Ariadne's Thread

Dear Ariadne Community,

As spring arrived, so did one of the highlights of our year: Ariadne’s 2026 Reconnect. From 14 to 16 April, together with our local partner, Assifero, we gathered in Bologna with 100+ members and partners for three days of reflection, exchange, and community under our theme “When the ground shifts – philanthropy with purpose.”

Conversations spanned both reflection and forward thinking – drawing on tipping points and lessons from the past around power, resistance, and capture, while also exploring how philanthropy has and can mobilise more effectively in the years ahead. Whilst these exchanges pushed us to think more critically about how we act and collaborate, they also felt bolder and more honest. For this, I am particularly grateful to the members of the first cohort of the Susan Treadwell Change Lab who were present. The Change Lab has highlighted the value of creating philanthropic spaces where humble inquiry is welcomed, disagreement is constructive, and participants feel able to take risks, make mistakes, and build genuine trust within the community.

A particular highlight of the Reconnect for me is always the opportunity to ground our discussions in the local context. This year, through site visits with organisations in Bologna, we explored the city’s deep-rooted tradition of solidarity and resistance – and how these continue to shape its present-day social and political landscape.

As we brought the meeting to a close, with sun shining onto the beautiful former greenhouse at Giardini Margherita, one participant described the community as “a small but mighty plant thriving in a warm, nurturing space”. It felt like an especially fitting reflection on both the generative spirit of the gathering and the work and care behind it, by a small but mighty team. Thank you to our brilliant facilitators, the Assifero team, 2026 Planning Committee, speakers, session leads, local civil society organisations and participants for bringing this year’s Reconnect to life.

We look forward to reconnecting again soon and do SAVE THE DATE for Ariadne’s next Reconnect: 13-15 April 2027! Location to be announced later this year.  

Lastly, on a more personal note, I moved to Madrid at the beginning of this year and would love to connect with any Ariadne members or partners based here (or passing through), so please do reach out!

All the best,
Molly Mathews
Events & Engagement Coordinator

Advancing Human Rights: 2021 Key Findings: Every year, Human Rights Funders Network’s Advancing Human Rights research provides insights into the evolving landscape of human rights funding. The latest analysis reveals that 2021 was a year that stands as a critical high-water mark. The research is possible with the contributions of: Candid, Ariadne – European Funders for Social Change and Human Rights and Prospera–International Network of Women’s Funds.

Funders’ Briefing: The AI climate hoax with Ketan Joshi: Ariadne Network in collaboration with the European AI & Society Fund (EAISF), invites you to our next Funders’ Briefing, Tuesday 26 May, 2-3 pm CET to explore the AI climate hoax. We will be joined by Ketan Joshi, who will share his findings from the report  The AI Climate Hoax: Behind the Curtain of How Big Tech Greenwashes Impacts, and how funders and civil society organisations can fight back against the current narrative of powering AI at all costs. 

This is a funders-only webinar. Please register via the Ariadne Community Hub or email us.

Putting the Murad Code into Practice: A Guide for Funders.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday 21st May. We would love to hear from you! Please contact us by Tuesday 19th May if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

All resources can be found on Ariadne’s website and Member-only Community Hub. Are you a member of Ariadne but don’t have access to the Community Hub? Sign-up here or email jana.stardelova@ariadne-network.eu.

Liberties – Rule of Law Report 2026: Liberties’ seventh annual rule of law report assesses governments’ respect for the rule across four thematic areas: justice, corruption, media freedom, and checks and balances. The most comprehensive report by an independent civil liberties network, the 2026 report is compiled by nearly 40 rights groups from 22 EU countries.

Philea publishes “Journalism and Media Funding in Europe” report: released through the Journalism Funders Forum, this report offers a snapshot of how philanthropic organisations are funding journalism and media in Europe. 

World Inequality Report 2026 (WIR 2026): WIR 2026 explores new dimensions of inequality that define the 21st century: climate and wealth, gender disparities, unequal access to human capital, the asymmetries of the global financial system, and the territorial divides that are redrawing democratic politics. 

