interven-tions. By early 2013, the Dnh team and the land tenure expert completed a tool specifically for technical and legal specialists: DNH in Land Tenure and Property Rights: Designing and Implementing Conflict Sensitive Interven-tions (the “land tool”). this land tool reminds specialists that their work has impacts on conflict, and that they can look for options to mitigate negative impacts and build

upon positive effects. the tool also incorporates special-ized perspectives on gender and marginalized groups in relation to land tenure.

the draft land tool was presented to the World urban Forum in naples, Italy in september 2012, and many organizations gave feedback for the final version. the tool was also field tested in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia by Mercy Corps.

DNH and Govern-mental Entities Dnh has been working with the Ministry of Agricul-ture and other partners in Colombia, aiming to ensure that a significant land restitution program is conflict sensitive. the land tool noted above is one result of that engagement. the Dnh team and donor representatives have gained insights into the benefits and challenges of working with official

bodies in highly politicized contexts.

Integrating DNH with Reflecting on Peace Practice the other major adaptation of Dnh in the past year was a joint project with CDA’s Reflecting on peace practice program (Rpp). the two programs worked together to create a pilot training program which combined Dnh and Rpp tools and lessons. the four-day training workshop was tested in March 2013 in Yangon, Myanmar/Burma with an audience of local nGOs, international nGOs (InGOs), CsOs, and un agency employees.

Do no harm Program

Accomplishments During this fiscal year

The Do No Harm Program (DNH) promotes conflict-sensitive humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding practice,

especially in conflict-prone and fragile environments. DNH offers practical tools

for context analysis, conflict-sensitive program/project design, and ongoing

monitoring of impacts on issues of conflict.

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Expanding the Method In addition to sector-specific and cross-program adaptations of Dnh, this year a great deal of Dnh training has taken place. In past years, the Dnh program has largely delegated requests for training to consultants and long-time Dnh trainers. this year, we made a point to accept some of these requests in order to pilot test modules and methodologies for the new trainer’s Manual that we are developing. the Dnh program facilitated a Dnh analysis of Madagascar with nGO workers based in that country, a training of trainers workshop in Myanmar/Burma, a training-to-practice workshop in spain, and a Dnh field assessment in three villages in Myanmar/Burma.

In each of these workshops and activities, new training methodologies, new modules, or new techniques were tested and honed. these will feed into an updated Dnh trainer’s Manual, which will take a broad view of Dnh, its audience, and a variety of training methodologies.

the Coming yearAdditional Sector-specific Tools Based on the experi-ence of developing the land tool and the excitement it generated, the Dnh program is planning to produce a number of other sector-specific tools. Currently, we have plans to create a Dnh and environment tool, a Dnh and Gender tool, and a Dnh and Good Governance tool.

DNH Manuals and Guides In the coming year, we will complete three significant publications:

1. We will complete the training manual for the combined Dnh/Rpp “significant Change” workshop, present it to colleagues for their

feedback, and produce a final document for distri-bution.

2. We will complete the rewrite of the Dnh trainer’s Manual. the new version will incorporate not only lessons learned in the course of the 2006-2011 reflective case studies, but also the wide range of innovations in Dnh training our colleagues around the world have made, along with the tools and lessons of other CDA programs.

3. Finally, we will develop a Dnh user’s Guide, incorporating the learning from Dnh applications since publication of the original book in 1999 and additional lessons from the reflective case studies that followed it.

Concluding the Colombia Project CDA’s involvement with the Colombia land restitution process will come to an end during the coming fiscal year. Dnh is documenting and analyzing that process and previous engagements with government bodies in Afghanistan and liberia in order to generate provisional lessons regarding the integration of conflict sensitivity principles and practice into government programs.

Colleagues Making Innovations In the run-up to the elections in Kenya, our colleagues there developed training on conflict sensitivity for journalists. Colleagues in Bolivia are also working on designing and imple-menting crisis prevention strategies for the highest levels of government. In the coming year, Dnh hopes to capture and share these experiences so that the excitement for innovation, new ideas, and new approaches is kindled.

Do No Harm Training of Trainers in Yangon, March 2013. Photo: CDA.

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t IME To LISTEN Published In December 2012, CDA published Time to Listen: Hearing People on the Receiving End of International Aid. the book summa-

rizes evidence gathered by listening to nearly 6,000 people in over twenty countries who have received, participated in, or observed international assistance. It shares their perspectives on how the current externally driven aid delivery system functions and on how the international aid paradigm needs to shift so that local people are more meaningfully engaged in all aspects of aid efforts to make them more collaborative and effective. [see special section in this report on Time to Listen.]

