When individuals and organization face complex and persistent challenges, it can be too much to tackle alone. But, when people reach out to others and unite as a network under a common goal, leveraging knowledge, talent, and resources, anything is possible.
Networks of individuals and organizations pursuing similar goals exist everywhere. Many, however, struggle to reach their full potential for a number of reasons: ineffective communication, poor leadership, low interpersonal trust, and a lack of resources.
The Pact Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) helps remedy these issues, making networks stronger and more effective. The Pact ONA is a tool that can be used with network members to map a network, understand the relationships between different groups, and provide a forum for coordination, collaboration, and mutual goal-setting. It is unique in borrowing from methodologies frequently used by the private sector and in adapting networking principles for use by grassroots development organizations in intuitive, locally appropriate ways.
How the Pact ONA Works
- Survey Design and Data Collection — Pact mobilizes local groups and individuals who are working on a particular issue, goal, or need. Together, they develop a survey and answer questions about the flows of information, resources, and collaboration.
- Data Analysis — Pact facilitators process the data using state-of-the-art network analysis programs and generate network maps and metrics. These maps offer a visual reference, present a new perspective, and encourage lively discussion.
- Participatory Feedback & Action Planning — ONA results are used as a launching pad for discussion, idea generation, and action planning between network members about how their network can be strengthened.
Why the Pact ONA is Effective
- Expands the space for collaboration, deepening solidarity, and speaking in unison around an agenda.
- Scales up approaches that work, identifying systemic needs, and avoiding duplication of efforts and services.
- Fosters shared learning.
- Speeds innovation and adaptation for better impact.
Track Record
The Pact ONA has numerous applications and can be used in a variety of contexts, ranging from health referral networks to communities of practice to civil society advocacy networks. Pact facilitators have applied ONA and other network-strengthening activities with global organizations — such as the World Bank Institute, UNDP, Conservation International, and USAID — numerous local organizations, and government institutions in over 15 countries.
Case in Point: At-Risk Populations in Malawi 
Pact conducted an ONA with 14 partner organizations — including community-based, faith-based, and non-governmental organizations — working with populations at risk for HIV in Malawi. Despite their shared goals, the partners were barely communicating or collaborating. They viewed each other as competition, and thought seeking help was a sign of weakness. Work was duplicated, adding an unnecessary burden to the organizations and hampering their missions.
This was reflected in the results of the initial ONA which revealed a network density of just 19%, with only one in five organizations having a connection. The presentation of the ONA map sparked dialogue, and network members began to establish trust and better working relationships.
In the following months, members began hosting joint trainings, sharing technical expertise and knowledge, conducting exchange visits, and advocating together. Remarkably, three network members came together on their own to lobby the National AIDS Commission (NAC) for missing health supplies which, because of the groups’ combined clout, arrived quickly. One year later, the network density had jumped to 44%.
