This document discusses the benefits and challenges of NGO coalitions. It provides examples of successful coalitions in the Czech Republic, including the Consortium of Migrants Assisting Organizations, the Association of Non-Profit Organizations (ANNO), and the Czech Women's Lobby. It outlines the types of collaborative groups NGOs form, such as advisory committees, commissions, and networks. Successful coalitions require shared values, a formalized structure, democratic decision-making, and managing competition between members. They allow NGOs to increase influence, share resources, and provide a unified voice to authorities. However, coalitions also face challenges like uneven engagement, differing opinions, and a lack of funding.

1. From Working Alone To
Coalition-based Cooperation
(Success and(Success and Near-to-Near-to-Failure Stories)Failure Stories)

2. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Basic types of group processes / collaborative systems
−ADVISORY COMMITTEES (to provide organizations or programs suggestions
/ technical assistance)
−COMMISSIONS (citizens / experts appointed by official bodies)
−CONSORTIA AND ALLIANCES (semi-official, membership organizations with
broader policy-oriented goals that may span larger geographic areas; usually
consist of organizations and coalitions)
−NETWORKS (loose-knit groups formed e.g. for the purpose of resource and
information sharing)
−TASK FORCES (to accomplish specific activities / tasks, often at the request
of an overseeing body)
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3. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
When to start a coalition / consortium
-Need for coordinated action / approach to push shared issues forward and
increase the influence
- → Media
- → Public
- → Authorities
-Competition for funding among similar NGOs (!)
- i.e. need for sharing resources
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4. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples from Czech Republic (the 1990s/2000s)
- Consortium of Migrants Assisting Organizations in the Czech Republic
www.konsorcium-nno.cz
[From fierce competition to close cooperation]
•Its formation initially „forced“ from the outside - funding body (UNHCR)
•A joint EU 3-year project submitted in 2000 to create a platform, in 2003 registered as legal
entity (till 2009 periods of activity and inactivity)
The Consortium currently comprises of 11 organizations. The founding member organizations
were the Association for Integration and Migration (formerly Counselling Centre for Refugees -
CHC), the Organization for Aid to Refugees, Counselling Centre for Integration and the
Association of Citizens Assisting Emigrants. During March and April 2010 joined the Consortium
the Multicultural Centre Prague, InBáze Berkat and People in Need. In August 2010, joined
META - Counseling and Information Center for Young Migrants. The Consortium is now in the
process of expanding the member base, incl. organizations of migrants residing in the Czech
Republic.
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The main objective of the Consortium is to participate in the formation of
migration policy and to familiarize the public with the situation of migrants in the
Czech and European context. The Consortium also provides media coverage of
cases, promotes the exchange of information between NGOs and government on
migration and coordinates the response of member organizations on current
migration issues.

5. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (2) – ANNO www.asociacenno.cz
- Association of Non-Profit Organizations CR
Repeated attempts to create an umbrella association for the nonprofits
since early-1990s. Main reasons for partial success – competition among
NGOs, rivalry, „power trips“ (and constantly recurrent question „who has
the right to represent me/us …), too many and too diverse bodies to take
them under one umbrella [= common stumbling blocks to creating a
functional coalition].
Change → 2003
ANNO registered as legal body (association of legal persons) and today
ANNO registers c. 100 regional and sectoral associations / members that
altogether consist of c.900 NGOs … out of 100.000 currently registered in CR
alone.
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6. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (2) – ANNO cont.
The main mission:
•Act as „one“ voice for NGOs and their interests in the area of shaping
relevant policies, advocate for funding allocations (partly successful)
•Information sharing within and outside the association (mostly successful)
ANNO is member of The Government Council for Non-Governmental Non-
Profit Organisations and several relevant working groups setting up for
policy actions.
Selected member associations:
- Regional Associations of Non-Profit Organizations
- Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in CR www.obcanskeporadny.cz
- A Loose Association of NGOs in Culture and Arts
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7. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (2) – ANNO / Selected member associations – cont.:
- SKOK Association of the Sectoral Conference of the Nonprofits in Social and Health
care services. www.skok.biz
It associates its members not only as social and social health care services providers
but also as employers of social and social health care workers.
-European Anti-Poverty Network – Czech Rep. www.eapncr.org
EAPN is netowork of NGOs and associations working in the area of alleviation of
poverty and social exclusion; it is a co-founding member of EU Social Platform
www.socialplatform.org that consists of European and
national coalitions/associations/networks.
