Table 8 Summary of ways in which donors support CSOs and general themes
Category of support | Summary of ways in which donors support CSOs |
|---|---|
What | • Donors may support CSOs and individuals with technical and operational capacity building, or provide them with access to information to increase awareness and analysis capacity. • Donors may work to ensure civil society is equipped to meaningfully participate in policy dialogue. • Building social accountability and citizen empowerment is a strategy to equip citizens with the tools to exert oversight over decisionmakers. • Donors may use their political capital to target the broader enabling environment in which CSOs operate. |
How | • Donors may provide catalytic of bridge funding to help CSOs address specific needs or seize an opportune moment. • Funding may be provided through intermediaries to extend the reach of donor organizations, donors may participate in pooled funding mechanisms, or funding may be provided directly to CSOs. • Core funding is seen as vital by CSOs, but is given less frequently than restricted funding. • Burdensome reporting or application requirements are examples of improvements needed in donor funding practices called for by CSOs. |
Who | • Tensions exist around whether to support large established organizations versus smaller organizations, raising questions of whether those representing certain constituencies have a strong connection to those they represent. • Donors may also support networks to reach a larger number of organizations at once. |