Working with Civil Society
Published 5 November 2013
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Civil society broadly means the groups and organisations that occupy a position between the household, the state and the private sector.
They include non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as think tanks, trade unions, faith and diaspora groups, social movements and community groups.
Working with civil society forms an integral part of DFID’s approach to dealing with the challenges of: addressing wealth creation; achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); tackling climate change; dealing with conflict and security; and strengthening global partnerships.
It’s also one of the key ways in which DFID contributes to cross cutting issues such as gender equality and getting value for money.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) can help relieve poverty by reaching disadvantaged groups and neglected areas that governments often fail to reach.
DFID works with over 500 international and UK CSOs and has direct or indirect links with many more CSOs in developing countries.
The five objectives underpinning DFID’s work with civil society are to:
- provide goods and services to the poor, particularly the hard to reach.
- help people in developing countries hold governments and others to account and influence decisions that affect poor people’s lives.
- support poor people to do things for themselves.
- build support for development by encouraging UK citizens.
- build and maintain the capacity and space for an active civil society.
More than 50% of DFID’s work with civil society is supported through country programmes. DFID also supports civil society through centrally managed funds. DFID makes funding decisions on all projects and programmes based on their ability to deliver results and value for money.
0.1 Civil society funds
DFID’s central funds include:
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The Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF) – launched in October 2010. The GPAF is a demand-led fund supporting projects focused on poverty reduction, service delivery and the most off-track MDGs in poor countries
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Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPAs) – provide long-term funding for civil society organisations which share our strategic objectives
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The Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF) – supports programmes designed to improve accountability and citizen participation in politics in developing countries
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The Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF) – supports projects which build the capacity of civil society to influence decisions that affect poor people’s lives
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Humanitarian funding – such as Humanitarian Response Funding and West Africa Humanitarian Response Fund (WAHRF).
DFID also works in partnership with other grant-makers and donors to support civil society. This includes:
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The Common Ground Initiative -– co-funded and managed by Comic Relief – supports African development through UK based small and Diaspora organisations
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The Disability Rights Fund – a multi-donor fund, supporting the participation of Disabled People’s Organisations in the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in developing countries.