- Centre for Community Work Czech Rep., and its Regional Centres www.cpkp.cz
- Association of Public Benefit Organizations (Czech Republic) www.avpo.cz
And more ….
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8. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (3) - Czech Women‘s Lobby: www.czlobby.cz
www.womenlobby.org
Network of 24 organizations promoting women's rights in the Czech
Republic, member of the European Women's Lobby (EWL) since 2005
(established in 2001 by Czech Women‘s Union, Gender Studies, Union of
Catholic Women, further member-NGOs joined in 2004)
Main focuses and joint actions in the area of:
•Reproductive rights of women (incl. free choice of medical/alternative
services rel.to childbirth)
•Prostitution and human trafficking
•Violence against women
•Women in decision-making positions
•Women and the labour market
•Gender roles and stereotypes
The CWL is represented e.g. at the Government Council for Equal Opportunities for
Women and Men
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9. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (3) – CWL cont.
Main aims and priorities of the Czech Women’s Lobby:
— Cooperation, networking and laying down common points of view and
positions of Czech women’s and gender NGOs
— Promotion in the media and opening important public discussions,
defining drawbacks connected with the question of equal opportunities for
women and men
— Lobbying and promotion of interests of all girls and women living in the
Czech Republic from the European perspective, i.e. interests of women
from marginalized and socially excluded groups, women from ethnical and
national minorities and foreign/migrant women
— Cooperation with Czech executive branch, providing expert base
— Monitoring in the field of gender equality
— Acknowledgment and promotion of diverse values and needs of women
with regard to their cultural, national, ethnical, religious, social, sexual and
other specific identities
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10. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (3) – CWL cont.
Czech Women‘s Lobby - member organizations:
•APERIO - Healthy Parenting Association: http://www.aperio.cz/
•The Business and Professional Women´s Association of the Czech Republic:
http://www.apmcr.cz/
•Business and Professional Women Prague II: http://bpwcr.cz/
•Czech Confederation of Midwives: http://www.ckpa.cz/
•Czech Doula Association: http://www.duly.eu/
•Czech Helsinki Committee: http://www.helcom.cz/
•Czech Women ´s Union: http://www.csz.cz/
•European Contact Group: http://www.ekscr.cz/
•Forum 50 % : http://padesatprocent.cz
•Gender Studies: http://www.genderstudies.cz/
•Help in Need: http://www.pomocvnouziops.cz
•K2 Club: http://www.klubk2.cz
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11. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (3) – CWL cont.
•Movement for Active Motherhood: http://iham.cz/
•Manushe – Roma women ´s group: http://www.slovo21.cz/nove/
•Moravian Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Managers:
http://www.podnikatelky.eu/
•National Contact Centre - Women and Science (Institute of Sociology):
http://www.zenyaveda.cz/
•NESEHNUTÍ Brno - social-ecological NGO: http://nesehnuti.cz/
•Department of Gender & Sociology (Institute of Sociology): http://www.soc.cas.cz
•Open Society: http://www.otevrenaspolecnost.cz/
•Birth Centre “U čápa”: http://www.pdcap.cz/
•proFem: http://www.profem.cz/
•PEXESO Family Centre: http://www.pexeso.org/
•ROSA - Centre for Abused and Lonely Women: http://www.rosa-os.cz/
•UNIPA, Czech Association of Midwives: http://www.unipa.cz/
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12. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples (4)
Other types of platforms / coalitions both national and international / EU
Czech Forum for Development Cooperation www.fors.cz
Membership in FoRS is open to all independent NGOs and institutions from academia
from Czech Republic working in development and humanitarian aid.
Pro Bono Aliance (formerly PILA – Public Interest Lawyers Association)
www.probonoaliance.cz/en/
PBA associates human and social rights lawyers working for or cooperating with
NGOs.
Czech Coalition Social Watch www.socialwatch.cz
(est.2008) Alternativa 50+, Ecumenical Academy Prague, Eurosolar, Forum 50 %,
Gender Studies, Masaryk Democratic Academy, NESEHNUTÍ and Trust for the
Economy and Society. Expert base is provided by Centre For Global Studies, Gender &
Sociology and other research institutions.
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13. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Post-2004 boom of coalitions and platforms in the Czech Republic
also because ….