CIVICUS 2026 State of Civil Society Report: This year’s report, looks back at 2025 and early 2026 to identify trends in civil society action at every level and in every arena, from responses to conflicts and struggles for democracy, inclusion and climate justice to demands for stronger global governance. The report draws from CIVICUS Lens, and is directly informed by the voices of civil society affected by and responding to the major issues and challenges of the day. The report is also available in French and Spanish.

GiveOut 2025 UK LGBTQI International Giving Report: This report analyses how much the UK gave collectively during the period 2021–22 to support LGBTQI communities internationally. The figures in this report tell a story of funding that is small in scale but significant in impact. UK giving to LGBTQI issues internationally remains a tiny fraction of overall charitable and development spending. Yet, because the global LGBTQI movement is so chronically under-resourced, funding from the UK carries significant weight. 

European AI & Society Fund funders’ briefing “Standing up for safeguards: how civil society is resisting Europe’s tech regulation rollback”: The briefing offers an explanation of the current developments around the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus initiative, sets out their implications for people’s rights and protections and describes some of the ways civil society groups are working to challenge this backsliding. 

European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP) – 2026 Snapshot of Philanthropy Research: The snapshot maps the research centres and academic chairs within ERNOP’s institutional network, outlining their academic disciplines, philanthropy-related focus areas, and key research questions.

European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) research paper “Civil disobedience in digitally networked spaces”: The paper looks at 9 comparative case studies of digitally networked protests undertaken by migrants and solidarity movements in France, Germany, Greece, and the United States. These countries were selected because each has experienced sustained migration-related political contestation over the past decade, accompanied by recurrent protests led by or centred on migrants.

Thousand Currents celebrates Earth Day with the short video “A Love Letter to Movements”. The video highlights movement partners conveying the power of grassroots movements. 

Peace and Security Funders Group (PSFG) article for Inside Philanthropy “Peace Is Worth It: So What Can Funders Do Right Now?”: In this article, Catherine Thompson and Istra Fuhrmann of PSFG, give concrete recommendations on how to make a real difference resourcing peace and security right now.

Open Society Foundations Executive Director Binaifer Nowrojee discusses the organisation’s commitment to supporting those defending human rights, strengthening democracy, and keeping societies open, amid growing concerns about the erosion of democratic practice worldwide.

Joffe Charitable Trust “Five lessons from collaborating with funders”: For over a decade, the Joffe Trust has focused on tackling the UK’s £100bn+ dirty money problem: illicit funds that enable vast corruption and harm worldwide. In this article they share lesson learned from engaging with other donors.

Philanthropisms podcast: Ann Mei Chang on data, equity and navigating political uncertainty: Rhodri Davies interviews Ann Mei Chang, CEO of Candid, the organisation that publishes the most comprehensive data on the social sector globally, on what good data actually means for grantmakers right now.

European Civic Forum (ECF) launches Civic Space Watch: The new online platform that gathers data and reports on developments in civic space at the national and EU levels, and analyses trends.

“Women at the Frontlines” a case study analysis of the gender, conflict and climate nexus by the Global Alliance for
Green and Gender Action (GAGGA): This brochure offers a glimpse into the realities, resistances, and solutions led by women, trans, and travesti people on the frontlines of climate breakdown, extractivism, and armed conflict. Co-created with movements in Brazil, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, and the Philippines, it weaves together political analysis, lived testimonies, and strategies born from collective struggle.

New platform, Futures in Draft, just launched by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Futures in Draft is a platform for stories that inspire people and movements to imagine and build futures that transform our reality.

WINGS “Decolonising Impact Measurement: Rethinking How We Measure Change in Philanthropy”: We know that data plays an important role in philanthropy, and there is a growing pressure to show results and prove how funding is making a difference. This article asks an important question that is not being asked “what if the way we measure impact is rooted in the same systems of inequality we are trying to change?”

