[PDF] Community Development Toolkit - CommDev

GlossarycontinuedStrategic planning A process by which afuture vision is developed for anorganization, taking into account its politicaland legal circumstances, its strengths andweaknesses, and the threats andopportunities facing it. Strategic planningarticulates the organization’s sense ofmission and maps out future directions to betaken, given the organization’s current stateand resources.Strategy A planned course of actionundertaken with the aim of achieving thegoals and objectives of an organization.Strategy may be developed for any aspect ofan organization’s activities or, at thebroadest level, for the organization itself.Survey The collection of data from apopulation for the purpose of analysis of aparticular issue. In a sample survey data iscollected from a representative sample ofthe population.Sustainability The ability of an organizationto secure and manage sufficient resourcesto enable it to fulfil its mission effectivelyand consistently over time without excessivedependence on a single funding source.Sustainable organizations have i) the abilityto scan the environment, adapt to it andseize opportunities it offers, ii) strongleadership and management, iii) the abilityto attract and retain qualified staff, iv) theability to provide relevant benefits andservices for maximum impact incommunities, v) the skills to demonstrateand communicate this impact to leveragefurther resources, vi) community supportand involvement and vii) commitment tobuilding sustainable (not dependent)communities.Sustainability investment A sustainabilityinvestment is an initiative, program, projector any other intervention that responds tothe needs of local stakeholders, as well as tothe company’s business objectives and risks.In practice, sustainability investments mayinclude skills development, local sourcing,health, agricultural assistance, waterinfrastructure, etc.Sustainable development Defined as:“Development that meets the needs of thepresent without compromising the ability offuture generations to meet their own needs”.Progress measured in social or economicterms is accomplished without irreversibleenvironmental degradation or socialdisruption. The benefits should not onlyoutweigh the social and ecological costs butshould also be founded on a rational use ofhuman and natural resources that can bemaintained indefinitely.TTriangulation A process of using multipledata sources, data collection methods,evaluators or theories to study an issuefrom different perspectives, validateresearch findings, help eliminate bias anddetect errors or anomalies in results.GLOSSARY AND REFERENCESCommunity Development Toolkit209