As part of our development work, CRI endeavors to strengthen capacities and improve capabilities of NGOs and civil society groups in project designs & proposal development; monitoring, evaluation and learning; program management & delivery; advocacy & policy influencing; community mobilization and networking. Some of our engagements around this include the following;

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1. In late 2014, on behalf of R4D and PSIPSE donor collaborative CRI convened and ran a three-day proposal development workshop in Nairobi, to assist over 30 shortlisted applicants from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Malawi to develop for 2015/16 grants in preparing competitive project proposals for the third PSIPSE 2015/16 round of funding.

2. Between 2014 and 2016, CRI worked with selected organizations to help them develop and implement strategic plans and theories of change, more robust MEL frameworks (e.g. Asante Africa & Sazani in Tanzania; Build Africa, PEAS, CEDA & FAWE in Uganda; Africa Education Trust, Daraja Forum & ANPCAN in Kenya). In some cases, CRI reviewed past experience, project designs and baseline results to align with log frames and collectively developed a set of learning questions for various projects.

3. In mid 2015 CRI convened and facilitated a three day training workshop on Beginning Projects with the End in Mind. The workshop focused on designing and implementing sustainable and scaleable projects and explored strategies towards designing & implementing sustainable and scaleable result-oriented projects. Discussions and case study led workshop also looked at strategies for strengthening capabilities & improving skills of civil society practitioners in social sector programming;

4. In late 2015, CRI facilitated two five day Regional Workshops on strengthening capacity of FAWE Chapters for increased policy engagement and integration of gender issues in Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and National Education Sector Program (NESP) processes. The workshops which were convened by FAWE Regional Office for Africa were held in Nairobi and Dakar, brought together over 50 FAWE chapter leaders and alumni.