This article reports on exploratory research intended to yield guidance for scoping a major research effort to follow. The larger effort is aimed at documenting the key processes entailed in helping to build local capacity for sustainable development. The operations of a larger number of indigenous nongovernmental development assistance organizations that make deliberate efforts to foster beneficiary capacity were surveyed, and commonalities among their approaches were identified. Among the more striking findings are: these assistance organizations approach learning, organizing, planning, and development as a unitary process that is advanced in increments carefully considered with respect to each beneficiary group in each locale served; they foster the gradual formation of linkages among beneficiary groups and among local places in order to facilitate efficiencies of many kinds; and as they succeed in building local capacity the assisting organizations undergo concomitant change and development in order to remain effective.
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