Case study: NZ Agency for International Development (NZAID)

The New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) was established in July 2002 as a semi-autonomous body within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to administer New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance Programme (NZODA).  NZAID holds the primary relationship with the New Zealand NGOs that work within the international aid sector funded through NZODA.

NZAID is committed to collaboration between international development NGOs and government. The agency recognises the value that NGOs bring to society as independent non-profit organisations and that “voluntary and community activity is fundamental to the development of any democratic, socially inclusive society”.  The establishment of the agency and its subsequent operations put this commitment into practice.

NGO advocacy was an important factor in the government’s decision to carry out the independent review of ODA which led to NZAID’s formation. The Council for International Development (CID) was represented on the panel that appointed the first Executive Director of NZAID and jointly developed with NZAID the Strategic Policy Framework for Relations between NZAID and New Zealand NGOs. This framework provides the basis on which NGOs and NZAID work together, and is taken seriously by each party.

The framework sets out formal requirements for the relationship, such as regular national and regional meetings between NZAID senior staff, and CID and other NGOs, formal consultations and monitoring. 

These formal processes and procedures are underpinned by encouragement of informal relationships, with a focus on sharing information and building trust.  The internal organisational culture is expected to mirror how NZAID wishes its employees to behave externally, that is, by showing collaboration and respect to others.
 
NZAID is a community development agency as much as a funding agency and attracts people with an understanding of and commitment to participatory development processes. Key staff recruited from the NGO sector, have been instrumental in influencing and protecting this philosophy. 

There is little formal training in relationships or how to engage with the community – the preferred approach is to recruit staff with the right sort of relationship skills and to model the desired behaviour. Training is provided as required in specific skills such as negotiation, and the three-day orientation programme includes a session with NGOs.

NZAID has a number of practice guidelines or “tools” to assist staff to perform their roles, including a tool for Working with Civil Society Organisations, which outlines principles and practices for engagement.  Each tool has a staff member as a champion, who accepts responsibility to develop and maintain the visibility and use of the tool. Tool champions organise occasional meetings for staff to discuss issues related to using the tool.

NZAID is currently considering how to manage its ongoing growth and best deliver services in future.  This creates an opportunity to re-confirm its culture and consider other opportunities to improve engagement with the community and voluntary sector.

Case study uploaded December 2008.