i4D's Governance & Community Development pillar strengthens the leadership, financial management and accountability of public institutions at national and local level, while building community resilience to disasters, social shocks and governance gaps.
Our Strategic Goal
To strengthen the leadership, planning and financial management capacity of public institutions at national and local level, while building the resilience of communities to disasters, social shocks and governance gaps.
Strategic Objectives
- Strengthen the leadership, planning and financial management capacity of public institutions.
- Support effective decentralisation.
- Advance transparency and social accountability mechanisms.
- Strengthen community systems and disaster resilience.
- Support peacebuilding, social cohesion and responsible digital governance.
Key Areas of Support
- Public Sector Governance
- Local Government and Decentralisation
- Accountability and Transparency
- Community Systems Strengthening
- Disaster Resilience and Emergency Preparedness
- Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion
- Institutional Development and Capacity Strengthening
- Social Accountability
- Digital Governance and Innovation in Public Systems
Priority Interventions
- Local-government capacity-strengthening packages covering planning, budgeting and financial management, delivered through mentoring.
- Public financial management and anti-corruption support.
- Community social-accountability scorecard processes.
- District disaster-preparedness and early-warning systems.
- E-governance and digital public-service pilots with assisted-access points.
The Context in Malawi
- i4D has supported communities to build disaster preparedness systems, enhancing local resilience and safety ahead of shocks such as floods and cyclones.
- i4D has worked with local structures to strengthen governance and accountability, supporting more transparent decision-making at community level.
- i4D has helped expand microfinance and livelihood opportunities, contributing to greater economic inclusion in the communities it works with.
“Stronger communities build stronger institutions, and stronger institutions build stronger communities — the two are strengthened together, not in sequence.”
Strategic Partners
i4D delivers this pillar in collaboration with national and local government, civil society organisations, and community structures.