INFLUENCING DONOR STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES

BCSDN’s strategic approach to influence the exit strategies of the foreign donors supporting CSDev and effectively transition to domestically-funded civil society has been done through continuous research and mapping of current and future trends and models of support on the one hand, and promoting donor cooperation and coordination, particularly in working with national Governments and local CSOs. This has also been done by reviewing the past and current state of affairs, identifying gaps and presenting lessons-learned and recommendations for effective, sustainable and locally-owned transition to civil society funded by local sources.

In the framework of the research on Donors' Strategies and Practices in Civil Society Development in the Balkans, BCSDN’s first product were the comprehensive country donor maps, prepared in 2011, which present a dissection of civil society support in the period of 2010-2011, including overall amounts of funding, proportion of funding allocated to civil society development; specific initiatives and issue focus; and target recipients.

In 2012, under the title “Donors’ Strategies and Practices in Civil Society Development in the Balkans. Civil Society Lost in Translation?” BCSDN in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London published the first ever analysis and overview of major donors supporting civil society in the Balkans launched in cooperation with the Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD) and the German Marshall Fund (GMF) on a policy workshop in Brussels. The most recent product from months of effort and research invested by BCSDN and Queen Mary University of London is a 2014 report depicting the latest trends and practices that donors active in the region apply in supporting civil society.

[This activity is in accordance with Priority 3 (To support the development of models and sources for CS access and effective use of (financial) resources.] from BCSDN Strategic Outlook 2017- 2020.]

What to expect

• Additional research on donors, incl. monitoring donor strategies developments and further in-depth research outline
• Regular monitoring on IPA III including the Aid Transparency Index
• Organize and facilitate direct meetings with strategic donors (EC, SIDA).
• Identifying and undertaking fundraising opportunities
• Grant award procedure on Protecting Civic Space- Regional Civil Society Development Hub supported by Sida