It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.  -W. Edwards Deming

For an organization called Improve International, we spend a lot of time talking about failure and what’s not working. So this blog focuses some of the great organizations and information focused on what does work (also known as “best practices”), and how to direct funds towards what works.  This is not a comprehensive list; please do share any other resources you have.

Resources on best practices in WASH

• WASH Sustainability Charter
• Towards better programming: A water handbook (UNICEF, 1999)

Organizations working on good practice in international development

• NIDOS
• Bond Effectiveness Programme
• Ethical Volunteering
• Global Accountability Project (One World Trust)
• INGO Accountability Charter
• Sphere – Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response
• World Association of NGOs Code of Ethics & Conduct
• PMI International Development Community of Practice
• Center for Effective Global Action

Organizations working on good practices in philanthropy

• NPC
• The Bridgespan Group
• Charities Evaluation Services
• Center for High Impact Philanthropy
• Center for Effective Philanthropy
• Philanthropy Roundtable

Resources on best practices in international development

• The NIDOS Effectiveness Tool
• The Bridgespan Group’s Global Development Publications & Tools
• About Performance Improvement
• Hearing from Those We Seek to Help: Nonprofit Practices and Perspectives in Beneficiary Feedback