Resource Mobilization and Effective Utilization for Actualizing Community Development Projects in Nigeria

This paper examines the resources mobilization and effective utilization for actualizing community development projects in Nigeria. Concepts of resource mobilization for community development project were discusses from different perspectives. Resource mobilization is just a means to the end, the end being the fulfillment of the organization’s vision. Resource mobilization is a team effort, and involves the institution’s commitment to resource mobilization; acceptance for the need to raise resources; and institutionalizing resource mobilization priorities, policies and budget allocation. Problems associated with resource mobilization for community development were discussed. The paper also examines programme implementation for community development projects which identified among others, finding able and willing local leaders, setting up committees and identifying organizations. The paper further discusses participation as one of the basis of community development projects because without participation from the concerns members work or project will not be fully conducted. Various aspect of participation was discussed which include, active participation and functional participation among others. The paper also looks into community development projects evaluation process which centrally discusses empowerment evaluation in which it gives members of community the ability to check and analyze how resources are being utilize for the projects intended for. Conclusion was drawn and way forward were suggested some among others are,


Introduction
In adequacy in a number of things mostly tired down the progress of what have been scheduled to hold within specified period of time, it is obvious, that programme or projects are not handling without sufficient resource materials for it to be conducted. Programmes are been organized with due consultations through the beneficiaries and their elders, in order to have fair hearing of their basic or felt needs. Ugwuegbu (2001) confirmed that, in planning any meaningful community programme the planner ensures that the programme is pivoted around meeting the felt needs of the people. He further stressed that felt needs are those decided upon by the people themselves based on their perceived problems. Having done that, it gives adequate opportunities for the programme planner to dwell into various needs and select the most pressing one together with the target beneficiaries.
However, for a projects to be achieved it most secured the right type of resources that will enable the programme to be actualized within the period of time. Ugwuegbu (2001) further described that resources should be available in sufficient quantity and quality for the successful execution of the programme. Sources where additional resources can be obtained where necessary should be known. To this end, resources are means which used to actualize identified problems in a community. The resources are both human and material which in turn community themselves provide some of them that range from personnel in various professions and material resources which include: finance and infrastructure and so on.

Resources Mobilization for Community Development Projects
Resource Mobilization According to Canada's International Development Research Center, (CIDRC, 2010) may be defined as a management process that involves identifying people who share the same values as your organization, and taking steps to manage that relationship. Looking closely at this definition, one can see that resource mobilization is actually a process that involves three integrated concepts. The key concepts are organizational management and development, communicating and prospecting, and relationship building. It is further described that for a community development projects to mobilized resources it has to consider the following: 1. Resource mobilization is just a means to the end, the end being the fulfillment of the organization's vision; 2. Resource mobilization is a team effort, and involves the institution's commitment to resource mobilization; acceptance for the need to raise resources; and institutionalizing resource mobilization priorities, policies and budget allocation; 3. The responsibility for the resource mobilization effort is shared by the board, the president or the executive director, and the resource mobilization unit; 4. An organization needs money in order to raise money; and 5. There are no quick fixes in resource mobilization.

Problems Associated with Resource Mobilization for Community Development
Problem is inevitable likewise communities as a body with different divert culture, traditions, norms and values must have shared a one problem or the other. Equally it has not been distinguished with the problem of mobilizing resources that will improve better living of its members. Rabi'u (2006) had identified issues that limit community accessing resources which includes: a. Awareness: resources are being wasted for the fact that people have no knowledge about it usefulness and existence. Absence of knowledge had limit access to it importance and benefit drive from it. b. Technology: lack technological knowhow to mobilize or to evaluate the potentials or reserves is also a limitation to resources mobilization. c. Finance: the cost of engaging experts and equipment in field survey is very high especially aerial survey, geochemical and geological analysis. d. Political will: lack of commitment on the part of government, political leaders and elites in the community prevent access to resources for community development projects. Administrative bottlenecks or bureaucracy often frustrate efforts/projects aimed at evaluating resources base. e. Physical Accessibility: some communities are in disadvantage placed in term of terrain, road and water way of development and so on, that their resources potentialities are not harness for used.

