Perspectives & Definitions

Most definitions of capacity development center around the following concepts:   

Capacity is the ability of people, organizations and society as a whole to manage their affairs successfully
Capacity development is the process whereby people, organizations and society as a whole unleash, strengthen, create, adapt and maintain capacity over time
Support for capacity development recognizes that it cannot be imported from outside, but is an endogenous process in which outsiders can act as catalyst, facilitator, or knowledge broker

Key players' perspectives and definitions of capacity development 

World Bank Africa Region
Capacity is the proven ability of key actors in a society to achieve socio-economic goals on their own. This is demonstrated through the functional presence of a combination of most of the following factors: viable institutions and respective organizations; commitment and vision of leadership; financial and material resources; skilled human resources. In short, Capacity = Institutions + Leadership + Resources + Skills + Practices – Constraints.
www.worldbank.org/Africa

World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG)    

The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is an independent unit within the World Bank; it reports directly to the Bank's Board of Executive Directors. IEG assesses what works, and what does not; how a borrower plans to run and maintain a project; and the lasting contribution of the Bank to a country's overall development. The goals of evaluation are to learn from experience, to provide an objective basis for assessing the results of the Bank's work, and to provide accountability in the achievement of its objectives. It also improves Bank work by identifying and disseminating the lessons learned from experience and by framing recommendations drawn from evaluation findings.
http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/ 

Other perspectives & definitions  

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Capacity is the ability of individuals, organizations and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and set and achieve goals. Capacity development entails sustainable creation, utilization and retention of that capacity to reduce poverty, enhance self-reliance, and improve people’s lives. It requires acquisition of    individual skills, institutional capacities and social capital as well as the development of opportunities to put these skills and networks to productive use in the transformation of society.  

http://www.undp.org/capacity/ 

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

A sound development program must be people-centered, with a focus on human development – on developing capacity, which means helping women, men and children in developing countries, their communities and institutions, to acquire the skills and resources needed to sustain their own social and economic progress. 

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/index.htm    

German Development Agency (GTZ)

Capacity enhancement implies the enhancement of capabilities of people and institutions in a sustainable manner to improve their competence and problem solving capacities.
http://www.gtz.de 

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