No result found
2023-03-21
Bridgespan Group;
At Bridgespan, we call the organizations that are often key to unlocking equitable systems change "field catalysts." While equitable systems change requires a diverse set of actors playing distinct and complementary roles across a field or ecosystem, field catalysts harmonize and drive that multifaceted work, serving as a kind of nerve center for the matrix of activity needed to transform our inequitably designed systems. Think of the critical role Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, played in the eradication of polio, or the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' contribution to the dramatic plunge in teen smoking rates. In another example, the goal of marriage equality in the United States was reached thanks, in part, to the Freedom to Marry organization, which orchestrated its campaign for 12 years.Behind the scenes, philanthropy often plays a role in these achievements. Surely there must be other opportunities for funders to support equitable systems change. So we set out to learn more about the origin stories of field catalysts, the challenges they face, and—importantly—the ways in which they believe funders can help them.
2023-01-16
More in Common;
A survey of more than 1,000 Americans exploring their views on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the importance of celebrating MLK Day and thoughts on improvements in racial equality.
2023-01-25
Borealis Philanthropy;
The Communities Transforming Policing Fund, Center for Protest Law and Litigation, CS Fund, Piper Fund, and Funders for Justice are calling on our peer philanthropic organizations to partner with us in defense of the movement. The movement to end state violence is unique, but deeply connected to all movements for equality and justice. Every right fought for and won in the United States has come through mass protests and mobilization. Every right taken away and criminalized is enforced by police and often with the use of surveillance, legal targeting, and violence. To reinforce our Democracy and to be in alignment with movements for justice and equality, philanthropy must commit to the long-term legal, safety, and security support of protesters.
2023-06-06
wacsi: West African Civil Society Institute;
The contributions of civil society through development initiatives have been instrumental in addressing various socio-economic challenges societies face. For instance, there is evidence that community-based intervention packages have had a substantial impact on child and new-born mortality in Mozambique. On the political front, in Senegal, civil society initiatives contributed to the 'downfall of former president Abdoulaye Wade, his son and heir apparent, Karim Wade, and a number of formerly powerful members of his government' who were accused of corruption. Civil society organisations (CSOs) have also filled the gaps left by governments' failures to deliver reliable and efficient public services and address some of the challenges faced in communities. Efforts to shrink civic space by policing the work of civil society organisations has primarily been premised on governments' efforts to evade being held accountable.This has taken different forms, the most common being distorting the narrative on the agenda of civil society organisations. CSOs are negatively labelled as being rooted in interfering with politics and enforcing political ideations of Western institutions which make up much of the sources of funding for civil society activities. CSOs have constantly faced backlash and in the most recent past, there has been instrumentalisation of counter-terrorist and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. The framework of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations is often the basis of these broad and vague laws that give governments extensive powers to investigate and prosecute suspects and also infringe on the rights of critics. Although terrorist activities around the world including in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Mali and Pakistan to mention a few give cause for concern, there are some governments that have put in place measures where there is no threat or real risk of terrorism. As a result, these measures are a tool used to silence and stifle fundamental freedoms including for journalists and other civil society actors.
2023-04-19
wacsi: West African Civil Society Institute;
In today's digital age, organisations are constantly exposed to various digital security threats. For civil society organisations (CSOs) in West Africa, the threat of cyber-attacks and data breaches is a real and growing concern. This study aims to shed light on the digital security challenges facing CSOs in West Africa, and to provide recommendations on how they can better protect themselves against digital security threats. By examining the most common threats, the exposure of CSOs to these threats, their preparedness to respond, and the effectiveness of national and organisational level policies, the study provides an in-depth analysis of the digital security landscape in West Africa.