Strategic
Planning on Resources Mobilization for Community Development Projects For the resources to be mobilized and enable the execution of a programme, it required a careful strategic planning for actualization of project embark on mind. Bryson (1995) offered the following general definition of strategic planning. Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it. This effort requires broad yet effective information gathering, development and exploration of strategic alternatives, and an emphasis on future implications of present decisions. Strategic planning has several strengths. The process aims to build agreement within an organization or a community. It forces the community to ask and answer the questions "What are our goals and aims?" and "What do we want to accomplish?" These questions encourage communities to think and act strategically maximizing effectiveness, identifying their comparative advantage, focusing on critical issues, and turning liabilities into assets. Resources here are mobilized based on the programme at hand, and at the same time community development projects are carried out basically with little resources at hand and strategize other possible means on how resources will be source and allow the conduct and successful completion of the project designed. Therefore, resources referred to mean, both human and materials resource that could be used for the project to take up, the sources of such, sometimes comes from the beneficiaries. For instance, resources that include skills, talents (such as handicrafts), and capacities and so on are usually found within the members of community or beneficiaries themselves. For the planners of community development project to secure resources should involve the following strategies: 1. Identify local Resources in the Community: local resources here refer to talent people, professionals in different capacity and so on. Before, sourcing any resources for community development projects it expected to start mobilizing the local resources that is at hand;

Consultation of Elders on Resources
Mobilization: before, projects executed required the consultation of elders must be made and consensus must also be reached on what it should be and what it should not be. So, for proper actualization the word of wisdom from elders within the community that the projects is to be executed is required for proper take up. 3. Government Agencies: initiations many a times came from the beneficiaries so it gives them opportunity to seek assistance from government toward the stage they have reached in order for the projects to be completed. For instance, community initiate two blocks of classroom and it get the stage where their resources reached and it could not further from there and they must look for assistance from any source either local government or any other concern body. 4. Individual Philanthropist: in any community, local government, state or country at large found well rich individual that engage themselves in providing voluntary services either in cash or in kind. Through such patriotic personnel resources can be source if solicit from them. 5. Traditional Rulers: it is obvious that traditional rulers are the fathers of their communities they rule and administrators of all the affairs of their people and always make sure that the integrity of the followers is being protected, safe guard their interest, provide social services within their capacity. Vis-vise the followers are always in conformity with their directives, advice and instructions and so on. In this, case traditional rulers could serve as a great sources of mobilizing resources for community development projects; 6. Media: media is a channel whereby valuable information is passing to the general public. Media in this regard it depends upon the target people want to reach with the information and the media could be electronic or print that can disseminate information. It also become major source in which it used to publicize their programme in order to achieve the target set aside. 7. International Donors/Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): the international communities are one way or the other provides humanitarian services for human life to be improved in different ramifications. For instance, to mention but few among those provides such services. WHO give support in health sector, UNESCO also provide services on education and the like. Equally they support project that initiates the community themselves by assessing the stage reached by project organizers either in cash or in kind.

Implementation for Community Development Project
Having identified the above strategies on which is expected to facilitate the process of securing resources. It is in this stage the programme organizers will display their plan of activities according to the written schedules. Proper implementation of a programme enable it success. So, for it to be well implemented it required a careful and systematic procedures to employ for the programme to take up. The following seven steps are the process for community development projects implementation: 1. Finding able and willing local leaders to assume responsibility for launching the programme. 2. Setting up committees, which will include representatives from the them to different persons and as far as possible involving members of the community to carry out the key tasks. 5. Establishing a suitable recording and reporting system of the ongoing activities. Deciding on the type and number of beneficiaries to be covered initially. 6. Ensuring the availability of finance at least for the first year. 7. Finalizing the duration of the entire programme and the time required for each activity. Having identified implementation process of community development projects this would not be fully implemented without having participants for the project identified. Participation can be seen as the engagement of members of communities in projects purposely organizes for their own benefits politically, socially or economically (Roodt, 2001). Rahman (1993) equally stated that, the idea of participation is the ability to put head together in order to work with a single mind, give every member of the community equal chance to contribute and take fully charge of the exercise throughout the period which design to execute the programme. Mikkelsen (1995) described that participation is the sensitization of people to increase their receptivity and ability to respond to development projects. However, community development project is not a one-man business rather than is everyone affairs for it realization. Therefore, it become paramount important to every member of the community to take active participation in community development projects in their community whether organize by members of the community or any other agencies for the sake of quality projects. For, clarity and understanding on how community development projects are being carryout participation are being divided into various functions but for this paper only very few are to be discusses that are relevance for the sake purpose: Accordingly, participation was viewed by (Mikkelsen, 1995). That active participation is open and community members take part actively in all stages of the project. Decision making as well as other vital activities, such as management as well as monitoring and evaluation of the projects, are done by the people. However, passive participation, the community maintains a distance and never intervenes in the activities; they are told what is happening or what has happened already. But, Interactive participation is when people take part in joint analysis as well as the planning process and the members of the target community improve their existing structures as well taking charge of their development process (Roodt, 2001). According to Mikkelsen (2005) identifies types of participation, and their functions below: Functional participation is when people participate by forming groups or committees which are externally initiated. These groups are seen as the means to achieve predetermined goals. On the other hand, interactive participation is seen as being involved in analysis and development of action plans. In this regard, participation is considered as a right and not just a mechanical function. Groups are formed, together with partnerships, and there is use of systematic and structured learning processes. Groups therefore take control of the local decisions, so people have a stake in maintaining structures or practices. This type of participation empowers the community and is hence ideal for community development. It leads to sustainability and ownership of the projects. Optimum participation, according to Mikkelsen (1995), indicates the need to focus closer attention on the different contexts and purposes in order to determine what form of participation makes sense. The extreme form of analysis of participation is when it is seen as manipulation. In this sense, "participation is a new and subtler form of manipulation. A more powerful form of participation, is self-mobilization that has been at the heart of several successful programmes, especially in India, Rahman (1993) termed this people's selfdevelopment, rejected dogmatism about collectivism as the ultimate emancipation of labour, and suggested leaving the question to the organic evolution of people's search for life. Mikkelsen (1995) supported this view by stating that people participate by taking initiatives to change systems, independent of external institutions, although the latter can help with an enabling framework. People retain control of resources used, and in addition, such self-initiated mobilization may change the distribution of resources. Ideally, participation should reflect what Rahman (1993) called "people's collective self-identity that reflects deep conceptualizations of popular aspirations". Though Rahman called for complete selfreliance, he noted the fact that human dignity plays an important role in participation and eventually development.

