Stakeholder Engagement

For local organizations planning a P/CVE project, support and involvement from key local stakeholders (including community members and leaders) are essential.  In addition, local organizations can further their P/CVE goals by building the capacity and commitment of local actors and governments to counter violent extremism and by holding governments accountable. Your project can engage local actors by “co-creating” project activities, conducting feedback and learning forums, and encouraging investment (material or in-kind) of local actors in project activities.

As you engage stakeholders during the implementation phase of your project, refer to the Cross-Cutting Section on Stakeholder Engagement.

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What does a multi-stakeholder engagement plan look like?

Stakeholder engagement plans must be tailored for each project. For P/CVE projects, local dynamics and context play a critical role in shaping the project design, and therefore the local system actors who should be engaged. The following guiding questions and sample outlines will help you develop an effective stakeholder engagement plan.  

Who? Which stakeholders should be prioritized and engaged based on the initial stakeholder mapping and assessments? Have any marginalized groups been identified among these stakeholders? 
Why? What are each stakeholder’s interests and objectives? Why are stakeholders motivated to work with you? Why are stakeholders being engaged?
What? What is the breadth and depth of each stakeholder engagement at every stage of the project cycle? What are the strategic decisions that need to be made collectively?
How? What are the methods for engaging each stakeholder? What is the strategy to ensure marginalized groups are engaged?
When? What is the timeline and the frequency of engaging with stakeholders?
Responsibilities? What role will stakeholder representatives play? Who will facilitate stakeholder engagement?
Resources? What will the stakeholder engagement plan cost and according to what budget?

 

Implementation Tip

Sample Outline of a Simplified Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Using this outline, you can list potential stakeholders, identify why they are interested in collaborating, how engagement will proceed, who will do it, when, and how it will be financed/supported.

Stakeholder (individual or group) Stakeholder Interests/Objectives Participation Methods Participation Responsibility Timeline Cost Estimate (include resources)
           
           
           
           
           
           

 

Sample Outline of a Detailed Stakeholder Engagement Plan

If you have additional time, consider developing a more detailed engagement plan, as described below:

1

Project Description

This section should briefly provide an overview of the project (objectives, geographic scope, Theory of Change, etc.) including potential contextual challenges.
2

Project Stakeholders

Based on stakeholder analysis/mapping, identify key stakeholder groups who will be engaged during the project. Include persons or groups who:

  • Are directly and/or indirectly impacted by the project and/or its activities
  • Have identified potential “interests” in the project
  • Can influence project outcomes or operational efficiency

Explain why you have chosen to work with these stakeholders. What is the purpose of working with each individual or group?
3

Stakeholder Engagement Plan

  • Summarize the purpose and objectives of the stakeholder engagement plan. Why do you need this plan, and how will you be using it?
  • Describe why specific stakeholders (individuals or groups) have been chosen to contribute to the project. What is the purpose of this collaboration?
  • Briefly describe what information will be shared with stakeholders, in which formats and languages, and which channels will be used to share the information.
  • List any participatory activities/actions/decisions that will result from formal partnerships, training and capacity building activities, awareness raising campaigns, etc.
  • Describe the methods used to engage with each of the stakeholder groups identified.
  • Describe what specific measures will be undertaken to engage diverse groups (including women, religious or ethnic minorities, youth and other marginalized groups).
4

Timetable

  • Develop a timeline/schedule that specifies dates/frequency and locations where various stakeholder engagement activities, including consultations and partnerships, will take place.
5

Resources and Responsibilities

  • Outline each stakeholder’s responsibilities in carrying out project activities.
  • Determine the budget and other resources that will be used to implement these activities.
  • Determine who will coordinate and facilitate the stakeholder engagement plan.
6

Monitoring and Reporting

  • Describe how stakeholders will be involved in the monitoring of project implementation.
  • Describe how and when the results of stakeholder engagement activities will be shared with larger stakeholder groups (e.g., newsletters, assessment reports, monitoring and evaluation reports, meetings and events, etc.).
  • Describe the process by which implementers will collect stakeholder feedback (including those who are indirectly or directly affected by the project). Describe how challenges will be addressed.
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Outreach and Selection Plan Exercise
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Outreach and Selection Plan Worksheet

Once you’ve selected stakeholders to engage, this worksheet can help you determine the key steps for your organization to reach and identify the target group(s) for your activities.