This presentation provides an overview of initial thoughts on how we can build a community of practice for market engagement at CARE. The conent includes a summary of what we are trying to accomplish, why we think now is the time to move this ahead, what we have to build on, some ideas for how to move forward and a case example from a successful practitioner community of practice in market facilitation.

1. Launching a Community of
Practice for Market Engagement
Initial Champions Meeting

2. Agenda
1 • What are we trying to accomplish?
2 • Why do we think the time is now?
3 • What are some ideas on how to start?
4 • A case study to learn from - MaFI
5 • What are your thoughts, ideas and interests?

3. What are we trying to accomplish?
Establish a community of practice in the area of
market engagement that thrives based on inputs
from and participation of a wide-range
stakeholders across the organization.
So that…

4. What do we want to accomplish?
No 1: Accelerate our No 2: Make it easier to
internal learning cycle access and apply lessons
from across CARE
Outcomes
No 3: Improve project and No 4: Expand our
programming impact professional development
opportunities

5. Agenda
1 • What are we trying to accomplish?
2 • Why do we think the time is now?
3 • What are some ideas on how to start?
4 • A case study to learn from - MaFI
5 • What are your thoughts, ideas and interests?

6. # 1 Institutional Momentum
 CO long-term program focus on food security (among other themes)
with private sector as key actor
 CARE Market Engagement Strategy making gains
 CIUK PPA IV just getting started with private sector and market
engagement as strong themes
 CARE Canada near completion of EED strategy
 Vision 2020 and CUSA redesign focus on inter-dependency & improved
knowledge management
 CUSA launch of SE Initiative in 2011

7. # 2 CO Demand Capacity to Respond
 Demand from country offices
 48 registrants for e-course across 20 countries in 3 weeks
 More than 100% growth in SEAD Chat listserv in past 18 months
 Over 18 long-term food security programs now designed
 Donors and corporations increasingly focused on private sector
engagement and value chains and interested in (paying for) learning
 Existing projects are generating substantial lessons locally that
could be better shared and informed
 Growing convergence across CI Lead Members on institutional
priorities
 Infrastructure for a community largely in place

8. #3 Growing Infrastructure
Presentations
Communications
Videos
CoP
Photos
Document Storage

9. #4 Growing Set of Tools
CoP

10. #5 Organic Learning Agenda in Action
BoP Service Models Building blocks of a
 Zambia – Agrodealers
 Ghana, India - RSP learning agenda that is
 Peru – Technical Assist. Providers
already active within CARE
Food Security on issues related to
 Ethiopia - PSNP Plus
 Bangladesh – Shouhardo market engagement.
 Uganda - SCORE
Women’s Empowerment Corporate Partnerships
 Bangladesh - SDVC GAAP  Bangladesh - Walmart
 Bolivia - Value Chain /  Ghana – Cadbury, Kraft, Cargill
Chuquisaca  Sri Lanka – Ethical Tea
 Mali, TZ, Malawi, India – Partnership
Pathways Program

11. Agenda
1 • What are we trying to accomplish?
2 • Why do we think the time is now?
3 • What are some ideas on how to start?
4 • A case study to learn from - MaFI
5 • What are your thoughts, ideas and interests?

12. Ideas for Getting Started
1. Listen and Learn
• Internally from other CoPs, each other and target members
• Externally from other CoPs, peer organizations, partners
2. Engage and activate champions
• Define actionable priorities
• Figure out translation issues
• Share responsibility to pursue these
3. Promote CoP among target members
• Reach beyond usual suspects. Get field and junior staff engaged
• Use concrete opportunities for exchange as ‘hooks’
4. Continue to take an organic approach / follow the energy

13. Illustrative Opportunities
1. Launching the M&E Guide
• Conduct a series of webinar trainings throughout the spring
2. Introducing the CARE Canada EED Strategy
• Post for comment on common online space. Disseminate via
webinar.
3. Learning with PPA IV
• Technical leads in CIUK PSE team use communications tools to help
document and share lessons as they move forward
4. Sharing the Asia Workforce Empowerment Workshop
• Presentations posted to Slideshare. Summary “CARE Talk” Video.
5. Advancing the Graduation Learning Theme
• Webinar presenting final evaluation findings

