The development Research and Projects Center (dRPC), was formed in 1993 by 10 University Lecturers from Nigerian Universities in a context of a military government where local CSOs (LCSOs) were excluded from decision making and policy change. Against this background, the dRPC set out to open up the policy making and governance space by strengthening and positioning local CSOs to have voice, analytics and evidence informed perspectives on public policies and decisions of government.
To achieve its mission of strengthening the capacity of Nigerian CSOs, over the years, the dRPC designed and rolled out high-impact customized organizational and technical capacity building programs, using adult learning mechanism of – training, mentoring, exchange visits, network building and cross learning. The dRPC supported and build the capacity of over 1,000 Nigerian CSOs, positioning them to engage government; to engage as active partners of accountability mechanisms; to pilot innovation in the development and humanitarian spaces; and to build networks for on-voice advocacy and social behavioral change.
Health Professional Associations (HPAs) are about 15% of the local CSOs supported by the dRPC over the years; others are:- 25% women’s groups; 10% NGO networks and umbrella associations; 18% Community based organizations; 17% standalone single issue NGOs; and 15% youth groups.
Since 1993 the dRPC has implemented more than 137 development partner funded high impact interventions in our key programming areas of:- 1) public health; 2) girls’ education; 3) women’s economic empowerment; 4) climate action; and 5) peace, security and humanitarian assistance. Localization and supporting and engaging local CSOs is the cross-cutting value proposition, Theory of Change (ToC) and strategy in all our interventions.
To take forward our mission of localization and local CSO sector upskilling for engagement, the dRPC carries out activities in two broad workstreams:-
(1) research, knowledge generation, monitoring, evaluation and learning; and (2) innovations, piloting and scaling of innovations to shift norms, catalyse change and readdress challenges and problems. The dRPC’s vision is for a localized; competent; committed; and inclusive CSO sector with the capacity of working collectively to engage government and the private sector to advancing learning and change.
The dRPC has competed with global INGOs to win two grand challenges; has mobilized considerable funds to re-grant to Nigerian CSOs; catalyzed and sustained CSO networks and partnerships; and has formed strong partnerships with government MDAs, strengthening their capacity to work with, engage and work in partnership with CSOs. The dRPC been recognized globally every year since 20016 as a leading Nigerian think tank producing high-level knowledge products to inform advocacy agendas, to mobilize data and information of what works and promising practices. This is captured in the Global Think Tank Index
Link to Charter here.
