The Commonwealth Foundation helps CSO’s across the Commonwealth access up-to-date information, understand its implications and develop structures for the future.
The ability to access and utilise up-to-date, well researched and accurate information lies at the core of any organisations ability to understand what has happened, react to the present, and plan for the future.
Within civil society the reality is no different; service delivery organisations need to be able to assess their clients’ needs and wants, and be able to develop plans, practices and products accordingly. For advocacy CSO’s, a strong understanding of the past and the present will inform their understanding of the future and what it may hold.
Through strategic priority setting and grant making, the Civil Society Capacity Development programme encourages research to be undertaken, coordinates multinational stakeholder involvement and develops high quality assessments and publications around issues affecting the Commonwealth today, and disseminates them widely.
From this research, the Foundation and Civil Society Capacity Development programme draws direction for its work, policy recommendations and education of national and local partners on current trends and issues to best inform their current work.
Current Activities
Breaking Point - the post MDG Agenda
We are undertaking a multiyear piece of research (2012-15) to review progress towards the MDGs in 14 Commonwealth countries to assess the successes and failures, and begin the conversation about post 2015. The countries are: Cameroon, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Pakistan, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Zambia.
Applications are invited from researchers/academics/civil society organisations/policy thinks tanks to participate in this review process.
Click here to apply >>
Previous Activities:
• Governance in the Commonwealth, 2010
The Commonwealth Foundation has an established track record of working in the area of citizen participation in governance process. This book is the latest in a series of governance related publications and work by the Civil Society Capacity Development programme. Drawing from presentations at the Deepening Democracy Assembly in 2009 and its long term programmatic work this book seeks to highlight practitioner-led country specific case studies of governance challenges and recommendations on issues to be addressed.
• From Hook to Plate: The State of Marine Fisheries, 2007-09
Because of the historical and geographical heritage Commonwealth member states are responsible for many of the marine resources in the world. This two year project funded by DFID, culminating with this report and subsequent governmental, intergovernmental and global advocacy, researched and highlighted the successes in the struggle against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) and provides examples of long term sustainable fishery management and stewardship.
• Financing for Development, 2008
A multi year project undertaken by the Commonwealth Foundation, looked to explore the different implications, methodologies, and facets of financing for development. The project developed numerous publications and mobilised civil society around the issues at the heart of financing for development, including climate change, culture, food and energy pricing, and livelihoods agendas. The Commonwealth Foundation encouraged evidence-based research and informed policy discussions on new and innovative financial instruments to support sustainable development across the Commonwealth.
• Breaking with Business as Usual, 2005
Providing a valuable counterpoise to official rhetoric on MDG progress, this report provides a glimpse at the global realities, as seen through the multifaceted lens of the Commonwealth civil society, and offers some pointers for the future successful completion of the MDGs. Through funding, coordination and access to expertise the Commonwealth Foundation worked across 14 countries with local civil society organisations, individuals and researchers to develop specific country reports, which all fed into the development of this report.