14. Ideas on Getting Started
Be Realistic! Focus on practical achievable steps.
– Agree on management structure,
participation and roles
– Agree on platform to serve as the “glue” or
CARE Market Engagement coffee shop
– Start recruiting people to join this
– Identify and successfully execute a limited set
of sharing opportunities

15. People that Can Support This
• Central management
– Christian, Gianluca, Tess and Andrea all committed to spend
some time supporting this process
– Fabienne and Vianney also interested
– CARE USA interns will also be supporting this
– Very open to and encouraging of other contributions to central
management
• Advancing learning themes
– Some can come from central management but majority will
need to come from others
– Central management can help by advising on learning processes
and/or facilitating the use of CoP tools and infrastructure

16. Agenda
1 • What are we trying to accomplish?
2 • Why do we think the time is now?
3 • What are some ideas on how to start?
4 • A case study to learn from - MaFI
5 • What are your thoughts, ideas and interests?

17. What is MaFI?
 The SEEP Network is a nonprofit network of over 120
international organizations that believe in the power of
microenterprise to reduce global poverty
• SEEP is investigating the most pressing issues in the microenterprise
development industry to find effective, replicable solutions.
 The Market Facilitation Initiative is one of SEEP’s Enterprise
Development efforts
• MaFI is advancing the practice of inclusive market development
facilitation worldwide.

18. Much more than a space for talking...
trust + joint vision JOINT ACTION
PEER-SUPPORT
LEARNING
time

19. Building Trust and Reciprocity
Listeners
(staying tuned & spreading the voice) •Long-term interactions
•Members know who is who
•The power of LinkedIn to build
your own professional network
Committed members •“MaFI changed the way I work
(changing the world) on a daily basis, as it is like
having an additional layer of
colleagues around the world
eager to support, and whom I
can support as well when
needed […]” (Gianluca Nardi,
Nov 2011)

20. A learning agenda focused on:
Subsidies
Horizontal & Vertical Linkages
Capacity Building
Impact Assessment (new!)
… while responsive to members’ needs.

21. Communication Model for MaFI
LEVEL 3: Facebook Page
(Thousands)
LEVEL 2: LinkedIn Group
(Hundreds)
LEVEL 1: SEEP’s SharePoint
(Tens)
Twitter D-Groups
SEEP Library, MaFI-licious and Slideshare Local Learning Groups (LLGs)

22. Principles for Model Design
 Proactive: Reach members where they already spend
most of their time
 Diverse: Use different channels to reach different
segments of members
 Adaptable: Give options for members to share and
network
 Predictable: Help members plan their time and know
what is coming
 Simple: both in operation and looks

23. Main Features (I)
 Multiple communication channels
• Sharepoint, LinkedIn, Facebook and listserve
 Viral communication and promotion
• Through members’ networks in LinkedIn & Facebook
• Through the integration of MaFI-licious and Twitter updates,
Slideshare uploads, reading lists and blogs
 Face-to-face and virtual interactions
• Local Learning Groups
• Short online discussions (1-3 days)
• Webinars and Skype calls (small groups)

24. Main Features (II)
Membership based on expertise & engagement
• Only members who contribute to discussions and problem-
solving can be in levels 1 and 2
• “Listeners” will stay informed via Facebook & listserve
Expert Review Panel for special products
• To increase legitimacy and influence
• Constituted by reputable professionals
Regular updates and newsletters
• From very quick and short (via Twitter) to periodic and more
elaborated newsletters

25. Main Features (III)
 Easy navigation and operation
• Using platforms that are constantly innovating and most
members are already using or plan to use
• Members can choose which discussions to follow
 Powerful networking (through LinkedIn)
• Members can access one another’s networks
 Measurable activity
• Number of members & visits to documents, quality of discussions
& knowledge products, satisfaction levels
 Guest “stars” to spur debates

27. MaFI Take Aways for CARE
Support multiple audiences
Build multiple channels and ways to engage
Do this for both ‘world changers’ and ‘listeners’
Think about incentives at all points
Go to where people already are for virtual discussion
Base membership on potential to contribute
Establish social contracts to ensure active participation
Focus on learning themes / task forces that people are
already advancing through their day-to-day work

28. Agenda
1 • What are we trying to accomplish?
2 • Why do we think the time is now?
3 • What are some ideas on how to start?
4 • A case study to learn from - MaFI
5 • What are your thoughts, ideas and interests?

29. What are your thoughts,
ideas and interests?