Influencing Policies and Guidance the listening program (lp) has provided input into several policy and guidance documents where our findings and methods were directly referenced, such as the Interagency standing Committee (IAsC) Account-ability to Affected popula-tions (AAp) Framework and tools, AlnAp’s 2012 state of the humanitarian system Report, and several InterAction policy briefs, including “More effective Capacity Building within usAID Forward” and the Foreign Assistance Briefing Book (FABB). lp also presented its policy brief, “Aid Recipient perspectives on strengthening Country systems,” on a panel at usAID’s experience summit on strengthening Country systems in november 2012.

As co-chair of InterAction’s Conflict and Fragility Working Group, CDA staff participated in several high-level meetings and policy discussions on the new Deal for International engagement in Fragile states and the Global partnership for effective Development Cooperation with us government officials, nGOs, un agencies, and policy-makers.

Research and Evaluation on the Effectiveness of Feedback Mechanisms CDA’s expertise on listening

processes and feedback systems continues to be sought by donors and operational agencies. this year, CDA began an action-research project with AlnAp focused on the effectiveness of feedback mecha-nisms in humanitarian contexts and to develop evidence-informed guidance for operational agencies. AlnAp and CDA conducted field visits to sudan, pakistan, and haiti to document effec-tive feedback practices at the operational level in

emergency settings. CDA also began work this year as part of a consortium with ItAD and Development Initiatives to research and evaluate beneficiary feedback mechanism pilots that the u.K. Department for International Develop-ment (DFID) has established in both humanitarian and development programs.

listening Program

Accomplishments During this fiscal year

The Listening Program (LP) exists to support local people in driving their own development. LP works with donors, aid

agencies, and others to more systematically listen to the perspectives of people who live in societies that have been on the

recipient side of international assistance to ensure that their voices inform policies and practice and to increase the roles of local

people in decision-making processes.

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Changing the Aid Paradigm lp will continue to share the findings in Time to Listen and will engage with and support donors and operational aid agencies (international and local) to change the ways their agencies listen to and engage with local people. For instance, we will continue our engagement with DFID in Myanmar/Burma and with DFID’s learning Group on empowerment and accountability.

Research and Learning on Feedback Processes lp will continue to gather learning and evidence to provide practical guidance on establishing and integrating effec-tive feedback loops into organizational decision-making processes and structures. We will also gather lessons on

how organizations effectively integrate feedback loops beyond the project level into agency strategies and policies, so that the ideas and perspectives of local people are heard—and acted upon—by decision makers.

Looking for “Positive Deviants” lp will gather examples and evidence of “positive deviants” who work in collabo-rative ways suggested in Time to Listen and of better business models to support local people in driving the changes they seek in their societies. We will work to secure new funding and partners for case studies on positive examples of collaborative and innovative ways that donors and aid agencies engage with local people.

“Donors could also consider further research aimed at documenting and promoting field-level good practice in supporting beneficiary participation, such as that conducted by the Listening Project. The

recommendations from research on this subject should be integrated into donor policy and guidelines for working with partners, and widely disseminated through practical training modules.”

—OECD DAC: “Towards Better Humanitarian Donorship: 12 Lessons from DAC Peer Reviews”

the Coming year

World Vision feedback box in south Darfur. Photo: CDA.

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t hIs YeAR, the ReFleCtInG On peACe pRACtICe pROGRAM’s (Rpp) work has focused on three core themes: supporting Rpp practitioners around

the world in their efforts to enhance the effectiveness and relevance of peacebuilding initiatives, developing cutting edge tools and approaches in peace practice, and enhancing synergies and collaboration with other programs at CDA. It has been a watershed year in all areas.

New Approaches to Training and Accompaniment As part of an effort to support the growing cadre of global Rpp users and peace practitioners, Rpp conducted an impact and utilization review in east Africa. We inter-viewed key Rpp partners based in Kenya to better under-stand how they are applying Rpp tools and concepts and what kinds of support local peacebuilders need. Almost every person interviewed confirmed what we have heard from practitioners in other regions: regular and ongoing consulta-tion and training from experienced local Rpp practitioners is essen-tial for sustained and effective integration of Rpp into their program planning and review.

engagements of this kind have shaped Rpp’s efforts over the past year to develop new approaches for disseminating Rpp more effectively and providing the kind of support that our regional practitioners need.

Advancing Regional Expertise An advanced Rpp training was conducted in the philippines for members of Action Asia, a network of peace practitioners in south and southeast Asia. this workshop positioned Action Asia

practitioners to use Rpp tools and methodologies with greater confidence and sophistication and to advise novice users in the region.

