As traditional aid budgets decline and new philanthropic actors gain influence, the International Civil Society Centre highlights the need to rethink how CSOs finance their work while protecting their independence and mission. A recent analysis examines the growing influence of evidence-driven philanthropy, including Effective Altruism, and questions whether conventional measures of efficiency adequately reflect civil society’s contribution to human rights, community trust and social change. It also raises concerns about the concentration of influence among major donors and the implications for local ownership and accountability. The analysis explores alternative approaches, including trust-based philanthropy, social enterprise, blended finance and community-led funding, stressing that financial sustainability should not come at the expense of organisational autonomy. These issues will be further examined in the Centre’s forthcoming white paper, Beyond Aid: Building Sustainable Pathways for Locally Led Civil Society. Read more here.
Source: International Civil Society Centre