Supporting our national members

Forus develops several tools adapted to the specific challenges linked to managing networks and creates a wide range of spaces for peer exchange among its members. We also recognise the imperative of taking into account wide differences in resources between CSOs. That is why Forus’ capacity development support also includes providing financial support, as part of the larger goal of learning for and from Forus members.

Forus establishes partnerships with its national members so that they can implement practical capacity development projects elaborated by themselves and aligned with their and their members’ specific needs. Between 2017 and 2021, Forus has partnered with and supported 49 of its national members for 46 capacity development projects. 3 of them took place in consortium, since Forus members are encouraged to develop joint initiatives as a means to strengthen links and synergies between them, as well as promoting mutual learning.

Below you can search by thematic the different types of projects implemented in this framework.

Promoting constructive and effective civil society participation in key Indonesian social and economic public policy dialogue and implementation of SDGs

INFID, Indonesia International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development

INFID’s project focuses on the interlinkages among jobs and inequalities at the national level, following the implementation of goal 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 10 (reduced inequalities) to this aim. The project has strengthened the capacity of civil society, especially the coalition on decent work at the national level. Civil society has gained knowledge on this issue through discussions that have engaged various resource persons who are experts in their respective fields. Such knowledge provide ammunition for civil society organizations to effectively conduct policy advocacy and engage in constructive dialogues with the government.

This project has also contributed to strengthening the focal points of the labor consortium established in several regions for conducting policy advocacy and engaging in dialogues with their respective local government. Policy advocacy conducted through policy dialogues in the form of policy discussions and hearings with relevant state ministries have helped raise labor issues from previously being a peripheral issue to become a priority agenda in national development. This shift is reflected in labor policies that are increasingly mainstreamed into development processes, with a clear increase in the budget for the Labor Ministry in 2019.

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Quorum Global, from Local Action to Global Justice

Coordinadora, SpainCoordinadora de Organizaciones de Cooperación para el Desarrollo

The main objective of Coordinadora’s project is to support a broader initiative to incorporate the international and participatory dimension in the state meeting of Quorum Global held in Malaga in October 2018. This is a broad and participatory dialogue process with the overall objective of strengthening joint political action by civil society organizations.

The result has been a very innovative meeting proposal that has facilitated spaces for exchange between groups and experiences as well as the generation of joint proposals and the identification of connections for convergence and joint action. An example of this is the participation website participa.quorumglobal.org, where one can easily access a box of participatory dynamics and methodologies and share proposals for action and communication. We have achieved a participation of 302 people from very diverse organizations (122 organizations represented), including international platforms.

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Platforms Unite: Partnerships for advocacy

PPONGD & FONG-STP, Portugal & São Tomé e Principe Plataforma das ONGD de Portugal & Federação das ONGs de São Tomé e Principe

The project Platforms Unite: Partnerships for Advocacy was executed in a partnership between the Portuguese NGDO Platform and the NGO Federation of São Tomé and Príncipe, involving also other 5

Portuguese Speaking NGO Platforms. The project aimed to strengthen partnerships and networking between these organisations to improve the Platforms’ advocacy work and reinforce the Platforms’ interventions at national level, through a better articulation between them and other relevant stakeholders.

The project allowed for the beginning of an institutional relationship between the Portuguese Speaking NGO Platforms, as well as for the creation of a basis for common understanding on the areas of future possible collaboration. Within the project, the Platforms built the RePLONG (Network of Portuguese Speaking NGO Platforms) and prepared a joint Declaration of Principles, as well as an Advocacy Strategy to guide their future joint work on advocacy. During the project the members of the Network had the opportunity to meet several decision makers, in Portugal, but also in São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde, and present the Network´s Declaration of Principles and demonstrate their joint solidarity as Civil Society.

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Evaluating the Foundation for Policy & Advocacy Work in Development Cooperation in Romania (2007-2017)

FOND, Romania Romanian NGDOs Platform

In 2017, the Romanian NGDO Platform marked 10 years of existence (formally established in 2007). This cornerstone highlights the need for an in-depth reflection process to assess the impact and results achieved so far, especially on advocacy at national and regional level and capacity building of its members. The project had as main aim to assess the impact and results of the Romanian NGDO Platform during its first 10 years of existence by actively engaging members and other relevant external stakeholders. The evaluation was followed by a training focusing on engaging the members in re-defining FOND’s strategic objectives on advocacy and its positioning towards the relevant stakeholders.

The main achievement of the project is that it supported for the first time a long term evaluation of FOND, enabling a more in-depth reflection on the results of the platform as well as providing important recommendations and input for the next strategic planning cycle for FOND (2021-2025). It is an important example of accountability and legitimacy for the platform in relation to its members and the main relevant external stakeholders.

