Imagine the challenge: a distributed workforce with teams across the globe delivering customer government implementations, upgrades and ongoing support and maintenance in multiple time zones. Building public financial management skills is, therefore, an important FreeBalance objective – both in terms of ensuring that our own employees are at the top of the game, and in building the capacity of the civil service in the countries in which we operate.
FreeBalance believes that skills development and continuous learning is core to enabling governments to achieve improved governance for inclusive and sustainable growth.
What is Government Capacity Building?
Government capacity building refers to the process of enhancing a government’s ability to effectively and efficiently carry out its functions and responsibilities. This includes strengthening government institutions, processes and systems to enable them to better deliver public services, implement policies, and manage resources.
Capacity building can involve a range of activities, such as reforming administrative procedures to make them more efficient and transparent (such as PFM reform), investing in technology and infrastructure to support government operations (such as the FreeBalance Accountability Suite™), and improving the skills and knowledge of government officials through training and education (such as The FreeBalance Academy).
The goal of government capacity building is to improve governance and service delivery, promote accountability and transparency, and strengthen democratic institutions. It is often carried out in collaboration with international organizations and donors, as well as with civil society and other stakeholders such as Government Resource Planning (GRP) vendors such as FreeBalance.
Why Does the Public Sector Need to Build Capacity?
The public sector needs to make sure that it has the right skills, tools and policies required to meet the needs and expectations of their citizens, promote good governance, and effectively address the challenges facing their societies.
At the local government level, capacity building helps to promote citizen participation in decision-making processes. This includes improving the communication channels between citizens and local government officials, enhancing citizens’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities, and promoting public participation in local development initiatives.
Capacity building in local government also enables local governments to address the specific challenges facing their communities. This includes addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and social exclusion which can be addressed by promoting economic growth, creating jobs, and improving the quality of life for citizens.
Overall, government capacity building improves governance and service delivery, enhances citizen participation, addresses local challenges, and fosters local development. By investing in capacity building, governments can become more effective, efficient, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of their citizens.
How Does FreeBalance Contribute to Government Capacity Building?
FreeBalance is a software company that provides financial management systems for government entities. The FreeBalance Accountability Suite™ solutions help governments to build capacity in several ways:
- Automation of Financial Management Processes: FreeBalance’s financial management software automates government financial processes, enabling governments to improve financial management efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
- Standardization of Financial Processes: FreeBalance’s software standardizes financial management processes across different government departments, ensuring consistency and accuracy in financial reporting and enabling better decision-making.
- Improving Financial Reporting: FreeBalance’s software provides real-time financial reporting, enabling governments to make informed decisions based on up-to-date financial information.
- Strengthening Public Financial Management: FreeBalance’s software strengthens public financial management, including budget preparation, execution, and monitoring, as well as financial reporting and audit management.
- Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: FreeBalance’s software enhances transparency and accountability in financial management by enabling governments to track the use of public funds and report on government financial activities to citizens.
How Does The FreeBalance Academy Contribute to Government Capacity Building?
The FreeBalance Academy is a training and capacity-building program developed by FreeBalance as part of its purpose-led mandate to improve citizen wellbeing. The Academy contributes to government capacity building in several ways:
- Training in Financial Management Good Practices: The FreeBalance Academy provides training in financial management good practices, helping government officials to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to manage public finances effectively and efficiently.
- Customized Training Programs: The FreeBalance Academy offers customized training programs tailored to the specific needs and requirements of individual governments, enabling them to address their unique financial management challenges.
- Continuous Learning: The FreeBalance Academy provides ongoing learning opportunities, enabling government officials to continuously improve their skills and knowledge in financial management.
- Strengthening Institutional Capacity: The FreeBalance Academy strengthens institutional capacity by providing training and capacity building to government institutions, helping them to develop their capacity to manage public finances effectively.
- Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: The FreeBalance Academy enhances transparency and accountability by providing training on financial reporting, enabling government officials to report on government financial activities to citizens in a clear and understandable manner.
The Academy helps governments to build the skills and knowledge needed to manage public finances effectively, leading to improved financial management, better service delivery, and increased accountability to citizens.
Mentoring Approach
Training is but one method of skills development. Mentoring also plays an important role in building capabilities. FreeBalance’s flagship Lead – Assist – Guide (LAG) program (Sustainability Services) was developed over many years of working with the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) to build local capacity so that they could be totally self-sufficient in managing their FreeBalance Accountability Suite™. This initiative saw FreeBalance set up a local office with local recruits augmented by regional resources to train, coach and mentor government employees. The LAG program was highly effective and we were proud to hand over the system to GoTL in 2022.
For more information on how FreeBalance could help build government capacity in your country, please get in touch.