GHR Foundation's global development funding takes an integrated approach to tackling complex challenges by empowering Catholic Sisters, employing inter-religious approaches and helping children be raised in more supportive family environments. GHR Foundation knows that global development challenges are complex – they require long-term partnership and solutions. Deloitte Consulting, as the first of three guest columns for Devex, recently published an editorial calling for action from donors and local institutions, with valuable concrete suggestions for how to approach development differently.

The main focus of the editorial is how to shift from focusing on capacity development to sustainable performance improvement. Four insights highlighted, to open up space for innovation and increased collaboration, include:

1. Set indicators for outcome-level change. By setting ‘stretch goals,’ requiring outcome-level performance indicators and learning from and embracing ‘failure,’ donors can give the organizations they support opportunities to innovate and grow incrementally.
2. Align donor and counterpart objectives. Performance can be improved by ensuring at the beginning of a project that the donor and supported organization have similar end goals and objectives, and ensuring they both achieve those goals as the project progresses.
3. Employ sustainable change management practices. By identifying and implementing activities that make change successful, and equipping leaders to manage change, the difficult transition process can create sustainable change in the organization.
4. Develop strong local leaders and managers to drive change. Data-driven methods of intervention can be valuable tools to coach and empower developing local leaders, which have proven to be essential to creating the country ownership necessary to enact real change.

By implementing these changes, it may be possible for donors to give more power to national and local institutions, allowing them to take risks and innovate approaches. To learn more about how GHR is working towards sustainable performance improvement with our grantees, contact us.

Pope Francis recently met with participants of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) to discuss the importance of education in inter-religious issues.

The two-day meeting, which was held at the Pontifical Urbanian University in Rome to commemorate the Institute's founding, was organized around the theme of "Studying and Understanding the Religion of the Other: Towards Mutual Recognition between Religions an Cultures in Today's World."

The pope’s comments—shortly following his peacebuilding visit to Colombo, Sri Lanka, also focused on inter-religious collaboration—were centered on bridge-building between Christians and Muslims. During his remarks, the pope said:

He encouraged participants of the meeting to stick to the primary task of listening and dialogue. “This task,” he concluded, “is based on clear identities and the keen, patient and rigorous search for truth and beauty, which are placed in the hearts of every man and woman and truly visible in every authentic religious expression."

Read the full transcript of the pope’s statement here. To learn more about how GHR works to improve development outcomes and build community connections by mobilizing religious leaders and communities through our Inter-Religious Action Initiative, contact us.