There has been growing recognition of the actual and potential contributions of women to the achievement of national development plans; in fact, national goals will not be met unless women become full participants in the process of social and economic development. Some attention has been focused on the potential of women's groups and indigenous non-governmental organizations working with women as valuable mechanisms for working with women and as resources for general development. Requests from indigenous women's groups to international or national women's groups and non-governmental organizations for assistance have grown, but the aid reaching them has not yet reached a critical mass which could lead to widespread impact. This paper's primary purpose is to explore the possibilities for strengthening the capacity of women's groups and indigenous non-governmental organizations as a development resource. Part I examines invisible contributions of women to social and economic development and need for incorporating their concerns in development plans and programs (80% of African and 75% of Asian women are rural and poor, and are unreached by development assistance). Part II focuses on institutional rather than programmatic components of a strategy for change. Recommendations cover impact on women (4), policy relevance (6), and channels for assistance (6). (BRR)