Dear readers,
We are in the height of conference season - having joined the OECD Civil Society Days last week, TAI is excited to be at London Climate Action Week events this week (including the inaugural Climate Governance Forum), and then heading to the 4th International Conference on Financing in Development.
But don’t forget to plan for key events later in the year. For example, registrations for the Open Government Partnership Global Summit are now open.
Now, for all the news, research, events, jobs, and our deep dive this week on the state of independent civil society from East Africa to the US and frameworks for future action. Happy reading!
TAI team
WHAT'S NEW?
New data reveals corruption in Europe remains a persistent challenge despite the EU's reputation as a champion of public integrity. An evidence-based assessment across EU Member States, accession candidates, and neighboring countries identifies key risks and proposes targeted policy interventions.
Asian corporate accountability advocates are making the case for stronger international frameworks. They argue that upcoming global negotiations offer unprecedented opportunities to address business and human rights violations in the region.
DemocracyNext explores five dimensions for scaling democratic deliberation with and beyond AI: expanding the number of participants, reaching higher levels of governance, increasing the number of processes, deepening impact, and improving the quality of deliberation.
The Philippines has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list following its beneficial ownership transparency reforms, while the British Virgin Islands have been added to the list for strategic money laundering deficiencies.
AidData and Indonesian partner Foreign Policy Talks have released a report decoding twenty years of China's investments in Indonesia. The researchers note that "without more transparent information, the Indonesian public and its leaders can't accurately measure the trade-offs of Chinese investments."
Sefton Darby explains how "fast track" processes in the energy transition risk concentrating power among companies and government agencies while weakening community voices. Without fairness embedded in these processes, the results are likely to be very limited in achieving meaningful change.
Ghana is losing billions of dollars in revenue annually to gold smuggling from its artisanal mining sector, with much of the gold flowing to the United Arab Emirates, according to a new Swissaid report finding $11 billion in losses linked to the UAE.
The UNCAC Coalition has released a guide for anti-corruption advocates to engage in the Universal Periodic Review process, bridging anti-corruption and human rights efforts through strategic advocacy approaches.
Open Ownership (OO) has launched a new International Advisory Board to guide the delivery of its next five-year strategy. Replacing the original Steering Group of civil society partners, the new Board reflects the global scope and growing ambition of OO’s work on beneficial ownership reform.
The Open Government Partnership has established the Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society. Named in honor of the late human rights and access to information champion, this fund aims to enhance civil society capacity and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Applications are due July 6, 2025.
Join us on July 8, for a virtual event exploring a new framework to assess threats to democracy in the United States. Drawing on global and historical insights, the Democratic Erosion Consortium offers a non-partisan approach to help interpret current risks. Co-hosted by TAI and the American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. Register here.
ESSENTIAL READING
A new Vatican-commissioned report gathers over 30 experts to propose urgent reforms for tackling the global debt crisis. With debt payments outpacing spending on basic services in many countries, the report calls for bold, people-centered economic policies ahead of Jubilee 2025.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
MACARTHUR FOUNDATION: As government funding is slashed and core freedoms come under threat, philanthropy must act, and fast. In the opening piece of a special in-depth series, foundation president, John Palfrey, urges the sector to increase spending and deepen collaboration to meet the urgent challenges facing nonprofits, education, and civil society.
FORD FOUNDATION: The story of #Juneteenth is ongoing, reminding us that the struggle for emancipation and justice in the US continues. The Ford Foundation invests in communities still fighting for equality and works to strengthen democratic values and institutions that protect the rights and dignity of all people. Read more about their commitment and reflections on Freedom Day.
TAI SECRETARIAT: TAI’s new blog by Cristina Ordonez unpacks findings from our global survey of 131 civic actors, highlighting the urgent threats facing the infrastructure that sustains civil society and the practical needs shaping the path forward.
ESSENTIAL WATCHING
Sign up to watch the premiere of the Democracy Influencer documentary celebrating Professor E. Gyimah-Boadi, the renowned democracy activist and co-founder of Afrobarometer.
TOOLS AND TRENDS FOR FUNDERS
Systems change and collective action with diverse networks present ongoing challenges for funders seeking transformative impact. New research by Laura Adams examines how organizations can navigate the complexities of working across different networks and communities to achieve systemic change.
In a powerful reflection for Alliance magazine, Kole Shettima and Erin Sines share lessons from supporting Nigeria’s accountability ecosystem - centering investigative journalism, fostering peer networks, and placing equity in their strategy. A must-read for funders and practitioners working to strengthen democratic governance and civic accountability.
Olivia Leland argues that now is the time for funders to back local leaders who are making lasting improvements to people's lives and the systems that shape them, emphasizing the critical importance of localization in philanthropic strategy.
A proposed new tax on foundation earnings could push foundations to align endowment investments with mission while helping grantees survive financial pressures, offering a financial strategy to navigate potential legislative changes affecting philanthropy.
FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK:
Navigating Shrinking Civic Space: New Frameworks and Strategic Responses for Civil Society
Civic freedoms are under threat in many parts of the globe, but the democratic trajectory across East and Central Africa is especially troubling at this moment. Rose Njeri Tunguru recounts being arrested for helping Kenyans email Parliament about the 2025 Finance Bill, which contains the government’s revenue and taxation proposals. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau arrested opposition leader Victoire Ingabire over allegations of plotting public disorder. The Ugandan government has formally written to Tanzania seeking information over the arrest and detention of renowned journalist and human rights advocate Agather Atuhaire.
