SDIA Office Initiatives

SDIA acts a the secretariat to our international network. The SDI Office works to strengthen the capacity of our members, local organizations, development professionals and volunteers to:
  • Assist and mobilise the communities they serve
  • Develop and support practical and sustainable development initiatives
  • Build and manage effective community organizations
  • Lobby and advocate for change
  • Make and sustain alliances with others who share their goals.
We facilitate shared learning between member organisations and interested individuals by:
  • Maintaining SDIA website as resource for the Network.
  • Publishing our monthly Network e-News featuring news from Network members in English, French and Spanish.
  • Publishing Notes from the Field, featuring lessons drawn by SD project leaders.
  • Organizing training, education and networking events, and sharing knowledge gained through our published reports.
  • Carrying out research that highlights good practices and improved performance towards our common development and social justice objectives and publishing that research for our members.
We identify and coordinate human, technical and financial resources to assist members and community initiatives by:
  • Maintaining the SD Network Grants Matrix showing funds raised for SD projects by the network.
  • Sharing information about current project needs and grant requests.
  • Giving technical support and site visits by skilled professionals.
  • SDIA maintains a Project Support Fund intended to help members invest in strengthening project management.
  • Promoting volunteering as a means of getting people with skills to assist social, health and educational projects that need those skills.
We encourage respect for human rights, achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals and international advocacy for development and social justice through our consultative status with the UN and other international organizations.