Dgroups Partners Meeting 2016

Hosted at IDS, Brighton -14 September 2016

Outline/overview

Introduction to Dgroups

Progress on Action Plan 2016

Discussion

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An introduction to Dgroups

Dgroups Partners Meeting

14 September 2016

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Neil Pakenham-Walsh (chair)

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Dgroups is...

1. A partnership of development organisations, striving for international development and social justice�
2. A web based platform, with email at the core and as killer app�
3. A global public good, inclusive and free to individual users, hosting discussion groups on international development

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Dgroups Partnership

Dgroups Foundation - established in 2010 in the Netherlands�

Dgroups Members - 22 development organisations: international, bilateral, think tanks, NGOs, private sector�

Common vision - e-mail based and low bandwidth platform for maximum inclusion

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Dgroups vision: “A world where every person is able to contribute to dialogue and decision-making for international development and social justice”

Dgroups Partnership - Governance and management

Dgroups Board - entrusted with the management of the Foundation�

Participants Council - convened annually at the Annual Meeting of Members, comprises Dgroups Full Partners�

Euforic Services - contracted for communications and support to the Board

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[add members logos]

[add members map]

Dgroups platform - Key data

700+ active communities

250,000+ active users, working in

International & intergovernmental organizations

Government agencies

National and international NGOs

ICT- and knowledge focused institutes

Interested individuals

Professional groups

400,000+ email messages delivered each day

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Dgroups platform - Key features

Simple, reliable, robust

Focus on Email experience

Multilingual

Flexible and scalable

Non commercial

Targeted at low bandwidth users in the South

Hosted, maintained and developed by WA-Research in Switzerland

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Dgroups as global public good

Dgroups partners support Dgroups as a global public good - making the platform available and affordable to all stakeholders across the development sector�

Dgroups hosts a large 'family' of discussion groups related to international development - this is the strength and opportunity of Dgroups

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Quick links and references

Dgroups foundation website�http://dgroups.info�

Info and inquiries�dg-coordination@dgroups.org�

Technical help and support�http://dgroups.org/help

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Functionality improvement: redesign@dgroups.org

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Progress update 2016

Dgroups Partners Meeting

14 September 2016

Dgroups board

Adrian Bannister (IDS)

Krishan Bheenick (CTA) Treasurer

Hapee de Groot (Ind [prev. Hivos])

Dady Demby (FARA)

Sean Furey (RWSN)

Saskia Harmsen (Ind [prev. IICD])

Neil Pakenham-Walsh (INASP)

Karima Wardak (UNCDF, observer)

Rob Witte (Ind [prev ICCO])

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Pier Andrea Pirani (comms support)

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Work area 1: Strengthening the partnership - Neil Pakenham-Walsh

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Priorities

1. Launch the Dgroups Directory
2. Create a visual map of Dgroups
3. Consult with Partners/WA-Research on how Dgroups can contribute to the development of Community Cloud

Progress

1. Not yet functional (awaiting WA Research)
2. Dependent on above
3. CC is a brand created by WA Research. Dgroups can help promote (and vice versa)

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Work area 2: Platform improvements - Saskia Harmsen

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Priorities

1. Maintain facilitation of redesign@dgroups.org
2. Maintain spreadsheet on functionality issues
3. Successfully implement FAO-funded and UNISDR-funded improvements

Progress

1. 42 members, ~ 50 discussions over the past 18 months
2. Dgroups Functionality Improvement tracking sheet
3. Done

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Functionality improvements – key issues

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Directory…

Search…

Public view…

Work area 3: Service reliability - Hapee de Groot

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Priorities

1. Maintain service reliability at or very near to 100%�
2. Get Hapee de Groot trained to provide deputisation in event of emergency

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Progress

1. Dgroups down 4 times in 2016. Longest downtime = 2 days. Problems with slow distribution, now resolved with new servers.
2. Hapee received training at WA-Research Geneva (and Rome), March 2016. Joe Canda CEO.

Work area 4: Users’ support - Pier Andrea Pirani

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Priorities

1. Develop one Dgroups educational video with ECDPM

Progress

1. On hold
1. to be discussed before end of the year
2. ECDPM contributing full membership fee for 2016

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Work area 5: Engaging current partners - Pier Andrea Pirani

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Priorities

1. Develop survey and interview series to assess views of Partners with regards to Dgroups and future development of the Partnership
2. Continue to have 1-to-1 conversations with members

Progress

1. On hold - seeking inputs from Dgroups partners
2. More frequent communications:
1. Face-to-face meetings with FAO, UNISDR, ECDPM;
2. 1-to-1 email exchanges with 12 of 16 full members

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Work area 6: Marketing & outreach - Dady Demby

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Priorities

1. Encourage Dgroups Partners to help promote Dgroups�
2. Provide support for Dgroups presentation at a physical conference and at a web conference�
3. Prepare a 30-second “microphone pitch”�
4. FARA to deliver two Dgroups presentations (Nigeria; Rwanda.)�
5. Market Dgroups to French audience

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Progress

1. 3 Dgroups partners display logo/link
2. January 2016, University of of Cape Coast, Ghana (20 participants)
3. On-hold
4. February 2016, Ibadan, Nigeria: Dgroups presentation at Biomass Web workshop (60 participants);�Rwanda: Change in side event program did not allow presentation
5. On-hold

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Work area 7: Governance & admin - Neil Pakenham-Walsh

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Priorities

1. Seek further opportunities to strengthen the Dgroups Board, including gender and geographical balance.

Also: We now have 3 independents (shortly to be 2). Lacking representation from FAO, DFID, SDC, UNISDR.

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Progress

1. 2016 new Board Members
1. Sean Furey, RWSN
2. Karima Wardak, UNCDF
3. Adrian Bannister, IDS

Rob Witte, Hapee de Groot, Neil Pakenham-Walsh reinstated for second terms

Work area 8: Finance - Krishan Bheenick

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Total Income in 2015: Euro 90, 028

Total Expenditure in 2015: Euro 71, 505

Net Income in 2015: Euro 18, 523

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Increased annual membership fee and introduction of Associate Membership in 2014 have improved income. A few Members have also paid in advance. However, several Full Partners have announced going through restructuring in 2015, with possible repercussions on membership in 2016.

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Efforts to raise income from potential Full Partners, coupled with cost sharing for already identified improvements to the Dgroups platform have been negotiated in 2015, to be implemented in 2016. Engagement of new Full Partners remains a priority.

Work area 9: M&E - Sean Furey

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Priorities

1. Improve availability and usefulness of Dgroups statistics (overall & individual groups).�
2. Develop 3 case studies to demonstrate benefits of Dgroups membership.
3. Share 1 example of a Dgroups user survey and results.

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Progress

1. Statistics menu function working again. Further discussion needed with Partners/WA-Research on what else would be useful
2. RWSN case complete - needs finalizing and publishing
3. RWSN member survey shared comparing Dgroups favourably to other RWSN online platforms

Email: dg-coordination@dgroups.org

Website: www.dgroups.info

Twitter: @dgroups

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