Stakeholder Management and Engagement
Navigate power dynamics, build trust, and secure genuine buy-in from communities, donors, and partners. Online certificate course.
Self-Study Certificate Course
Start: Immediate Access
Time: Typically 15-20 hours to complete
When Stakeholder Relationships Make or Break Projects
In humanitarian and development work, project success is amplified by strong stakeholder relationships. When stakeholder management is superficial or minimal, organizations face:
- Project delays and conflicts due to unaligned expectations and competing interests
- Loss of community trust when key voices feel excluded from decision-making
- Wasted efforts when activities fail to align with stakeholder priorities
- Sustainability challenges when projects lack genuine buy-in
This training equips you with systematic approaches to identify, analyze, and engage with stakeholders throughout the project cycle. You'll learn tested approaches for stakeholder mapping and culturally sensitive communication strategies to transform stakeholder insights into better project results. Through effective stakeholder management, you can:
- Foster collaboration and trust among diverse stakeholder groups
- Align project objectives with community priorities for lasting impact
- Navigate complex power dynamics while maintaining project integrity
- Secure buy-in that supports project sustainability
- Transform potential conflicts into opportunities for innovation
- Build inclusive projects that reflect all stakeholder voices
How You'll Learn
This self-paced course combines video lessons, practical exercises, and assessments:
- Video presentations with downloadable transcripts and handouts
- Practical templates and tasks for immediate application
- Reflection exercises to adapt concepts to your context
- End-of-module knowledge checks
- Certificate upon completion
Course developed and presented by Neil Kendrick, founder of ELD Impact, with 25+ years of experience training humanitarian professionals across 20+ countries
Program Overview
Click any module to see content
- Getting Started
- Pre-Course Self-Assessment: Rate Your Current Skills
- Course Introduction
- Why Stakeholder Management Matters
- Communication and Stakeholder Understanding
- How Stakeholders Influence Project Success
- Dealing with Stakeholders' Negative Perceptions
- Progress Assessment
- Reflection & Application
- Identifying Stakeholders
- Stakeholder Diversity
- Analyzing Stakeholders Power and Interest
- Stakeholders and Resource Allocation
- Understanding Stakeholders Needs and Interests
- Planning to Manage Stakeholder Expectations
- Win-Win - Balancing Project Resources and Positive Stakeholder Outcomes
- Stakeholder Communication Planning
- Adapting Communication Strategies to Stakeholder Needs and Interests
- Progress Assessment
- Reflection & Application
- Stakeholder Engagement Strategies
- Tailoring Your Strategy to Stakeholder Power and Influence
- Integrating Stakeholder Insights into Planning and M&E
- Progress Assessment
- Reflection & Application
- Final Self-Assessment: Reflect on Your Progress
- Integration and Implementation
- Course Discussion Forum
- Your Next Steps