EPIM Annual Report 2025: In the annual report EPIM co-directors, Sophie Ngo-Diep and Hrishabh Sandilya, reflect on what EPIM funded, what they learned, and how they are positioning EPIM for the years ahead. Their commitment remains clear: to align capital, relationships, and strategy in service of a Europe where belonging is institutional, durable, and shared.

Foundations in Focus 2025 by the Association of Charitable Foundations: The latest report shows Philanthropic giving overtook government to become the dominant grant funders of the UK voluntary sector, with foundations continuing to increase grant-making, well above inflation rates, even as their asset values remained flat.

First integrated regional platform for state aid in the Western Balkans: The State Aid Scoreboard is an open, data-driven platform developed by Finance Think – Economic Research & Policy Institute, Skopje and the regional WEBecon Network of think tanks working on solutions for economic and social development of the Western Balkans. It provides accessible insights and visualizations of state aid data spanning 2018–2024, helping policymakers, analysts, journalists, and the public better understand how government support measures are distributed and evolve over time.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy published “What to Know in 2026: Trends and Insights to Guide You”. Access the publication to learn more.

Just, Inclusive Grantmaking for Change: See how the Legal Empowerment Fund – LEF works to shift power back to those affected by injustice, from involving them in the grantmaking process to providing flexible funding to help groups address urgent and long-term needs.

“Governance Shifts Can Unlock Big Impact for Grantmakers”: In this blog by Meghan Duffy, executive vice president at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), for the Center for Effective Philanthropy, shares how GEO have been exploring how grantmakers can align governance with mission, purpose, and values so it strengthens their work rather than distracting from it.

Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe (AGEE) – 2025 Impact Report: According to their report, 2025 was a year of unprecedented pressure on gender equality: funding cuts, shrinking civic space, and organised backlash. In the face of all that, the Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe chose ambition. Read more in their report.

Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) – new Rapid Response Data Spotlight: Key findings include:

• 37% of HIV grantmakers increased funding, contributing at least $5M+ in additional resources
• Funders increased support for key populations, who remain central to the HIV response
• Funders increased essential strategies such as general operating support, capacity-building, and advocacy funding

Ford Foundation – Program Assistants. The Ford Foundation is recruiting two Program Assistants to provide administrative, logistical, and programmatic support to grantmaking teams, including managing calendars, coordinating grants and contracts, supporting events, and maintaining systems and records across program portfolios. Salary: 90,000 USD. Location: New York, United States (hybrid). Deadline: 24 April 2026. 

Open Society Foundations – Associate Director, Global Communications. The Associate Director will be responsible for the development and implementation of communications and media strategies that position key Open Society Foundations’ messages, people, and grantees on the communications channels covering Global thematic, advocacy and European and MENA priorities. Location: London, UK. Deadline: 27 April 2026. 

Disability Rights Fund – Communications Consultant. Disability Rights Fund is recruiting a Communications Consultant to support strategic communications, storytelling, and visibility for disability rights programming, helping strengthen engagement with partners, donors, and stakeholders while advancing inclusive and rights-based narratives. Location: Remote / global. Deadline: 30 April 2026.  

Global Greengrants Fund – Major Donor Philanthropic Partnerships Officer. Global Greengrants Fund is seeking a strategic and relationship-driven professional who will collaborate across teams and a global network to strengthen philanthropic partnerships and mobilize resources for grassroots climate and environmental justice movements. Salary: 115,000 USD. Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred). Deadline: 03 May 2026.  

Equality Fund – Global Programs Connect Consultancy. The Equality Fund is seeking a consultant or a group of consultants to support the design of a stream of work supporting collective action across social movements focused on achieving gender equality. This stream, called “Connect,” aims to unite diverse actors, incentivize connections, and fund strategies and approaches that are particularly suited to feminist movement strengthening. Salary: 70,000 CAD. Location: Remote. Deadline: 04 May 2026.  

