From August this year, Alliance will be leaving CAF to form part of a small, newly established non-profit organization. I have therefore decided to use this opportunity to reflect on the future opportunities for Alliance. CAF is proud to have established Alliance as the leading international journal of its type, thanks largely to the considerable efforts of Caroline Hartnell. Now we feel that the time is right for the magazine to enter another stage in its development and are happy to see Alliance given full independence, so that it can spread its wings and reach even greater heights of excellence …

For the average NGO in the South that is invariably subjected to all manner of tests and forced to engage in a diverse range of relationships in order to survive, one of the most terrifying questions they get asked is, ‘What are you doing about your financial sustainability?’ For a start, the question is a constant reminder of one’s vulnerability. As soon as it is asked, the sustainability question often overshadows whatever past achievements an organization might be able to claim. As an NGO practitioner, I have often wondered if the donor that poses this question is not looking for …