Sustainability of International Development Networks Review of IDRC Experience (1995-2005)

The report defines network sustainability as a network's ability to function until it achieves its goals, its members lose the will or ability to continue, or it becomes irrelevant. It identifies four dimensions of sustainability—time, resources, relationships, and relevance—and argues that long-term viability depends on strategic, internal, external, and financial management, as well as the adaptive capacity to manage change.

• Sustainability for international development networks is defined by four dimensions: time, resources, relationships, and relevance. A network is considered sustainable if it "continues to function until it achieves its goals, or until its members are no longer willing or able to continue, or until it becomes irrelevant".
• Network lifespans vary significantly based on purpose; for example, capacity building networks often require longer timeframes, such as the Asian Rice Farming Systems Network which operated over a twenty-year lifespan.
• Financial sustainability does not necessarily require a network to be self-sufficient, but relying on a single donor is unsustainable. Data shows that 72% of IDRC networks received funds from organizations other than IDRC.
• Institutional membership is generally more sustainable than individual membership because institutions provide continuity through staff changes, offer resources like office space and salaries, and link network priorities to durable institutional mandates.
• Effective internal management requires clear governance and the distribution of authority. A lack of clear authority can lead to an "authority vacuum" and an "identity crisis," as seen in the case of the Central American Industrial Support Network (CAISNET).
• Network credibility and saliency are maintained by producing high-quality research, involving research users in the network's design, and ensuring products are appropriate for the target audience.
• Adaptive capacity—the ability to recognize and manage change—is a critical success factor. This includes managing changes in institutional homes, leadership, membership bases, and project lifecycles.
• The devolution of network coordination from Northern to Southern institutions is a strategy for empowerment and relevance, but it can increase administrative workloads and financial costs for the receiving partners.
• Financial management for sustainable networks involves securing long-term, flexible donor commitments and diversifying the donor base to reduce vulnerability to shifts in a single donor's priorities.

APA

Willard, T., & Creech, H. (2006). Sustainability of International Development Networks Review of IDRC Experience (1995-2005). International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sus_int_dev.pdf

Chicago

Willard, Terri, and Heather Creech. Sustainability of International Development Networks Review of IDRC Experience (1995-2005). International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2006. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sus_int_dev.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Willard |first1=Terri |last2=Creech |first2=Heather |title=Sustainability of International Development Networks Review of IDRC Experience (1995-2005) |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=October 2006 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sus_int_dev.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{willard2006sustainability, author = {Willard, Terri and Creech, Heather}, title = {{Sustainability of International Development Networks Review of IDRC Experience (1995-2005)}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2006}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_sus_int_dev.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }