Since 2017, the BİRLİKTE Program has been empowering civil society organisations (CSOs) in Türkiye through a unique blend of core support, structured mentoring, and a transformative model for institutional growth. Developed by the Civil Society Development Centre Association (Sivil Toplum Gelişim Merkezi Derneği – STGM) with EU funding, the BİRLİKTE Organisational Development Model stands as a strategic innovation in civil society strengthening, rooted in over two decades of STGM’s experience.

How the BİRLİKTE Organisational Development Model and Self-Assessment Guide Have Been Developed
The BİRLİKTE Organisational Development Model is a structured and comprehensive framework developed to enhance the institutional capacity of civil society organisations by embedding sustainable practices and essential knowledge into their operational systems. It aims to support CSOs in establishing robust, functional, and resilient management structures rooted in the human rights-based approach and aligned with international standards of good governance.

The model is the product of STGM’s extensive experience in organisational capacity development, accumulated through more than twenty years of engagement with a broad spectrum of CSOs across Türkiye. It is operationalised through the BİRLİKTE Program, an EU-funded Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) initiative that has provided core funding and tailored mentorship to selected CSOs since 2017.

Its design draws on international frameworks such as EFQM and ISO, enriched by collaboration with actors like TACSO, UNDP, Concern Worldwide, MDF, and STGM’s in-house expertise. A distinctive feature of the model is its emphasis on a systems thinking approach, which conceptualises organisations as interconnected systems where every component—be it strategic, operational, or human—affects the others. This encourages CSOs to understand and strengthen the interdependencies within their structures, fostering coherence, adaptability, and sustainability.

The model functions as both a diagnostic and developmental tool, guiding mentors and participating CSOs through a structured process of organisational assessment and capacity building. A key output is the self-assessment tool, which helps organisations identify their strengths and areas for improvement using a scoring and prioritisation methodology. This structured approach supports target-setting and enables CSOs to track their progress systematically over time.

During the first implementation phase (2017–2020), STGM engaged closely with participating CSOs, collecting valuable field insights that led to revisions and refinements. Before launching the updated version, STGM conducted a pilot self-assessment with its own board and staff, using the results to inform its strategic planning and further improve the model. This process ensured that the model evolved into a flexible and practical framework, not just a checklist.

The model has continued to evolve through ongoing feedback loops. Recent revisions introduced components such as volunteer and membership management, digitalisation, and a strengthened Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework. Each section embeds gender equality mainstreaming (GEM) as a cross-cutting theme, reinforcing the program’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

To support implementation, STGM developed a comprehensive guide that combines conceptual insights with practical tools. The guide outlines the model’s development cycle, core principles, and key management areas: governance, strategic planning, membership, employees and volunteers, collaborations and partnerships, resource management, the field of operation, communication, and digitalisation. The MEL section presents a learning-driven framework that emphasises continuous improvement, informed by outcomes and stakeholder feedback.

How Gender Equality Mainstreaming Has Been Included in the Model
The strategy of GEM, while historically integrated into public policies and macro-level planning, has found a powerful new application through BİRLİKTE. During its second implementation phase, GEM became a priority issue and was integrated into all programming and implementation phases. Implementing GEM simultaneously with 25 diverse CSOs was both ambitious and transformative, not only in scale but also in methodology.

Rather than being treated as a standalone element, GEM was embedded across all management areas of the model. In the self-assessment tool, gender equality was framed as a cross-cutting principle affecting domains such as membership and volunteer relations, decision-making, strategic planning, and programmatic focus. This approach positioned GEM as a transformative force, reshaping organisational culture and operations holistically.

Findings from the self-assessment process were explored through individual online consultation meetings. Based on these insights, tailored gender equality roadmaps were developed. These were supported through in-person and online workshops, peer learning through field visits, and the establishment of the Gender Equality Mainstreaming Initiative (GEMI), which served as a dynamic platform for collective learning.

By the end of the program, 21 of 24 organisations expressed their intention to continue gender mainstreaming comprehensively, and two committed to sustaining it in a more limited capacity. Enabling factors included feminist knowledge production, in-house gender champions, and the BİRLİKTE team’s deep expertise. Structural barriers, such as limited staffing and turnover, posed challenges, but the majority of CSOs succeeded in embedding GEM into their structures.

What Kind of Challenges Were Encountered While Developing and Implementing the Model
Developing and applying a principle-based yet practical model required extensive field dialogue and iteration. Challenges included:

• Resource constraints: Time, funding, and expertise were often stretched. Strong institutional commitment and mentor facilitation were vital.
• Engagement fatigue: The self-assessment process could be overwhelming for CSOs unaccustomed to comprehensive reflection. Early mentor support helped prevent burnout.
• Cultural resistance: CSOs unfamiliar with systems-based thinking sometimes viewed the process as intimidating. Scoring exercises revealed difficult truths but later enabled honest engagement.
• Conflation of individual and organisational practice: In areas such as GEM, many equated personal awareness with institutional readiness. Over time, they came to value the need for structured, systemic transformation.
• Staff turnover: This disrupted continuity but was mitigated by embedding knowledge and practices across the organisation.

Building trust between the organisation, mentors, and the model itself was essential. This involved establishing a shared language, clear communication, and alignment on common goals. Mentor facilitation played a key role in helping organisations navigate complexity, clarify processes, and set realistic goals.

How the Model and Guide Contribute to Organisational Sustainability of CSOs
BİRLİKTE contributes to CSO sustainability through two critical pathways:

• Institutional sustainability: CSOs developed formal systems such as shared drives, meeting notes, and evaluation tools. They embedded MEL frameworks, enhanced governance, and strengthened participatory structures.
• Financial sustainability: Flexible budgeting practices allowed CSOs to respond to external pressures such as inflation. Core funding empowered organisations to align expenditures with strategic goals.

The self-assessment tool enabled CSOs to understand internal dynamics, support decision-making, and integrate sustainability into daily practice. Documented policies and procedures helped retain institutional memory, particularly in times of staff transition. Transparency, planning systems, and a proactive MEL framework reinforced their operational resilience.

A practical example comes from a CSO that used its new systems to dedicate more time to fundraising and build new partnerships—demonstrating how the model unlocks strategic capacity.

What STGM Learned as an FSTP Implementer During the Development Process
STGM, as an FSTP implementer, gained critical insights:

• Continuous adaptation: Every tool was first piloted in-house. Lessons shaped internal strategies and the model itself.
• Facilitative mentorship: Mentors are not authorities but trusted guides. The Mentor Guide codifies values like empathy, neutrality, and confidentiality.
• Shared learning: Platforms such as BİRLİKTE HUB and Civil Voices Festival created opportunities for peer exchange and collective growth.
• Effective GEM integration: Gender was most successfully mainstreamed when mentors were gender-aware and the process was not treated as a parallel track.
• Internal team culture: Within STGM, a culture of openness, diversity, and support enhanced creativity, morale, and collective impact.

Mentorship was most effective when adapted to each organisation’s context. One-on-one support, grounded in clear roles and trust, proved essential for helping CSOs define their own improvement paths while preserving autonomy.

The BİRLİKTE Organisational Development Model is more than a toolkit. It is a strategy for change rooted in values, powered by participation, and proven in practice. It shows how core funding, when coupled with structured facilitation and an adaptive framework, can create lasting transformation. As STGM puts it, “Organisational development is not a one-time event. It is a continuous process of self-reflection, needs assessment, and improvement.”

For donors and development actors seeking resilient, rights-based civil society, BİRLİKTE offers a working model — and a clear message: change starts from within, and it lasts when it is systemic.