•EU loves coalitions and platforms
•The state „loves“ coalitions and platforms (not really, but …)
– It is easier to communicate with one entity rather than several / many
organizations
– The State is obsessed with „umbrellas“ and „representatives“ and wishes to
work with them rather than individual entities
– When the State creates advisory bodies (like e.g. The Government Council for
Non-Governmental Non-Profit Organisations or The Government Council for
Equal Opportunities for Women and Men) it is usually the representatives of
umbrella entities that are invited to be members
• The same applies for working groups / task forces, commissions
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14. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples of current joint activities / initiatives
– ANNO: Leader of working group for EU structural funds 2014 – 2020,
partner to individual ministries responsible for individual operational
programs. Coordinator of individual OP task forces that consist of
relevant member associations / network experts incl. CWL for gender
aspects.
Communication map:
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15. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Examples of current joint activities / initiatives
– ANNO and Association of Public Benefit Organizations:
Comment procedure on new Civil Code, Acts related to non profit organizations,
and comment procedure on related legislation that is currently under
preparation (tax arrangements, Act on public benefit).
– Consortium of Migrants Assisting Organizations in the Czech Republic
Lobbying activities against new Aliens Act (adopted in May 2013)
– Czech Women‘s Lobby
• Lobbying for Czech signature under the Council of Europe Convention on
preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence;
• Lobbying activities for normal/natural birth, right of woman to choose home birth
(off hospital birth) and assistance of non-medical professionals (midwives) – 2
cases in Strasbourg; platform is provided by The Government Council for Equal
Opportunities for Women and Men and the Government Council for Human
Rights (vs. Ministry of Healthcare that supports the medical professionals)
• Joint statements issued on specific problem area / case …
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16. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
In unity is strength ... but sometimes it is good to work on your own
As much as the State prefers to work with umbrella organizations, there are
instances when to go (also) „solo“ is more efficient when e.g. dealing with
public and media.
Examples from Czech Womens´Lobby:
•Individual member organzations´ actions in continuous campaign against
sexism in advertisement;
•Individual member organzations´ actions in specific cases (e.g. Dropping of
gender focused programmes on public TV and public radio channels).
… And in such instances when a joint position on a specific issue cannot be
reached within the CWL / coalition in general!
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17. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Some common must-haves for a coalition:
Values / missions compliance
•Shared values embodied into formulated mission statement of the coalition
•Setting program priorities (and their continuous evaluation / revision)
•Respect for democratic principles within a coalition (voting processes)
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18. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Some common must-haves for a coalition – cont.:
Structure
•Development of basic formalized structure, as soon as possible
•Statutes / agreement (depending on the level of formalization; setting the rights,
duties, decision making processes within the coalition, incl.solving disputes)
– Rules for admission of new member-organizations, defining different kinds of
status of organizations e.g. regular member, affiliated member, observer;
– Rules for revocation or suspension of membership
– Decision on the complexity of the coalition hierarchy (vertical / horizontal …)
– Chair need to be elected for specified period of time (or at least designated
spoke person), in case of more complex structure, the Board
• Also a rotation system may be considered
•Rules for communication within the coalition
•Office (e.g. shared office with the „chairing organization“)
•Membership fees, finances
Fully professional „headquarters“ →
•Need of resources / funding to cover the office and staff costs
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19. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Common stumbling-blocks
•Lack of funding for maintaining the coalition →unpaid work workload
•Uneven engagement of member organizations: the member organization
may have:
• different capacities – both professional and staffing-wise;
• different structures that also may mean →
• different level of agility / capacity to act – e.g. owing to complicated decesion making
rules within the individual member organizations
•Differing opinions on specific issues
•Rivalry among member organizations
•Competition for funding between member organizations
And there may be more, similar to functioning of any organization – conflicts
among members, interpersonal conflicts etc.
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20. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Rather simplified summary …
1.Needs assesment → coalition planning
2.Identification of shared values → mission statement
3.Building formalized structure, incorporating democratic principles into
practical function of a coalition / decission making processes etc. →
Statutes
4.Good management / governance
5.Evaluation, continuous revision / setting of program priorities …
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21. NGOs: From Working Alone To Coalition-based Cooperation
Ms. Jana Chržová
Chairperson
Czech Women‘s Union
www.csz.cz
www.facebook.com/CeskySvazZen
E-mail: predsedkyne@csz.cz and janachrz@seznam.cz
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