Augmenting Global Coverage A training held in Barce-lona focused on increasing Rpp’s worldwide footprint, with a view to expanding the pool of Rpp consultants able to support peacebuilding programs globally. the training included participants from Colombia, Bolivia, south Africa, Germany, Madagascar, Israel, palestine, and the united Kingdom, among other locations.

New Tools for Evaluating Peacebuilding Programs Rpp published four working papers on program review and evaluation. two aim to help evaluators understand and apply OeCD DAC evaluation criteria of relevance and impact of peacebuilding initiatives. the other two working

papers adapt well-estab-lished evaluation methods to the peacebuilding context, addressing evalu-ability assessments and program quality assess-ments. these tools also incorporate appropriate Rpp approaches.

Working with DFID, Rpp staff developed guidance on the monitoring and evalua-tion of conflict sensitivity. this product includes an evalu-ator’s toolkit and helps to fill a real gap in literature and practice.

Theories of Change in Peacebuilding Rpp, in conjunc-tion with colleagues at the Fletcher school of law and Diplomacy at tufts university, developed a guide on using theories of change in peace programs for the u.s. Agency

Reflecting on Peace Practice Program

Accomplishments During this fiscal year

The Reflecting on Peace Practice Program (RPP) aims to improve the effectiveness of peace

efforts. RPP provides practical tools for conflict analysis, program design, and evaluation, with an emphasis on systems thinking and theories

of change

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for International Development (usAID), including a refer-ence manual of prominent theories of change from the peacebuilding field. Rpp also produced guidance material on theories of change at multiple levels for DFID.

Conflict Analysis Resource together with the Global partnership for the prevention of Armed Conflict (GppAC) and norwegian Church Aid (nCA), Rpp refined and disseminated a conflict analysis field guide for practi-tioners. this guide pulls together a number of different analytical tools and offers helpful guidance on how to conduct conflict analyses.

the Coming yearRPP Book on the “Adding Up” Process Rpp will complete its collaborative learning process on the cumula-tive impacts of peacebuilding in its next major publication, expected to be completed during the next fiscal year.

Dissemination to Additional Regions In the coming year, following partners’ requests for training and engage-ment, we will explore how Rpp approaches and tools can become more relevant in regions in which Rpp does not have an extensive presence yet, including the Middle east.

Creating Master Practitioners Rpp will invite a group of experienced Rpp practitioners from around the world

to join us for our inaugural Master training. this course, scheduled early in the next fiscal year, is designed to help participants achieve mastery in applying and facilitating analysis, design, and the monitoring and evaluation of peacebuilding programs using Rpp tools and concepts. these seasoned Rpp practitioners are expected to act as catalysts and multipliers in their countries and regions, and provide advanced local support.

Building In-House Know-How several staff from the AFsC participated in Rpp training workshops during this fiscal year. During the coming fiscal year, those AFsC staff, with coaching support from Rpp, are planning to conduct a series of in-house customized trainings for the AFsC staff around the world, aimed at expanding the use of Rpp tools for AFsC’s global programs. Rpp is also supporting the development of an e-learning module to be used in orienting additional staff.

Monitoring & Evaluation of Peacebuilding the evalu-ability and program quality assessment processes noted above will be piloted at four field sites in the next fiscal year. Rpp will gather lessons learned from the evaluability and program quality assessments with the organizations that have agreed to participate in the pilots. these lessons will help further refine evaluation and program review methodologies in the peacebuilding field and further inform Rpp’s work in this area going forward.

An Action Asia colleague from Indonesia explains her program strategy using the Relecting on Peace Practice Matrix. Photo: Carrie O’Neil

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e ACh OF the CDA pROGRAMs has provided brief outlines of their plans for the next fiscal year in the sections above. however, CDA is

aiming to increase the ways that we integrate the four programs and work as a unified organization. In light of that, we want to share with you how we envisage the areas of program cooperation during the 2013-2014 fiscal year:

Expanding on Current Col-laboration CDA will be building on the signifi-cant progress on cross-program collaboration during this year, including the joint Dnh/Rpp training program and the Cep/Rpp chapter for the Interna-tional Council of swedish Industry’s book.

A New Collabora-tive Learning Process CDA is exploring the possibility of launching a new cross-program learning process within the broad field of conflict prevention. the pro-cess has already started through the commissioning of a paper exploring issues of definition and the state of play among the many different sub-areas included in the prevention arena. In the months ahead, CDA staff will determine how CDA can best contribute to this important area—and frame the core questions to be addressed.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Feedback Mechanisms each of the CDA programs has insights and specific tools to offer regarding M&e processes and ap-

proaches to eliciting feedback from local people and organizations. several of the tools and processes de-veloped during this past year need field testing and further refinement (such as our recently launched Working paper series). We also intend to conduct further evidence gathering and to develop additional resources to support stronger accountability to those at the receiving end of aid and to ensure organiza-

tional learning.

