UNGEI’s success with a new investment case

The UN Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) embarked on a transformative journey to rethink its approach to resource mobilization and partnership-building. To achieve this, UNGEI partnered with LEAD’s consultants, Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen and Kirstine Føge Jensen, who guided the initiative in developing a new investment case. The goal was to leverage UNGEI’s unique role as a global convener to shift power dynamics and create a strategy that would resonate with both existing and potential partners.

A Vision Grounded in Purpose and Evidence

From the outset, the collaboration was centered on aligning UNGEI’s purpose with practical, strategic actions. AB emphasized the importance of this focus, saying, “We are collaborating with an organization that aims to create a significant change in the world – when boys and girls leave school, they have learned more than just reading and writing. They have also learned the value of equality, democracy, and citizenship.”

To ensure the strategy was grounded in evidence, LEAD conducted a comprehensive research process. This included interviews with key stakeholders, in-depth document reviews, and analyzing data from partners. The insights helped reveal UNGEI’s unique strengths, providing the foundation for the development of an investment case that could mobilize resources and drive action. Kirstine reflected on this process: “We weren’t just looking at the internal dynamics of the organization; we explored how UNGEI is positioned externally and what opportunities lay ahead.”

From Vision to Reality

Through a combination of stakeholder engagement, including interviews and focus group discussions, and in-depth document analysis, LEAD helped UNGEI clearly identify its unique selling proposition. This process laid the groundwork for crafting a compelling investment case that would resonate with donors and partners.

AB remarked on this pivotal moment: “Identifying UNGEI’s strengths as a global convener and its capacity to bring diverse partners together allowed us to shape an investment case that goes beyond immediate needs and focuses on long-term, systemic change.”

Working collaboratively with UNGEI, LEAD’s consultants developed and tested early drafts of the investment casewith friendly donors, refining the approach based on feedback. This iterative process ensured the final product was aligned with the priorities of both UNGEI and its stakeholders.