Cutting-Edge Development Issues for INGOs: Applications of an Asset Accumulation Approach

This Asset Debate paper presents highlights from a workshop that reviewed the asset accumulation framework and its applicability in different development settings. It draws insights from presentations and conversations among participating senior staff members and partners of 22 U.S. and U.K. International Non-Government Organizations (INGOs).

An asset accumulation policy focuses on creating opportunities for the poor to acquire, keep and pass on wealth to the next generation. Workshop participants felt that an asset accumulation approach:

• Provides INGOs with innovative methods for dealing with change in their unpredictable operating environments;
• Is useful when combined with a rights-based approach;
• Helps INGOs deal with pressure from funders to show results;
• Appeals to funders concerns for project financial sustainability;
• Can foster dignity, self-confidence and self-generating and perpetuating streams of income for beneficiaries;
• Is a leading change for relief and climate change work;
• Helps microfinance and value-chain work.

Finally, INGOs at the workshop identified technical and programmatic areas for possible collaboration around assets, namely, asset measurement, impact assessment, migration and development patterns, energy leapfrogging, basic services and upstream-downstream collaboration.