Giving Compass' Take:
- AVPN reports on the launch of their new ImpactCollab Capacity Building Platform, a collective platform that seeks to support long-term, local capacity building for funders and nonprofits.
- Why is capacity building often treated as optional rather than essential for nonprofits and funders? What is the importance of capacity building being equitable and locally relevant for organizations?
- Learn more about trends and topics related to best practices in giving.
- Search Guide to Good for purpose-driven nonprofits in your area.
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Nonprofits across Asia have long faced resource gaps and fragmented support systems. Through the ImpactCollab Capacity Building Platform, AVPN, with support from the Ford Foundation, is addressing the emerging capacity-building needs that are critical for nonprofits to create lasting impact through improving access to resources needed for long-term capacity building.
Building Foundations for Long-Term Impact
Across Asia, nonprofits are the first to respond to crises, such as poverty, inequality, and climate vulnerability. However, they consistently face structural barriers to growth. Most organisations struggle with limited access to long-term, locally relevant capacity building, which is too often treated as optional rather than essential.
As a response, AVPN — with support from Ford Foundation — has launched the ImpactCollab Capacity-Building Platform at the AVPN Global Conference 2025 in Hong Kong. Attended by over 80 participants, including funders, intermediaries, and nonprofits such as The Hongkong Jockey Club, Minderoo Foundation, Tanoto Foundation, Kopernik, YCAB Foundation, and The Bridgespan Group, the launch marked a milestone towards making capacity building more equitable and context-based.
Doing Capacity Building Differently
The ImpactCollab Capacity Building Platform is a collective platform where nonprofits, funders, and ecosystem partners have access to tailored and credible capacity support. As part of the AVPN’s ImpactCollab ecosystem, the platform has 28 vetted Capacity Building Providers (CBPs) who specialise in organisational development, leadership, MEL, finance, and integrating technology. The users can search by sector, market, type of service, or language, with the listings ranging from NGOs and consultancies, to design agencies and social enterprises. Covered in India and Indonesia, and supported in a range of languages — English, Hindi, and Bahasa Indonesia — the platform expands capacity building’s reach, context, and trust for many organisations across Asia.
The platform is founded on research conducted with more than 150 stakeholders in the ecosystem in India and Indonesia, providing important insights:
- Only 42% of nonprofits have been systematically provided with capacity-building support.
- 78% remain at basic or emerging levels of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems.
- Despite this, there continue to be persistent gaps in leadership succession planning, financial planning, and digital capability.
Read the full article about supporting long-term capacity building at AVPN.