Integrated Service Delivery

One strategy used by several development initiatives to become more self-sustainable is to offer integrated services.

Achieving greater self-sustainability is not just a matter of economics. It is also about creating conditions that help projects become less dependent on other actors so that they can be relevant to the specific context in which they work. 

For this reason, many initiatives build self-sustainability by creating integrated solutions and, in particular, by offering different services that complement each other. Some projects that seek to improve the education of children in a community, for instance, not only provide them with classes, but also have other programs that offer them services so that they can take more advantage of the educational program –such as medical consultations, food, economic support, etc. 

Several development initiatives have found that they can be more self-sustainable with a comprehensive service model than if they offer isolated solutions, because their different programs can reinforce each other to address each problem in a more systemic way. The benefits obtained in some areas can have a positive impact in others and set the conditions for lasting change. In addition, since not all areas or services get the same attention or support, integration among them allows for a more flexible distribution of resources (money, materials, knowledge, labor, etc.) and thus helps to ensure that different needs are met. 

Many development projects have found that expanding and linking their various programs together helps attract more funds that will benefit many or even all areas of their activity. This is because, although donors generally contribute to one specific area (health, for example), they may be more willing to support the program if the same investment can contribute to positive results in other areas as well (such as children’s education). Some initiatives address the same problem from several angles, while others have several different programs and rely on teams dedicated to integrating them.

Many projects collaborate with the beneficiaries using various strategies (participatory diagnoses, shared management dynamics, rotating administrations, etc.) to identify the different needs and interests that may be involved with the problem they want to solve, as well as to come up with a portfolio of services that will enable them to tackle issues in the most systemic and comprehensive way possible (by collaborating with other initiatives, forming partnerships or coordinating networks, perhaps).