News and updates from BCSDN and the region
With global USAID’s withdrawal in 2025, donors such as the EU, Switzerland, and Norway have become increasingly important in North Macedonia, though concerns remain about gaps in funding. Over 25 years, USAID funded projects that combined financial support with local contributions, rebuilding schools and supporting vocational training, creating lasting community engagement and capacity-building impacts across
Read more →The European Union’s forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034 will shape the bloc’s ability to address global challenges, including poverty reduction, gender equality, climate resilience, and peacebuilding. Central to the MFF’s external dimension is the Global Europe Fund, the EU’s primary instrument for development cooperation and external action. A new analysis by CONCORD highlights
Read more →The President of the United States has issued a memorandum directing all executive departments and agencies to withdraw from and end support for 66 international organisations and bodies, following a review mandated by Executive Order 14199 of 4 February 2025. After considering the findings of the Secretary of State and consultations with the Cabinet, the
Read more →The potential new US National Security Strategy (NSS) signals a major threat to civic space and the international donor environment due to its “America First” approach. The NSS prioritizes transactional deals and “authoritarian accommodation,” while explicitly aiming to “cultivate resistance” in Europe by backing ethno-nationalist parties and framing progressive civil society as “suppression of political
Read more →The European Commission has adopted the new Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) work programme (2026–2027) and published the indicative timetable for the 2026 calls for proposals. This gives civil society a clearer overview of upcoming EU funding opportunities—the Union’s main instrument to protect and promote rights and values and support CSOs at all levels.
Read more →The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) participated in the SMART Balkans Regional Conference 2025, “Think SMART: Rethinking the Old-School Funding Approach,” held in Sarajevo on November 12–13. The event convened civil society leaders, donors, and policymakers to discuss innovative funding for the civil sector in the Western Balkans. BCSDN’s Communication Officer, Toshe Zafirov, presented
Read more →As global crises shift donor priorities and the U.S. abruptly withdraws funding, watchdog and advocacy organizations across the region face growing uncertainty. A recent study examines key donors, including the EU, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, France, and the UK, and how their support affects civil society’s role in the EU accession process. The report finds
Read more →A coalition of 46 civil society organizations from the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova has issued a joint appeal to the European Parliament and EU Member States, calling for enlargement to be made a core strategic and budgetary priority in the upcoming EU long-term budget for 2028–2034. The appeal urges the establishment
Read more →The 2025 AidWatch report by CONCORD warns that the EU and its Member States are undermining the purpose of Official Development Assistance (ODA) by inflating figures and diverting funds from genuine development needs. Despite claiming to be the largest ODA provider, the EU’s share of GNI for aid fell from 0.53% to 0.47%. For CSOs,
Read more →The recent Safeguarding Democracy Report examines the global threats that polluted information environments, including AI, pose to democracy and elections, particularly in developing contexts. It analyses information pollution mechanisms and countermeasures. The report calls on development practitioners to strengthen information integrity by setting clearer rules for online political communication, supporting oversight institutions, and promoting ethical
Read more →Commissioner O’Flaherty expressed serious concern over the escalating crisis for CSOs and human rights defenders in Europe. Following meetings with activists, he highlighted shrinking civic space, restrictive laws targeting organizations receiving foreign funding, and rising harassment. Funding cuts (including the end of US aid) are forcing many organizations to scale back or close, particularly those
Read more →A new campaign is challenging the global aid system, exposing how current practices exclude the voices of leaders with disabilities (OPDs) in Africa and Asia and weaken their local work. The Fairer Funding campaign unites OPDs, funders, and INGOs to demand a fairer approach that values lived experience and local leadership. For CSOs engaging with
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