2023-05-18
wacsi: West African Civil Society Institute;
On June 24 2023, 3,374,2581, eligible voters will assemble, across Sierra Leone to elect their next president, parliament and local councils. This will happen at a time when Sierra Leone remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Gross national income per capita is just $ 472 U.S.D2, and over 89% of the population domiciles below the national poverty stripe.Unfortunately, since the restoration of multiparty elections in 1991, incumbency advantage, corruption and absence of inclusive political institutions have characterised the various administrations and political regimes in Sierra Leone. It is not surprising, then, that elections is highly valued, a source of conflict, and politically important.This research examines Sierra Leone's June 24 2023 general elections in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shrinking of civic space, and provides evidenced-based findings to inform policies and strategies to address the ruinous impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shrinking of civic space on Sierra Leone's June 24 2023 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections
2023-04-17
Porticus;
People with personal experience of migration and forced displacement contribute diverse strengths, expertise and wisdom to their new countries and communities. They bring seeds in their pockets. Over the past 12 months Porticus has been working together with a learning partner and 10 pilot partners, all of which include people with lived experience of migration and forced displacement in their leadership, for our Seeds in our Pockets 12-month pilot project. Their knowledge and insights are central to this report, and we are grateful to be able to share what we learned with our community. The programme which was created as a result of this pilot project (known as MOVE) will focus on supporting movements and lived-experience leadership to realise systems change.
2023-06-21
New America;
This toolkit situates collaborative governance, also known as "co-governance," within a framework for building community that sees civic education, relationship building, and leadership development as essential first steps toward an effective and sustained participatory process. It offers key takeaways and best practices from effective, ongoing collaborative governance projects between communities and decision makers. The best of these projects shift decision-making power to the hands of communities to make room for more deliberation, consensus, and lasting change. Building on the lessons of successful case studies from across the United States, including Georgia, Kentucky, New York, and Washington, this toolkit aims to support local leaders inside and outside government as they navigate and execute co-governance models in their communities.
2023-04-24
American Library Association;
In 2022, the global COVID-19 pandemic entered its third year; political, economic and digital divides grew; and book challenges and bans surged across the country. ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked a record 1,269 book challenges, the highest number of demands to ban books reported since they began compiling data about censorship in libraries. But despite all these challenges, libraries thrived, pivoting to offer new and updated services to their communities. Adaptation and innovation shined in 2022, proving that there truly is "more to the story" at libraries.
2023-03-07
American Press Institute;
As the economics of journalism continue to evolve, a defining question about the future is whether the news media can create content that consumers are willing to pay for or donate to directly. Central to answering that question is understanding the behavior of what many publishers call the next generation of news audiences, those Americans that many legacy news organizations have found elusive: Millennials and Gen Z.Funding news examines in detail who among these audiences pay for or donate to news, how these payers or donors get news, and what topics or interests drive that behavior. This report, based on a representative sample of nearly 6,000 news consumers 16 to 40 years old, is part of a series of studies of these audiences conducted by the Media Insight Project, a collaboration of The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the American Press Institute.
2023-03-28
Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security;
Fostering a Fourth Democratic Wave is a joint project between the Atlantic Council and the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC), aimed at catalyzing support for nonviolent pro-democracy movements fighting against authoritarian rule. The project recognizes that civil resistance movements—using tactics such as strikes, boycotts, civil disobedience, and a range of other nonviolent tactics—are one of the most powerful forces for democracy worldwide and therefore central to reversing the last seventeen years of democratic recession.
2023-06-27
Aspen Institute;
Religious literacy education is a nascent field. Its proponents make substantial claims about its ability to lead to social change, both in countering negative forces that threaten social cohesion and in producing positive, pro-social changes in attitudes and behaviors. Yet at present, religious literacy educators have little empirical evidence to demonstrate the proposed relationships between religious literacy education and positive social changes in civil society. This report seeks to ameliorate this issue by providing an overview of current research and practices related to the evaluation of religious literacy. There is no one-size-fits all version or approach to religious literacy education—it is a context specific endeavor. Accordingly, there is also no one way to approach its evaluation. In response, this report highlights the challenges and advantages of evaluation, as well as current barriers to the practice. The recommendations, along with the companion guidebook, encourage scholars and practitioners across the field of religious literacy education to begin incorporating more research and evaluation across programs and initiatives.