What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

Unlocking the Power of AI for Fundraising: Boosting Impact in the Digital Age

In the contemporary digital world, NGOs and fundraisers use different innovative tools and technologies, helping them engage with donors, maximize their efforts, and amplify impact. One such tool that has the power to change the fundraising landscape is Artificial Intelligence (AI) which streamlines NGOs operations and personalizes donor experience. Adopting AI in fundraising strategies leads

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How Can Funders Support Meaningful Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Practice in The Field?

The Open Society Foundation’s Fiscal Governance Program found success by focusing on six key approaches, including empowering grantees and relinquishing power. They detail the six different approaches they used in the new publication Setting new standards for better MEL: Lessons for funders and grantees. The approaches range from checking power dynamics to growing skills for evaluative

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Civicus Survey Results: 5 Things Grassroots Activists Want Donors and Allies to Know

Civicus gathered insights from 140 grassroots activists as part of the Grassroots Solidarity Revolution. The responses reflect difficulties organizations face in receiving support from allies and donors, and the measures required for their effective work. The majority of responses reveal that resources and opportunities are limited for most grassroots activists – financial resources are essential,

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Funding Civil Society in Partner Countries: Toolkit for implementing the DAC Recommendation

Funding civil society actors in partner countries remains marginal despite recognition of the importance of localising support and international commitments to strengthening partner-country civil society actors’ ownership. Only 7% of OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members’ CSOs funding goes directly to partner-country CSOs. This OECD toolkit offers providers guidance for funding civil society actors in

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European Commission New Taxonomy Regulation Proposal for Green Transition

The European Commission has revealed a new Taxonomy Regulation proposal aimed at accelerating the green transition. The proposal seeks to establish a comprehensive framework that sets criteria for determining environmentally sustainable economic activities. By providing a classification system, the regulation aims to guide investors, companies, and policymakers in making informed decisions and combatting greenwashing. The

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Greening Social Accountability for Climate Finance

The article focuses on the Global spending on climate change, urging transparency, equity, and inclusion to be at the core of climate finance decision-making. For this, people need green accountability – an approach recognizing that effectively addressing the climate crisis requires harnessing the insights and agency of those most affected by climate impacts. In developing

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Free Guidance to Help Aid Charities Diversify Income

Bond presents a collection of case studies to help INGOs consider alternatives to a traditional grant funding model, to generate their income and avoid funder restrictions whilst shifting both income and power to local communities. These examples present stories of “innovative and sustainable income streams bypassing the limitations that funders place on them”, while assisting

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Navigating Fundraising Challenges in Times of Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on non-profit organizations’ fundraising efforts. This article provides insights into navigating fundraising challenges in times of crisis. Donor stewardship and communication are key factors in maintaining strong relationships with donors. Non-profits should focus on cultivating new donors, building relationships with major donors, and leveraging technology to streamline

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Trust-Based Grantmaking Operations for Effective Impact

Grantmaking is a crucial aspect of philanthropy, yet traditional approaches to grantmaking operations can be ineffective and perpetuate power imbalances. Trust-based grantmaking is an alternative approach that emphasizes mutual respect, transparency, and flexibility between grantmakers and grantees. In “Grantmaking Operations with a Trust-Based Lens,” the authors provide insights into how grantmakers can apply trust-based principles

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Philea Launches Futures Philanthropy Initiative to Drive Positive Change

Philea, a prominent philanthropic organization, has launched its innovative Futures Philanthropy Initiative. This initiative aims to shape the future of philanthropy by promoting new approaches and strategies that drive positive change. The initiative will foster collaboration among philanthropists, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges. Philea encourages forward-thinking philanthropy beyond traditional

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Rethinking In-Country Refugee Costs and ODA in the International Development Sector

In a thought-provoking article, Bond highlights the importance of reconsidering how the international development sector discusses in-country refugee costs and Official Development Assistance (ODA). The author argues that the current narrative often portrays refugees as a burden on host countries’ development progress, inadvertently perpetuating negative stereotypes. Instead, the article suggests reframing the discussion by emphasizing

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