Interaction

What is InterAction?
What is InterAction?
InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international
development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations.

InterAction is the largest coalition of U.S.-based international NGOs focused on the

world's poor and most vulnerable people. Collectively, InterAction’s more than 165
members work in every developing country. InterAction’s membership comprises
faith-based and secular organizations headquartered in twenty-five states.

In poor communities throughout the developing world, InterAction members meet

people half way in expanding opportunities and supporting gender equality in
education, health care, agriculture, small business, and other areas. To forestall or
recover from the violence that impacts millions of innocent civilians, InterAction
exercises leadership in conflict prevention, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and
peace building initiatives in post-conflict situations.
The U.S. public shows its support for advancing human dignity and peace in the
world through contributions to InterAction members totaling around $5 billion
annually. InterAction leverages the impact of this private support by advocating
for the expansion of U.S. Government investments and by insisting that policies
and programs are responsive to the realities of the world’s poorest and most
vulnerable populations.

InterAction’s comparative advantage rests on the uniquely field and practitioner-

based expertise of its members. InterAction works with its members to compile
data on the impact of NGO programs, as a basis for promoting best practices and
for evidence-based public policy formulation.

InterAction brings the values and experience of the NGO community into the
broader development and humanitarian assistance community through strategic
alliances with key partners around particular issues and objectives. These
partnerships further leverage InterAction’s political, intellectual, and financial
capital. InterAction believes its future is one of strategic alliances.
Our Members
InterAction members are headquartered in 27 states. These
organizations:

 Foster economic and social development

 Provide relief to those affected by disaster and war
 Assist refugees and internally displaced persons
 Advance human rights
 Support gender equity
 Protect the environment
 Address population concerns
 Press for more equitable, just, and effective public policies
 Brief
A Brief History
History
Formed in 1984 by a merger of :
The American Council of Voluntary Service
Private Agencies in International Development

Adopted PVO Standards in 1992

Conducted full governance review in 2002

New bylaws approved
New Board of Directors
 Member Benefits
Effective Advocacy and Representation

 Influencing Policy, Outreach, and Meetings with

Congress, the Administration, and Top-Level
Policy-Makers

 Public Policy Alerts

 Harnessing our collective voice

Participation in the largest community
of US-based NGOs
 Networking among Peer Organizations and Information
Sharing

 Meetings:
Forum, Regional Meetings, CEO Retreat, Affinity Groups

 Email Distribution Lists

 Outreach to NGO Networks Internationally

 Over 300 Issue-Oriented meetings a year

Effective Communications and Increased Exposure

 Strategic Media and Press Relations

 Over 1.5 million hits a month at www.interaction.org

 Media and Message Trainings

Capacity Building and Technical Assistance

 Gender and Diversity Integration Support

 Humanitarian Dialogue and Capacity Building

 Media and Outreach Training

 NGO Security Training

 Meeting Standards and Organizational Strengthening

Increased Credibility with Individual Donors, Private
Foundations, and Government Agencies

