Influencing Donor Practices

How civil society is funded shapes its independence, sustainability and ability to respond to changing needs and civic space conditions. Funding priorities, models and mechanisms influence which organisations and areas of work receive support, whose priorities are recognised, and how effectively civil society can sustain its work over time.

For more than a decade, BCSDN has tracked and analysed the funding landscape across the Balkans, examining how donor priorities and funding models evolve, and what these changes mean for civil society. We use this evidence to engage donors and development partners and advocate for funding that is longer-term, flexible and accessible, strengthens local ownership, and responds to changing civic space conditions and locally identified needs.

We also promote meaningful civil society participation in setting funding priorities, more transparent and inclusive funding mechanisms, and stronger donor coordination and dialogue with local civil society, grounded in Development Effectiveness principles. Our research is complemented by BCSDN's own experience with re-granting, allowing us to connect donor policy with the realities of funding and sustaining civil society across the region.