By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, May 14, GNA – The National Consortium for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO Ghana) in partnership with Africa Kids and the Northern Network for Education Development (NET) have organised a day’s resource mobilisation training workshop for Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) officers.
The training aimed at strengthening the capacity of non-profit leaders to access local funding and ensure sustainability of their operations.
Funded by the KGL Foundation, it brought together leaders of civil society organisations and grassroots non-profits to build their skills in mobilising resources within Ghana amid declining international donor support.
Mr Michael Kwame Acquah, Chief Operations Officer of NCVO Ghana, speaking during the event in Tamale, said the initiative formed part of efforts to equip organisations with practical strategies to remain operational despite the dwindling inflow of foreign funding.
He noted that many non-profits were facing financial constraints due to the reduction in support from international donors including the closure of some United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded programmes, which had stalled critical community projects.
He said, “In this era, it is imperative that non-profit organisations rethink how they mobilise resources. We must move from over-reliance on external donors to leveraging opportunities within our local systems.”
Mr Acquah explained that the training focused on helping participants strengthen their internal systems, including financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and organisational compliance, to make them more attractive to potential local funders.
He emphasised that while financial resources existed within the country, many organisations lacked the structures and credibility required to access such support.
He said, “The question is whether organisations are ready to receive these funds. Do they have the right systems? Are they transparent and accountable? These are critical factors that determine their ability to attract funding.”
Mr Christian Elongue, a development leader and knowledge management expert, who facilitated a session at the workshop, urged participants to shift their mindset from traditional fundraising approaches to strategic resource mobilisation.
He emphasised that Africa was not deficient in resources; however, it needed to better harness existing opportunities through trust-building and community engagement.
He said, “Fundraising is often seen as asking for money, but resource mobilisation is about activating assets, people, networks, skills, and trust. It is a sustainability strategy, not a survival tactic.”
Mr Elongue encouraged organisations to adopt a mission-centred approach that fostered shared ownership and long-term partnerships rather than donor dependency.
Mr Benjamin Dimongso Kafari, Executive Director of ASERD Ghana, who participated in the event, highlighted the importance of such training programmes in promoting sustainable development, particularly in northern Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Linda Asante Agyei