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Articulating and strengthening strategic sectors of Civil Society through alliances for monitoring and advocacy for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Peru

ANC, Peru Asociación Nacional de Centros de investigación promoción social y desarrollo

The 2030 Agenda is a "shared mission" requiring the goodwill and action of the State and the participation of civil society, which is an essential condition for reaching its targets. The challenge? "Nobody will be left behind." In Peru, the state has not yet defined a clear strategy for implementation, nor does it yet have a system to monitor compliance with the participation of the CS.  This is due, on one hand, to scant knowledge about and internalization of the Agenda 2030 by state officials and, on the other hand, to the fact that the CS has not realized the transforming potential of the Agenda, except in sectors that have followed the process.

The project has contributed to the development of advocacy capacities and the exercise of the citizen's role in the monitoring of public policies, reflection and analysis on strategic issues linked to Agenda 2030. The project aimed at precise dissemination actions in strategic CS sectors to make them aware of Agenda 2030 so that they can articulate and strengthen alliances that contribute to raising awareness and integrate their analyses and proposals for the follow-up of the implementation of the agenda, data collection and monitoring of public policies. Among other activities, a strategy for CS intervention in the follow-up of Agenda 2030 has been produced.

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Amplifying Indian CSO’s role and effectiveness in implementation of SDGs through awareness building and multi-stakeholder connect

VANI, India Voluntary Action Network India

In July 2017, the government of India presented its first Voluntary National Report (VNR) and while the civil society is collaborating with the government and private sector in implementation of SDGs in India, its role as a key player implementation and monitoring of SDGs is not getting articulated in the reports being prepared and presented.

VANI envisions enhanced role play and visibility of the Voluntary Sector in monitoring and implementation of SDGs in India. The project helped VANI build the capacities of Indian (small and grass-root level) CSOs by raising their awareness about SDGs, its processes, linkages with Centrally Sponsored Schemes and their work area, state level progress variances. The raised awareness and peer-linkage resulted in increased interest of grassroot level CSOs to play a vital role in implementation and monitoring of SDGs at local levels. Advocacy, undertaken both at organizational level as well as through collective efforts, helped in Government initiating an inclusive consultation process (through the governmental think-thank called Niti Aayog) with and by Civil Society in the initial stages of VNR 2020 formulation.

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Improving engagement and communication amongst NNNGO and its members

NNNGO, Nigeria Nigeria Network of NGOs

The project aimed to improve engagement between the Nigeria Network of NGOs and its members across the country by enhancing a two-way communication between the NNNGO secretariat and its members; strengthen capacity of civil society organizations in the country on identified gaps through a capacity assessment tool; and strengthen accountability and transparency of civil society organizations in line with the Istanbul Principles through the adoption of a standard operational manual.

Through the communication tool assessment activity of the project, the Network is better informed of its members communication preferences and is now able to use this in improving communication with the 2,710 organizations within its membership. Sensitized the nonprofit community on the Istanbul principles and its benefits. Developed a nonprofit assessment tool (NOPSAT) that led to the development and publication of the first ever sector-wide capacity needs assessment report. Using findings from this report, an operational manual was developed to help nonprofits address these gaps. The manual was used in delivering workshops on governance, strategy, project management, sustainability and human resources across the country.

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Safeguarding for Development conference

Bond, United Kingdom British Overseas NGOs for Development

Since February 2018, Bond and its members have been working together to improve safeguarding practices in the aid sector, and to strengthen the capacity of Bond members so they have the knowledge, tools and resources to guarantee the safety, well-being and rights of the people they work with, including communities, partners, staff and volunteers. Bond has also facilitated exchanges with national sector platforms working on safeguarding worldwide.

Bond now proposed to build on this work with its members, sector platforms and the Forus safeguarding working group and hold a one-day sector-wide event on safeguarding in early December 2019 in London. The aim of the event was to bring together Bond members, national sector platforms and other stakeholders to share knowledge, expertise and learning on safeguarding, to encourage collaboration and to provide a space for open exchange on safeguarding issues in the aid sector.

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Supporting our national members

Promoting constructive and effective civil society participation in key Indonesian social and economic public policy dialogue and implementation of SDGs

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Quorum Global, from Local Action to Global Justice

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Platforms Unite: Partnerships for advocacy

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Evaluating the Foundation for Policy & Advocacy Work in Development Cooperation in Romania (2007-2017)

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Articulating and strengthening strategic sectors of Civil Society through alliances for monitoring and advocacy for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Peru

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Amplifying Indian CSO’s role and effectiveness in implementation of SDGs through awareness building and multi-stakeholder connect

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Improving engagement and communication amongst NNNGO and its members

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