CDA Country Focus CDA is con-sidering establish-ing an ongoing field presence in selected places. the fundamental idea is to apply all of CDA’s learning and “lenses” in specific priority locations. CDA is in a position to bring to bear the relevant insights, analytical frame-works, and practi-cal tools of all of

its programs in specific settings of conflict and fragil-ity. In each context, it will be necessary to determine, in a flexible manner, which tools and concepts are appropriate.

CDA programs have experience, current contacts, and, often, active partners in almost all fragile and conflict-affected countries and in many of the con-flict zones within them. We have already performed the proposed roles in many places over many years; we intend now to simply undertake a more focused approach in selected locations. Our partners and donors are encouraging us to take this approach to strategic engagement. the first such site is likely to be Myanmar/Burma.

looking Ahead to the 2013–2014 fiscal year

A Focus on Myanmar/burma

in March of 2013, DnH provided two training programs in Myanmar/burma and a joint DNH-RPP program. Staff returned a second time to provide a training of trainers workshop for local ngos, and accompanied participants to the field to support application. Demand for additional conflict sensitivity training has been so strong that CDA is considering establishing a field presence there. CDA has several years of experience in the region, including involvements by Cep since 2001 and more recent engagements by lp.

• CDA trained trainers in DNH and presented an integrated DNH-RPP program [read more].

• LP staff have been advising on the development of beneficiary feedback mechanisms [read listening exercise].

• CEP has been working with Total since 2001 in the Yadana Pipeline corridor [read report].

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board and staff

CDA board membersjonathan moore, Chair; shorenstein Center on

the press, politics and public policy at harvard university

elizabeth D. gibbons, harvard school of public health

richard (Dick) harter, treasurer; Bingham McCutchen llp (retired partner)

sherine jayawickrama, hauser Center for nonprofit Organizations at harvard university

larry minear, Researcher (retired)

edward mulherin, leonard, Mulherin & Greene

reverend Don remick, Massachusetts Conference of the united Church of Christ

David whittlesey, Interpeace, Mainestreams

CDA staff membersPeter woodrow, executive Director

Dost bardouille-Crema, Director, Corporate engagement program

Chloe berwind-Dart, program Manager, Reflecting on peace practice program

Dayna brown, Director, listening program

Diana Chigas, Co-Director, Reflecting on peace practice program

nicole goddard, Associate Director, Do no harm program

isabella jean, Director of evaluation and learning and Associate Director, listening program

ben miller, Associate Director, Corporate engagement program

jamie thompson, Office Manager

marshall wallace, Director, Do no harm program

we said farewell to staff members who left CDA in fy 2012-2013:steve Darvill, former executive Director

todd Dusenbery, former program Manager, Central Africa Accountable service Delivery Initiative

Didi houessou, former Chief Financial Officer

Candice montalvo, former program Associate, Do no harm program and listening program

we welcomed staff members who joined CDA in early fy 2013-2014:sarah Cechvala, program Manager, Corporate

engagement program and listening program

Anita ernstorfer, Co-Director, Reflecting on peace practice program

jasmine freehoff, program Associate, Do no harm program and CDA Communications Associate

john morgan, Finance Manager

hannah vaughan-lee, program Manager, Central Africa Accountable service Delivery Initiative

The following organizations currently donate to CDA and its programs:

Deutsche gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (giZ) Contributes to: listening program

ministry of foreign Affairs of norway Contributes to: Do no harm, Reflecting on peace practice

Peacenexus foundation Contributes to: Corporate engagement program

sida (swedish international Development Cooperation Agency) Contributes to: Do no harm, Reflecting on peace practice, listening program

suncor energy Contributes to: Corporate engagement program

swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Contributes to: Do no harm

total Contributes to: Corporate engagement program

u.s. Department of state bureau of international narcotics and law enforcement Affairs (inl) Contributes to: the Central Africa Accountable service Delivery Initiative

uK Department for international Development (DfiD) Contributes to: Corporate engagement program, Do no harm, listening program, Reflecting on peace practice

u.s. Agency for international Development (usAiD) Contributes to: Do no harm, Reflecting on peace practice

Donors

CDA CollAboRAtive leARning pRojeCts, inC.

one Alewife Center, suite 400, Cambridge MA 02140, usAAvailable for download at: www.cdacollaborative.org

email your feedback to: feedback@cdacollaborative.org