Civil society organizations

Since 2009, when the system for financing initiatives for French CSOs was transferred to AFD, the dialog between AFD and CSOs has both expanded and been given more structure. It now involves the entire AFD Group, in all its fields of action. It is a dialog of mutual respect, which takes into consideration the distinctive features of each CSO. It can be conducted at a formal or an informal level, dealing with either institutional and strategic issues or with operational and research matters. The types of dialog undertaken reflect the great variety of forms of partnership developed.

Knowledge production represents one of the cornerstones of CSO partnership. It has enabled AFD to fine-tune its knowledge of CSO actions, of the added value they provide, and of the innovations they develop. Knowledge production also facilitates cross analysis between stakeholders on their respective development practices and in doing so helps to mutually enrich them.

The term “CSO” includes non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public and private foundations, professional organizations, labor unions, as well as cooperatives and economic operators whose main objectives define them as social enterprises. On the other hand, it does not cover employer organizations or businesses from the profit-making private sector: with these stakeholders, AFD has developed dialog in different frameworks.

The direct financial collaboration between AFD and CSOs currently covers a broad range of instruments adapted to the specificities of CSOs and to their added value. It includes:

• support for innovation (the FISONG facility for sectoral innovation for NGOs, financing for the French Facility for Global Environment – FFEM);
• financing of actions in fragile, crisis, and post-crisis situations (via Calls for Crisis and Post-crisis Projects – APCC); and
• support for their initiatives via the CSO Initiatives mechanism.

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