Against this backdrop, Justice Malala's recent analysis reveals how democratic institutions are weakening rapidly across the region, with authoritarian practices expanding and civic space contracting at an alarming rate. This democratic recession reflects broader global trends where civil society organizations face increasing restrictions, legal constraints, and political pressure that limit their ability to operate effectively and advocate for citizen interests.
What is philanthropy’s role in supporting resilience? Reflecting rising concerns within the US, the summer 2025 issue of Responsive Philanthropy focuses specifically on how philanthropic resources can be strategically deployed to counter authoritarian trends through targeted support for data collection and narrative development. The publication explores how foundations and donors can strengthen democratic institutions by investing in evidence-based advocacy and compelling storytelling that exposes authoritarian practices while promoting democratic values and civic participation.
How do we anticipate future needs and pressures on civil society? The European Center for Non-for-Profit Law comprehensive foresight paper examines the key trends and drivers that will likely influence civil society development in the coming years. This strategic analysis, developed as part of their institutional planning process, identifies both emerging challenges that threaten civic space and new opportunities for civil society engagement and impact.
In defending independent civil society, it helps to be clear on the functions it plays. Recent research from Australia has produced a valuable framework identifying ten distinct civil society activities, offering organizations and researchers a comprehensive typology to better understand the multifaceted roles that civil society organizations play in democratic societies. This framework serves as both an analytical tool and a practical guide for reflecting on organizational functions and identifying potential gaps in civil society engagement. Do these ten activities resonate with your context? What would you change? We want to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts on TAI's social media.
JOBS
Multiple openings - Hewlett Foundation
Multiple openings - MacArthur Foundation
Multiple openings - Ford Foundation
Multiple Openings - Gates Foundation
Various Opportunities - Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Multiple positions - Brennan Center for Justice
Multiple Openings - Bard College Berlin
Business Development & Partnership Manager; and Social Impact Evaluator - Impact Mapper
Short-Term Consultancy Opportunity: Beneficial Ownership Transparency in Chile - Open Ownership. Deadline June 29, 2025.
Network Research Fellowship - WINGS. Deadline July 15, 2025.
Trustee Recruitment – Alliance Publishing Trust (APT). Deadline July 31, 2025.
CALLS
FORGE is seeking Fund Advisory Committee members for the 2025 round of the Democracy at Work Fund. Committee members will contribute to fund preparation, review, and selection processes over a five-month period ending in December 2025. Apply by July 10, 2025.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has opened applications for non-Economic and Social Council NGOs to participate in the 11th Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, with submissions due June 27 for this crucial anti-corruption gathering.
WINGS is accepting proposals for the 2025 Lift Up Philanthropy Fund, offering €350,000 for projects in philanthropy ecosystem building, regulatory advocacy, and multi-stakeholder SDG partnerships. Open to members in Africa, Asia, and Latin America & the Caribbean. Apply by June 30, 2025.
CIVICUS invites activists and changemakers to help shape the agenda of the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) 2025. Submit your ideas by 30 June 2025.
Take the World Bank's Introduction to Public Expenditure & Financial Accountability course. Learn about the PEFA framework, which assesses a country's public financial management system. Complete the course and pass the final quiz to earn a certificate.
Open Government Partnership has opened applications for the Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society, Deadline July 6.
Copenhagen Leadership Development - The Leading with Foresight expedition runs August 27-29, designed to help leaders and organizations prepare for uncertain futures through strategic foresight training. Final Registration Date: 27 July 2025.
The 10th edition of the School for Thinktankers returns to Fundació Bofill in Barcelona in 2026. Submit your early-bird application.
CALENDAR
Civic Tech in the Age of AI, UNDP and People Powered webinar, 9am ET, 24 June 2025.
"Big bets: Large, unrestricted, multi-year funding" Alliance Magazine webinar (15:00 BST), June 24, 2025.
New Finance Goals and Political Realities: How to Deliver on Climate and Development | Center For Global Development, Tuesday, 24 June, 2025 | 1:00 PM London, 8:00 AM DC | Livestreamed
4th International Financing for Development Conference, Seville, June 30 - July 3, 2025
2025 Global Procurement Forum, OECD, Paris, July 1 and 2, 2025.
Change Hub - July Session. Slow Throughput: the leverage points for a regenerative supply chain. July 2–3 | 3:00 PM CET
Inside the Congo Hold-Up: How a Captured Bank Enabled Grand Corruption, July 10th, 2025
Join the RINGO Community Gathering to hear the latest insights from the organisations that are testing this groundbreaking innovation, and explore how we can mainstream this approach. July 10th, 2025. 12:00 - 13:30 GMT (plus an additional 30mins for informal conversation)
6th African Philanthropy Conference. The American University in Cairo (AUC), July 29-31, 2025.
5th African Conference on Debt and Development (AfCoDD V), Accra, Ghana, August 27-29, 2025.
New Economies: Hope in a time of collapse, Partners for a New Economy, Lyon, France, 1st-2nd October 2025.
The PPPN Conference 2025 focuses on "How to Push Back the Threats to Democracy" at the Olof Palme Centre, Stockholm, October 7-8, 2025.
Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, October 7-9, 2025
2025 IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival, Vienna, October 23 - 25, 2025.
International Civil Society Week 2025, co-organized by CIVICUS global civil society alliance and Asia Democracy Network, Bangkok. 1-5 November 2025.
Global Investigative Journalism Conference (#GIJC25). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thursday, November 20-24, 2025.
11th Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), Doha, Qatar. December 14-19, 2025.
We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or