Mama Cash – Digital Media Officer. The Digital media officer sits in the Money team and is responsible, together with the Senior Communications Coordinator, for creating high-quality digital content, supporting communications for campaigns and events, and ensuring that all communications outputs are aligned with Mama Cash’s brand, messaging, and visual identity. Salary: 3,935 – 6,321 EUR. Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands (hybrid). Deadline: 06 May 2026.  

Epic Foundation – Senior Programs Manager. Epic is seeking a highly motivated individual to join their Programs team to manage relationships and grants of nonprofits in their portfolio, and monitor and support their work over time. This role will lead the development and management of a learning community to support grantees and alumni beyond financial support. Salary: 50,000 – 60,000 GBP. Location: London, UK or Paris, France. Deadline: 14 May 2026.

Fund for Global Human Rights – Vice President, Resource Mobilization and Engagement. The Vice President for Resource Mobilization and Engagement will be a visionary leader and strategic architect who will accelerate FGHR’s ability to mobilize powerful resources, influential networks, and global visibility for human rights movements. This role sits at the intersection of philanthropy, global influence, narrative leadership, and movement power. Salary: 188,290 – 225,950 USD. Location: The preferred location for this role is New York City, but this is a Global Hybrid role, and other locations may be considered. Deadline: 17 May 2026.

*For more jobs, see the ‘Career Opportunities’ section of Ariadne’s Community Hub. To address pay gaps in the charity sector, we strongly encourage you to #showthesalary in your job adverts.

25 April 2026, London 

Resisting Big Tech Empires. Organised by Global Justice Now in partnership with the Balanced Economy Project, this conference explores strategies to challenge corporate power, democratise digital infrastructure, and prioritise human and planetary needs over profit. Date: 25 April 2026 in London. Learn more and register. 

29 April 2026, Online 

Launch of 4Mi Data Explorer. Join the Mixed Migration Center for a live demonstration of their primary data on mixed migration. Explore how to access and use one of the largest comparable datasets on mixed migration for research, policy, and programming. The session will include a live demo of the platform, followed by short reflections from research, policy, and operational perspectives. Learn more and register here. 

28 April 2026, Online  

 Fliplanthropy #6: Organize the Rich – Mobilizing Money for Collective Power with Michael Gast. Join Guerrilla Foundation for his episode brings in the vision & work of Solidaire (and beyond) to explore the long game of resource mobilization, movement alignment, and the untapped potential of wealth holders in liberatory struggle. Learn more and register here. 

30 April 2026, Online  

Fliplanthropy #7 Class Traitorship: The Merits of Collective Risk with ismatu Gwendolyn. Join Guerrilla Foundation for to discuss how to decondition from our class upbringings and embrace risk-taking to unlock and prioritise collective betterment. Learn more and register here. 

30 April 2026, Online 

Advising policymakers on young people and digital technologies: reflections from the front line. In this Digital Good Network talk, Professor Amy Orben will discuss the existing evidence about young people and technology, the challenges in influencing policy, and the ways in which the evidence-policy relationship could be improved to the benefit of everyone. Learn more and register here.   

12 May 2026, Online  

State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know. In this session, the Center for Effective Philanthropy will present the 2026 findings of its annual State of Nonprofits survey, now in its fourth year. This newly collected data reveals both the challenges facing nonprofits, concerning trends emerging over the years, and how leaders are adapting to meet this moment. Learn more and register here.

July 24-25 2026, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

FCAA Global Philanthropy Summit. Registration is now open for the Funders Concerned About AIDS Global Philanthropy Summit, bringing together funders and partners to address key issues in global health and philanthropy. Learn more and register. 

02-07 August 2026, Sao Paulo, Brazil 

Thousand Currents Academy. The Academy is an immersive, in-person experience focused on building solidarity with grassroots movements in the Global South. The goal of the Academy is to support participants to move more unrestricted, long-term, and flexible funding to movements in the Global South, with practices rooted in mutual trust and accountability. Learn more and register here.