Civil society around the world is facing major challenges because of economic and political shifts. We are at the forefront of promoting changes to practice and policy to improve the resourcing, credibility and long-term viability of civil society organisations.
We focus on:
- Supporting organisations to plan better for their own sustainability through capacity building and organisational development, including in areas such as resource mobilisation and exit strategies.
- Collaborating with a global network of practitioners and researchers to produce evidence on sustainability trends and to share learning for greater impact.
- Convening debates to galvanise practitioners and decision-makers.
- Bringing about changes in the policies and practices of funders, including donors, foundations, philanthropists and INGOs, so that they start investing in the long-term sustainability of organisations.
We have placed sustainability at the heart of our strategy because civil society organisations around the world are under huge pressure from governments and citizens to demonstrate their legitimacy, credibility and value. Dependency on external funders, including international NGOs, reinforces a perception that many organisations are disconnected from their roots, have no obvious impact, and have no long-term viability.
Across the contexts where INTRAC works, we see that different combinations of factors affect the sustainability of civil society and its organisations. In some places funding is the major issue, in others it is the regulatory framework or credibility of organisations. We combine our first-hand experience with peer-learning across our global network to offer new insights and solutions that are relevant in different contexts.
Related Projects
Aid withdrawal and exit strategies
Building sustainability of the Step by Step Network
Longitudinal Evaluation of EveryChild’s Responsible Exit Process
Strengthening civil society capacity in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan
Debating civil society sustainability
Project Sustainability online training for Cities Alliance
Related Resources
Related Post
21.09.20
If INGOs consider sustainability in their planning, exit can be a good thing for local civil society
04.06.19
Analysing the relationship between domestic resource mobilisation and civic space
30.11.17
Sustaining Civic Action: join a collective global rethink
01.09.16
Opening up civic space requires creativity and careful navigation
Contact Us
If you have any questions or want more information about our our work on civil society sustainability, please contact us:
- +44 (0)1865 201851
- consultancy@intrac.org