Methodology Inter Pares works with social change organizations around the world who share our analysis that poverty and injustice are caused by inequalities between and among nations, and who are working to promote social and economic justice in their communities and societies. To get a better sense of what kinds of organizations we work with, please consult past editions of our Bulletin, or click to see who we work with in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Canada.
We contribute in many ways to these relationships of common cause:
- we raise funds and political support from the Canadian government and public, as well as from other organizations;
- we connect our colleagues with others who are struggling with the same issues, often through building transnational coalitions;
- we offer our political and programmatic perspective from thirty-five years of working around the world;
- we support women’s leadership through our feminist approach;
- we systematically seek opportunities to engage the Canadian government on its policies and programs; and
- we carry out public education here at home.
These are not one-way “helping” relationships, but two-way collaborative relationships. Overseas colleagues strongly influence Inter Pares’ thinking and our actions here in Canada, especially with respect to influencing Canadian policy and NGO discourse and analysis.
The nature of each collaboration varies depending on the length of the relationship and the needs of the work. With some organizations, we work very closely together – strategizing together over e-mail, phone calls, and regular visits about program needs and next steps; working to interest new funders; meeting with government officials to secure political support; working with other Canadian organizations to influence federal policy, and so forth. With other organizations, we may only focus on carrying out joint advocacy; with others, on continuing to offer financial support. All are valued colleagues, with regular two-way sharing of views and analysis.
In our funding relationships, rather than relate to one-time projects, we try to offer organizations the freedom to plan and allocate Inter Pares’ financial support where they feel it will do the most good. These are often activities for which it is difficult to raise other funds. It is common for our counterparts to use our funding to “seed” new initiatives, and when the work has developed sufficiently, we often assist them to seek grants from international donors.
Internally, staff at Inter Pares work collaboratively and with a great deal of interdependence. All full-time staff are co-managers, managing the institution through consensus-based decision-making. In addition to core program responsibilities, staff committees oversee different aspects of Inter Pares’ management. All full-time staff collaborate in raising funds and are involved in the programming and financial management of the organization, assuring a high degree of transparency, cohesion and rigour.
As a member of the Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), Inter Pares endorses the 
CCIC Code of Ethics. The code sets out the vision, ethical principles, and standards that guide CCIC members’ partnerships with Southern civil society organizations.
For more information on Inter Pares' programming methodology, please click here.
| Reviewed July 15, 2011 |  |
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