News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Parliament and the member states reached a political agreement to provide 6 billion EUR to help Western Balkan countries get ready to join the EU. The highly concessional loans and grants will help make WB economies strong and change things for the better. With this support, the Western Balkans can move faster towards
Read more →Sida’s announcement to terminate all multi-year agreements with Swedish NGO partners by the end of 2024 has sent shockwaves through the community. This decision heralds a significant shift in funding dynamics, opening opportunities for global organizations to compete for support starting January 2025. The move, prompted by government directives, aims to implement a new funding
Read more →The Donor Transformation Challenge aims to revolutionize the support system for grassroots changemakers by addressing institutional barriers prevalent in donor organizations. Recognizing the disconnect between donors and local leaders, the challenge advocates for dismantling colonial and transactional practices ingrained in the current support system. Over 12 months, participants focus on various topics crucial for transformation,
Read more →While the European Commission’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans offers substantial financial aid and aims to incentivize reforms, it faces criticism on several fronts. Observers have dismissed it as offering easy money with loose accession conditionality, raising concerns about its effectiveness. Furthermore, the plan lacks a direct connection to the formal accession process, potentially
Read more →The philanthropic narrative increasingly emphasizes unrestricted funding, but data reveals a stark reality: only 20% of funding is truly flexible. Restricted funding poses challenges for both grant makers and grantees, hindering their ability to drive real social change. Grassroots movements suffer as competition rises, collaboration wanes, and administrative burdens soar. Donors must relinquish rigid control
Read more →The Philea Forum 2024 addresses challenges facing philanthropic organizations in an era marked by eroded public trust and heightened societal demands. Focusing on trust as foundational to legitimacy, the forum seeks solutions to counter misinformation and pitfalls that compromise philanthropy’s credibility. It delves into questions of legitimacy, accountability, and power imbalances within the sector, aiming
Read more →The AidWatch 2023 report assesses European Official Development Assistance (ODA), revealing significant ODA inflation. In 2022, 22.1% of EU reported ODA did not meet basic criteria, with in-donor refugee costs and overcounting of ODA loans being major contributors. Recommendations include increasing ODA to reach the agreed 0.7% GNI/ODA by 2030, reforming the ODA system to
Read more →The paper examines three decades of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the Western Balkans, focusing on levels, sources, and goals. The study encompasses six Western Balkan countries and analyzes ODA in Croatia and Turkey for comparison. It aims to offer insights into ODA trends, sources, and priorities in the region. The Western Balkans play a
Read more →Western Balkan leaders gathered in Skopje for the “The Growth Plan: Western Balkans Meets EU” conference, reaffirming their commitment to the EU Growth Plan and the Common Regional Market based on EU standards. The EU had adopted a 6 billion EUR Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans for 2024-2027. The leaders emphasized the
Read more →The CIVICUS 12-month Donor Transformation Challenge guides leaders to dismantle oppressive practices, fostering trust and collaboration. It encourages small, consistent changes and community engagement for a more supportive ecosystem, aiming for improved partnerships and responsiveness to changemakers’ needs. The Challenge covers one topic per month that CIVICUS identified as key to advancing this transformation. It
Read more →A global gathering in Bogota, Colombia, brought together 120 narrative practitioners and funders focused on strengthening the narrative power of global justice movements. The Confluence event, hosted by IRIS, Puentes, and the Global Narrative Hive, prioritized discussions on philanthropy’s role in narrative change. Key takeaways included the need for increased resources, supportive practices, and a
Read more →The Swiss Philanthropy Foundation and the Organization of the Swiss Abroad conducted a survey revealing that 93% of Swiss abroad have made gifts in the past three years, with 78% being financial. The diaspora, representing 10% of the Swiss population, is as generous as those living in Switzerland. Transparency is crucial for them, with 38%
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