 PVO Standards

 Self-Certification Plus

 Child Sponsorship Accreditation

Publications
 Monday Developments

 Member Profiles

 Global Work

 Plus many others

 InterAction Member Organizations
P
C Program
O
O Advisory
Groups Public Policy & L
N InterAction Foreign
Commission I
V Board Assistance
on Advancement Affinity C
E Strategic Advisory
of Women Groups Y
Group
N Strategic Advisory
E Group
CEO Humanitarian A
Strategic L
D Special InterAction Advisory
senior-level Staff Group T
I
Steering E
A Committees
R
L Strategic Working
Membership N
O Public Impact Groups
& Standards Advisory A
G Working Communications
Board Group T
Groups Strategic
U Committee
Advisory I
E Group
V
E
Field reality
S
gender perspective, partnerships, etc.
 Leveraging the Impact of U.S. NGOs
Strategic
Public Outreach Partnerships
& Advocacy Foundations
Northern & Southern
InterAction’s NGO alliances etc.
convening space
A
C
C
O Member
PVO Standards Documenting
Evaluation I
U Aggregating/ Best Practices
Capacity Communities M
N •Self Certification + Documenting
of Practice P
T Member Impact •Best practice
•Adherence to A
•Enhanced publications
A new Standards •Interest groups
Accountability •Thematic Studies (Working Groups) C
B
•Strengthening •Affinity groups T
I •Expanding •MDG framework •Field based
L Evaluation
Compliance and stocktaking technical
Systems •Working groups
I Materials
T Field reality
Y gender perspective, partnerships, etc.
InterAction’s Strategic Goals 2007-2009
Goal 1
Promote a bold agenda to focus U.S. development and humanitarian assistance on
improving the conditions of the world’s poor and most vulnerable.
Engage with the USG to advance poverty alleviation and humanitarian relief as
major independent US foreign assistance priorities.
Advocate for the creation of a Cabinet-level US Department of Development
and Humanitarian Assistance.

Goal 2
Demonstrate and enhance NGO accountability and impact in development and
humanitarian action. Focus on aggregating the contributions of the NGO community
towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, on broadening compliance with
the Sphere Project’s Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, and on aligning with
other key global frameworks that advance development efforts and enable humanitarian
action.

Goal 3
Be the voice and prime representative of US international NGOs in building alliances
and common agendas with NGO networks around the world and with other strategic
partners.
 InterAction Structure

Leadership Team

Executive
Public Policy and Office Strategic Impact
Outreach Team Team Team

Membership Humanitarian
& Standards Policy & Practice
Team Team

Finance & Administration Team

 How to Participate: Members collaborate
through interfaces with staff teams
How to Participate
Members collaborate and participate through various
interfaces with InterAction Staff Teams:

InterAction Teams:
Executive
Strategic Impact
Humanitarian Policy and Practice
Public Policy & Outreach
Membership & Standards
Finance & Administration
Executive Office Team

 To engage with Member CEOs in setting and implementing our community’s

overall strategy and goals.
 To represent the InterAction community and attend meetings with Members
CEOs and senior staff.
 To assist CEOs in their liaison with the InterAction Board.
 To launch new ways for members to engage with each other and InterAction
staff around a specific theme.
 To build consensus across CEOs and senior staff on select advocacy
positions, to sign for InterAction, and to advocate for our interests.
 To assist Members in their interface with InterAction staff and work that cuts
across different InterAction teams.
 To help build an InterAction community that is active, inclusive, and
supportive.
 To provide support and guidance to member CEOs and Board as
appropriate.
 How to Participate
Strategic Impact Team
Strategic Impact Goals
Goals
To address critical issues related to global development

To document NGO contributions to development globally

To document NGO contributions to to innovative practices

To partner with NGO platforms in developing and developed countries

on initiatives of mutual concern

To become a “thought center” for U.S. NGO development practices in

collaboration with partners in the field
Strategic Impact Team
How
Poverty Alleviation to Participate
Strategic Impact Poverty Alleviation
Areas of interest include:
The Millennium Development Goals
Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality
HIV/AIDS
Aid Effectiveness (coordination, coherence)
Climate Change
Monitoring and Evaluation
The Millennium Challenge Account
Best Practices and Lessons Learned

The Strategic Impact Team was formed in InterAction’s recent

restructuring in February 2007. The new Team advisory group, working
groups, and other forms of member engagement are in the process of
being established.
 How to Participate
Humanitarian Policy and Practice
Committee (HPPC)
Humanitarian Policy and Practice
About 45 InterAction member NGOs work on disaster response and
related refugee and displaced persons issues.

