Business Strategies for the Reproductive Health NGO.

During the past five years CMS has worked with NGOs in twelve countries, helping them become more sustainable. CMS's philosophy of NGO sustainability is strongly business-oriented: In order to support and maintain quality programs, it is essential to have a healthy financial base, solid governance, and a long-term planning processes. To illustrate CMS's strategies, results, and lessons learned, this paper draws on five country examples: Ghana, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Uganda. CMS's experience highlights the importance of financial and organizational planning, of choosing wisely from a wide range of marketing techniques, and of constantly surveying the environment for new opportunities. The case studies also illustrate how donor funding can be a double-edged sword – receiving additional resources does not automatically lead to success. Lastly, the case studies demonstrate that even in challenging settings, NGOs can usually find a way to diversify products, services, or funding, and that throughout the process, a focus on the organization's social mission is key.