Listen First - Practical ways of improving accountability for NGOs - A collaboration by Concern and Mango - December 2008

This report describes the Listen First research project, carried out by Concern and Mango from 2006 to 2008. The aim of the project was to research practical ways of managing downward accountability, on a systematic basis, across different country programmes.

Research has consistently shown that NGOs deliver high quality work when they are accountable to the people they aim to serve. But, curiously, NGOs do not generally manage this accountability on a systematic basis. It is often left up to individual managers, while organisations pay more attention to being accountable to donors and other stakeholders.
The Listen First project was designed in 2006 as a response to this, to develop and trial innovative approaches which might have broader application. It was carried out by Concern and Mango, from 2006 – 2008, and involved over 530 people, field work in 6 different field sites and academic research.

The project included a review of relevant academic research, and field work. As described below, tools and approaches evolved during the research process. The key findings were that standardised tools were useful in creating a shared understanding. But they had to be applied to local circumstances, by field staff. The quality of this application depended primarily on the attitudes and commitment of key field staff and managers.