Facilitative Leadership and Knowledge Management in DevelopmentNGOs: Towards a Sustainable Organizational Learning Model

Objective: This article analyzes the role of the leader as a facilitator in knowledge management (KM) processes within development NGOs, proposing a conceptual framework that integrates transformational leadership with the cycles of knowledge creation and transfer. Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science databases, complemented by the analysis of documented cases in international contexts (sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America). Results: Four critical enablers for KM in NGOs were identified —leadership, trust, technological infrastructure, and organizational culture— and the facilitator-leader’s role as an articulator of these elements is described. Likewise, concrete strategies such as After Action Reviews and knowledge management systems in humanitarian contexts are documented. Conclusions: Facilitative leadership is crucial to overcoming the sector’s typical barriers (staff turnover, fragmented learning, and resource scarcity), transforming tacit knowledge into institutional assets that improve the quality of social intervention and organizational sustainability.