Showing Appreciation for Support

One strategy used by several development initiatives to increase their self-sustainability is to acknowledge and give thanks to their different contributors and supporters. 

This can be achieved when project beneficiaries, donors, volunteers, collaborators, and so on, are clearly told what has been accomplished with their contributions, or when they are publicly thanked in a ceremony, or perhaps their name or the name of the people, institutions or companies that collaborate with the initiative are publicized and given visibility. This can help retain the participation of those who already support the project because an acknowledgement of their efforts is a good incentive to continue engaging. Besides, these forms of public recognition also promote the initiative’s own work, showcasing its results and disseminating the impact of its collaborations (and, in some cases, their support). In this way, new beneficiaries, initiatives, donors and volunteers may be encouraged to take part and show solidarity.

This is one of the strategies involved in planning for self-sustainability, because choosing methods to thank and acknowledge participants’ contributions is a concrete plan for retaining support (which in the development field can be scarce) and even gaining new allies. This allows initiatives to reduce their dependence on one or a few sources of support and thus gain greater autonomy when negotiating their interests and needs to make their interventions more comprehensive and relevant to their context.

Some initiatives organize ceremonies or recognize contributions in their annual reports, or with commemorative plaques or honorary mentions. Others post logos of organizations or companies that have contributed on their social media profiles or on their website (which serves as publicity for the organization or company and also lends support and credibility to the initiative). Still others recognize their volunteers’ or beneficiaries’ support by organizing an emotive gathering or ceremony, perhaps with pictures or videos showing their achievements and the impact they made on each other’s lives.