On this step, non-financial support providers must assess the needs of the SPO that they decide to support by answering the following questions:

• What are the general needs of the SPOs object of intervention?
• Is there an overlap between these needs and the strategic support services that the non-financial support provider can offer?

If the answer to these two questions is “yes,” a more detailed assessment of the needs of the SPO is undertaken. Before carrying out a more detailed assessment, we recommend answering a few guiding questions to duly identify the best assessment tools and calibrate the vision to develop a work plan along with the SPO. See step 3.

                                                                                                           This link provides a few guiding questions. 

Once the support areas have been identified with the help of the guiding questions, a process is initiated to choose the suitable assessment tools to pinpoint the development stage of the SPO in the different strategic axes. There are many public, open-access assessment methodologies and tools that can be used or adjusted to assess the level of development of the SPO and its readiness for each strategic line. A few examples are included below.

Diagnóstico de capacidades organizacionales (OCA)

Village Capital Viral Pathway

Autodiagnóstico Fundación Bolívar Davivienda

Pact Organizacional

Once the assessment tools have been selected, the non-financial support provider and the SPO complete the need-assessment tools. It is recommended that the assessment be carried out by the two parties to ensure a horizontal relationship and alienation of expectations. Another option is for each party to make its assessment, and then both compare their results. By comparing the results of both assessments, the two parties can have a conversation that will help them discuss the coincidences and differences and agree on the next steps.

The non-financial support provider and the SPO should note that the assessment is an exercise that helps both agree on the readiness status of the SPO. This assessment will help prioritize the support areas that require more urgent intervention and develop a non-financial support plan that contributes to the SPO objectives. Depending on the results, both parties will decide whether to go deeper into the analysis of the areas that require the most attention or to develop a non-financial support work plan.