Community Development Projects Evaluation Process
Projects for community development are for the benefits of community members and mostly are for self-help programme to provide basic needs and social services on the absence of government provision of such. Despite, projects for community are voluntarily it requires evaluation to monitor and ensure judicious use of resources provided by members of the community. Simon (2012) has identified process of evaluation of community development projects. But this paper only chose this particular one looking that is closely related to the work. Empowerment evaluation is connected to collaborative and participatory models of evaluation, and at the core of these approaches is the meaningful participation of those being evaluated. Empowerment models of evaluation have grown in popularity especially in community and social development. Much of this popularity will be due to the alignment of the model to traditional social and community development ethics privileging participatory approaches to practice. These models of evaluation are seen to be effective at giving voice to a range of stakeholders involved in a programme or organization, including staff at all levels, clients, stakeholders and community members (Simon, 2012). Such emphasis on participation draws similarities on some evaluation process like appreciative inquiry approaches. Empowerment evaluation is an internally led process, as opposed to some traditional evaluation methods, which are led by external, expert evaluators. If evaluation professionals are used, they are there as 'critical friends' and advisors, rather than experts coming into to make judgments on programme effectiveness. Simon (2012) provides a clear overview of empowerment evaluation and outlines ten key principles and summarized them below: 1. Improvement of people, programmes, organizations and communities to help them achieve results 2. Community ownership with stakeholders taking joint responsibility for designing and conducting the evaluation and putting the findings to use 3. Inclusion of participants, staff from all levels of a programme or organization, funders, and members of the wider community 4. Democratic participation based on shared decision-making, deliberation, communicative action and authentic collaboration 5. Social justice goals, with high value placed on addressing the larger social good and achieving a more equitable society through capacity building 6. Community knowledge, information and experience is valued and respected and used to make decisions, understand the local context, and interpret evaluation results 7. Evidence-based strategies and empirical justifications for action are utilized, recognizing the need to adapt existing tools to the local environment, culture and conditions 8. Capacity-building of programme staff and participants to conduct their own evaluations through the appropriate tools and conditions 9. Organizational learning through continual reflection on and evaluation of programmes and organizations, resulting in increased responsiveness to changes and challenges and hence guidance for improvement 10. Accountability, of individuals and organizations for the commitments they make and of funders in relation to their expectations.

Conclusion
Communities around Nigeria are in needs of basic things which could not be fully provided by the government. Because of this members of communities decided to form associations in order to provide some of the basic needs of people within the communities. However, these associations conducted their projects many a time with help of members of association, community members and donors from individual, government agencies and NGOs. For their projects to be effectively executed they have to sacrifice to monitor with kin interest and ensure all resources are utilized within the plan of a certain projects.

Way Forward
The following are some of the way forward to effective resource mobilization and utilization for actualizing community development project in Nigeria, thus; 1. Mobilizations and awareness campaign will be seriously raised among the people in the community for resources to be effectively actualized and utilized for the benefit of the community. 2. Government, stake holders and philanthropists should have mobilized and promote the use of technology for proper mobilization and utilization of resource. 3. Government and community leaders should allocate adequate finance to engage experts and purchase suitable equipment in field survey more especially in the use of aerial survey, geochemical and geological analysis. 4. Government, political leaders and elites in the community should realize the effect of preventing access to resources for community development projects and should therefore allow smooth administration and avoid bottlenecks or bureaucracy that might often frustrate efforts aimed at evaluating resources base. 5. Government should ensure provision of physical accessibility, good roads that would allow communities to harness their resources potentialities for used.