Project Details

The five-year Central Tibetan Administration Capacity Building and Sustainability Initiative (CTA-CBI) is a 5-year project funded by the USAID mission in India designed to strengthen the organizational capacity of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in order to be more effective and sustainable in delivering services to Tibetans and achieving community self-reliance. The project has two key objectives: 

1. Strengthened Central Tibetan Administration Leadership and Planning

2. Improved Management Systems of CTA and Settlement Institutions  

As a major subcontractor to the National Democratic Institute (NDI), ICMA leads the implementation of Objective 2. The project is implemented in a phased approach and supports the CTA in developing strategic plans to address policy needs; strengthening governance and human resources management systems; implementing new data management improvement plan; developing a CTA-wide staff training institute and implementing new staff training systems; generating economic opportunities; and conducting citizen outreach activities, including specific youth and women’s engagement components and diaspora outreach.  

In support of improvements to the CTA’s management systems and Settlement Institutions, ICMA leads the following activities: 

Institutional Strengthening Through Improved Systems and Processes

ICMA has developed the Institutional Development Index (IDI) tool and used it on many projects worldwide to identify gaps, measure organizational strength and improve management systems and processes in a standardized way. Under CTA-CBSI, ICMA has tailored the IDI to assess the general organizational capacity of the CTA at the general organizational capacity at the department level, as well as management functions such as data management and human resources management. ICMA is currently working with multiple CTA departments to assess their existing management systems and processes, to support a data-driven and needs-based strategic planning process for their performance improvement. ICMA is also working with the CTA to implement a data management improvement plan, based on findings from a detailed IDI assessment of the current data management systems, ICMA has also supported the CTA in assessment of existing human resource systems of the CTA and is working with the Kashag (Cabinet) to address and implement recommended improvements in the CTA’s human resources management policy, systems and processes.

Training Policy Improvement

ICMA is currently working with the CTA’s Public Service Commission to develop a new training policy for staff, informed by a staff satisfaction survey and assessments made by the ICMA. The CTA-CBSI project is also supporting the development of a staff competency framework and a competency dictionary for CTA staff, which will inform future training modules and the differentiation needs of CTA training programs. NDI and ICMA are also working with the CTA to develop and operationalize a CTA-wide staff training institute to conduct staff training in a more cost-effective manner and ensure sustainability of improvements in CTA’s capacity of planning, designing, delivery, and evaluation of staff training programs.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping of Tibetan Settlements

Through ICMA’s sub-awardee and local partner, the Urban Management Centre (UMC), the CTA-CBSI project has been conducting a comprehensive GIS mapping of Tibetan settlements in India. UMC and ICMA are also working with the CTA to establish a GIS cell to build sustainable capacity in CTA to create and assess future GIS maps. To support this work, ICMA and UMC have collaborated with Tibetan Settlement Offices (TSOs) to engage local Tibetan youths as field enumerators to assist the mapping exercises. In conjunction with the GIS mapping exercise, ICMA and UMC are collaborating on the development of a Settlement Improvement Plan (SIP) framework for the CTA. The SIP is a community-driven micro-plan aimed at fostering civic improvements within Tibetan settlements, empowering, and engaging local communities to identify, prioritize, and implement civic improvements.

Strengthening Tibetan Cooperatives to Foster Economic Growth

ICMA has recently worked with 19 Tibetan-owned cooperative societies to assess challenges and gaps, including their relationship with the CTA. In collaboration with the Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives (FTCI) and the CTA, ICMA is planning to present the findings of assessment of 19 cooperatives in order to synchronize efforts between the cooperatives and the CTA to capitalize economic opportunities. Moving forward, ICMA will work with FTCI to strengthen the cooperatives by addressing the existing gaps, enabling broader access to markets and facilitating engagements with the relevant Indian government agencies to leverage available resources. Furthermore, ICMA-led planned activities and interventions include facilitating human resource management exchanges with Indian cities through ICMA’s CityLinks™ methodology; developing and delivering public financial management trainings to CTA staff through collaboration of ICMA members and Indian city managers; coordinating with the USAID Tibetan Self-Reliance and Resilience (TSSR) project to standardize data management across CTA departments; mobilizing regional experts to help the CTA identify viable PPP models for encouraging sustainable growth; and organizing business forums to convene stakeholders and private-sector representatives interested in investing in the diaspora Settlements.