Page 9 - Sustainability and entrepreneurship for CSO's and CSO networks Cambodia 1 November 2018

Suggestions for a way forward
1. A CSO network can emphasise the value and assets of its members and the CSO sector at large. Assets are for example: the educated staff of CSO/CSOs, their reach to grassroots organisations and individuals, their capacity to realise better lives for Cambodian citizens through health, education, income, participation, etc. CSOs have access to information and knowledge that represents value to INGOs, government, private sector and to international institutions and funding.
2. A CSO network is to serve members who, in return, pay contribution.
3. CSO networks can create adequate scale to survive. The networks could be open to other civic space institutions like CBOs, Labour Associations, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) companies and Pagoda associations. One CSO network could cover 2 - 3 provinces. CSO networks can start a CSO network federation.
4. CSO networks services could assist their members to merge, to share resources such as offices and staffs, to use local resources (volunteers, charity, earned income strategies), to strengthen and to discuss exit strategies with donors. CSO networks could offer members to manage their administration, fund applications and job seeking services for redundant staff.
5. CSO networks can instigate research and consultancy services for members and third parties, using the expertise and knowledge of their members.
6. The use of information technology will support fast communications and attract young, educated people.
7. CSO networks can act as an umbrella organisation, linked to CCC, NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF), NGO Education Partnership (NEP) and other players, to effectively organise their services, network relations, strategies and institutional costs.
Power and influence
Although many CSOs in Cambodia have never gone beyond the start-up phase, the local CSO sector in Cambodia at large has arrived at a point in its lifecycle where it has to take drastic decisions. The CSOs dependency on international aid has to come to an end or, at least, the dependency on the donor requirements has to change. Focus is needed on power relations, mergers, services, new working approaches, other sources of income to regain a powerful CSO position. Becoming relevant, respected and required requires a strong position of the CSO sector between government, private sector and civil society.
The CSO sector can create an open heterogeneous market space where suppliers meet customers, where people and organisations can drop in and out, where a minimum of rules meet a maximum of participation and creativity.
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