World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty

The World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty (WACAP) is a global network of municipal governments established in 1996 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to mobilize informa­tion and resources enabling municipal governments to combat poverty. Currently WACAP is undergoing a change in leader­ship but has not undergone an evaluation. UNDP­Geneva requested the Capstone team work to identify WACAP's unique niche, consult stakeholders to assess its usefulness, and provide a recommenda­tion on whether WACAP should be discontinued or redesigned to have a more engaged membership base, greater financial support, and contribute to the Millennium Development Goals. The Capstone team interviewed UN staff, representatives from member cities, professors, and representatives from relevant public service organizations and also conducted secondary source research. The team subsequently used this analysis to develop a set of recommendations to improve several areas of WACAP including its funding, organizational structure, member services, and conferences.