Goals of the Humanitarian Policy and Practice Team:

To provide a framework for consultation, coordination and advocacy on
behalf of people forcibly displaced or otherwise affected by conflict,
natural disasters and oppression
To address issues relating to the protection and assistance needs of
refugees and IDPs as well as operations, security, and coordination in
disaster response
HumanitarianHow Policyto and
Participate
Practice
Humanitarian
Crosscutting Thematic Policy and Practice
Engagement
UN Humanitarian Reform and InterAgency Steering Committee
Committee
Sphere Project
Natural Disaster Response
US Foreign Assistance Reform

Thematic Working Groups: Crisis-Specific Working

Humanitarian Accountability Groups:
Civil-Military Relations Afghanistan Reconstruction
Shelter Avian & Human Influenza
Protection DRC
Risk Reduction Cuba
Security Advisory Group Iraq
Sexual Exploitation & Abuse Haiti
Transition, Conflict, and Peace Sri Lanka
UNHCR Partnerships Lebanon & West Bank/Gaza
Sudan
Public Policy and Outreach
Public Policy Goals:

 To educate policymakers, the media, and the public on international relief

and development programs and policies to advance poverty alleviation and
humanitarian relief as major U.S. foreign assistance priorities.
 To coordinate the efforts of member organizations to influence policy and
budget priorities in order to maximize effectiveness of advocacy and
outreach.
 To advocate on other humanitarian and development issues identified by
InterAction members and working groups
 To assist members with developing tools needed for their own advocacy
priorities; analyze and disseminate legislative information of interest to the
humanitarian and development community
 To advocate for the creation of an independent cabinet-level Department of
Development and Humanitarian Assistance
Public Policy and Outreach Team

Outreach and Communications Goals:

 To enhance InterAction advocacy and outreach impact through

integrated and targeted communication efforts

 To position InterAction as the expert source on relief and

development issues

 To enhance member communications capacity and reach

 To improve public perception of poverty alleviation programs by

proactively promoting InterAction and member activities
Membership & Standards Team

Goal

To establish and implement a membership strategy that expands

InterAction’s capacity to advance sector-wide goals and interests,
serves the needs of member organizations, and ensures that
InterAction members meet or exceed standards of excellence
in their organizations
Membership & Standards
Team
Membership Services
 Serve as the central point of contact for all prospective and active
member agencies in navigating their membership with InterAction, and in
supporting member engagement with InterAction activities
 Manage InterAction’s annual Forum, annual CEO Retreat and regional
membership meetings Develop and maintain membership records, data
and communication systems
 Work internally with all other teams and externally with member
organizations to ensure that member participation is maximized, supports
member interests and needs and leverages InterActions strategic goals
 Manage dues collection
Membership & Standards Team

Standards and Accountability

 Keep the membership informed of evolving trends, laws and
regulations pertaining to the accountability of charitable organizations
generally and NGOs specifically

 Develop standards for InterAction members that ensure excellence

and manage member compliance with these standards using the bi-
annual Self Certification Plus process

 Provide technical assistance and policy guidance in meeting the

standards

 Propose and pilot accessible and affordable externally verified

compliance certification models for meeting standards [e.g., child
sponsorship certification, peer review]
Finance and Administration Team

 Support members understanding of membership dues

policy and assist with membership dues calculations

 Work with members to resolve outstanding InterAction

related financial matters

 Advise members on their audit, internal controls and

financial matters

 Help members with H.R. and office administration issues

 Responsibilities
Responsibilities of Membership
of Membership
 Participation in Standing Committees, Working Groups
and special initiatives
 Participation in committees,
 Bi-annually working groups
Certify Compliance with theand
PVOother
Standards
participation initiatives
 Pay annual dues based on a percentage (.15%) of
 Bi-annually
internationally related expenses
Certify Compliance with the PVO Standards
 Pay annual
Attenddues
meetings,
basedparticularly CEO Retreat,
on a percentage Annual Forum
(.15%) of
and Regional
internationally Meetings
related expenses
 Attend meetings, particularly CEO Retreat, Annual Forum
and Regional Meetings
 Eligibility Requirements
Organizations must:
Eligibility Requirements
Organizations must:
 Be a U.S.-based organization
 Be established for at least two years
 Be a U.S.-based organization
Be
Beestablished
registered as
for aat501 taxtwo
least exempt
yearsorganization
Be registered
Comply with as
theaPVO
501 (a) organization
Standards
 Comply with the PVO Standards
 Have an international focus that advances human prosperity
 Have international programs