Ariadne News & Events

Ariadne’s 2024 Annual Reconnect:

The registration is now open for Ariadne’s 2024 Annual Reconnect, taking place in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 22 to 24 April 2024, where we’ll also celebrate Ariadne’s 15-year anniversary!

Ariadne’s 2024 Annual Reconnect will take place from the 22nd to the 24th of April and HRFN’s Global Funding Futures Festival will be held from the 24th to the 26th of April. The 24th of April will be an overlap of both events with joint sessions and networking opportunities with civil society, in partnership with Women’s Fund in Georgia.

For further information, including registration fees and discounts for attending the whole week, check out our event microsite.

Join us for Ariadne’s Forecast Roundtables:

France Roundtable
Tuesday, 30 January
Paris (Fondation de France, 40 avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris)
Organised in cooperation with Fondation de France and Porticus.
For more info & registration, click here!

Italy Roundtable
Tuesday, 13 February (Save the date)
Bari (ospitato da Fondazione Vincenzo Casillo)
Organised in cooperation with Assifero.
For more info & registration, click here!

The Netherlands Roundtable
Wednesday, 31 January
Amsterdam (RINO, Leidseplein 5 1017 PR Amsterdam)
For more info & registration, click here!

United Kingdom Roundtable
Thursday 15 February
London (The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR)
For more info & registration, click here!

22 January: Funders’ learning lunch with EuroMed Rights on ‘Europe’s Techno Borders: AI in Migration’:
The European AI & Society Fund in cooperation with Ariadne Network is pleased to invite you to the next Funders’ learning lunch with EuroMed Rights on ‘Europe’s Techno Borders: AI in Migration’. The event will take place on Monday, 22 January at 13:00 CET via Zoom. To attend, please register here. 

22 February: Funders’ learning lunch with Global Partners Digital:
The European AI & Society Fund in cooperation with OSF and Ariadne is pleased to invite you to the next Funders’ learning lunch with Global Partners Digital. The event will take place on Thursday 22 February at 15:00 CET via Zoom. To attend, please register here.

5 – 7 February, Belfast, Northern Ireland: “Countering Violent Conflict & Polarisation: How Can Donors Help?”  The upcoming international conference holds special significance as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Against this backdrop, it aims to provide a unique platform for donors to connect, reflect, and learn about effective strategies for advancing positive social change and countering polarisation in the many conflict-affected societies globally. For additional details and to secure your spot, please visit the following link.

Members are sharing on Ariadne’s Community Hub! Log in to join the diverse communities, connect and collaborate with other funders on Ariadne’s Community Hub! Don’t have access, you sign up here. Need assistance? Take a look at our guide or email jana.stardelova@ariadne-network.eu to schedule a demo.

All these resources and more can be found on Ariadne’s website and Member-only Community Hub.

New Research, Articles and Judgements

CIVICUS Monitor 2023: According to the CIVICUS monitor, nearly a third of humanity lives in ‘closed’ societies amid civic space. The new global People Power 2023 report shows where civil society conditions are improving and worsening. Civic freedoms are being curtailed and violated in a growing number of countries, including 7 newly downgraded countries: Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela. New ratings and data on top violations are available here.

The Freedom Fund: The 2023 Equity in Evidence conference brought together 93 anti-trafficking experts from around the world to address gaps in how current research is funded, designed, implemented and disseminated – often without the involvement of, or alignment with, the priorities of people with lived experience, slavery-affected communities and local research experts. Read the main findings and insights.

Hivos: Walking the Talk program: Hivos is launching a new “Walking the Talk,” program, with their consortium partners Restless Development, Equipop and Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy to demand Feminist Foreign Policies (FFP) that truly live up to their claims. Learn more.

Anti trafficking review: Issue 21 – “COVID-19: Labour, Migration, and Exploitation”: (guest editor: Annalee Lepp) This issue examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of low-wage, migrant, and informal workers. Nine articles from Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Europe, Nigeria, Brazil, and the United States, describe the experiences of violence, exploitation, discrimination, racism, and (lack of) access to healthcare and social protections. It also highlights the work of civil society organisations who stepped in to provide lifesaving support to people abandoned by the state. Access it here.

The New Humanitarian: Trends driving humanitarian need in 2024 (and what to do about them): The New Humanitarian maps seven key trends they believe are most likely to leave millions of people in need of food, shelter, medical care, and other humanitarian aid over the next year. The authors also share ideas on what governments, aid groups, or individuals might do differently so 2025 looks a little better. Read the key trends.

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: Comparative analysis of the current legal frameworks in Latin America to fight online gender violence (OGBV) and support women’s* leadership in public life: In this research, Fundación Multitudes identifies the state of how countries are implementing institutional incentives for women to participate in politics by analysing existing safeguards and legislation to counter OGBV and disinformation in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Learn more.

The Fund for Global Human Rights: Grassroots Activists Are Leading the Way on Human Rights: 75 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, states are failing to live up to its historic challenge. But, The Fund for Global Human Rights’ President and CEO Gabriela Bucher argues, grassroots activists are filling the gaps and delivering change in their communities.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

International Center for Transitional Justice: 2023 Year in Review: In this edition, ICTJ’s experts look back on 2023 through the ICTJ’s Expert’s Choice. The review is a compilation of the expert’s unique perspective on breaking news around the globe. Their insightful commentaries have brought into focus the impact these events have on victims of human rights violations as well as larger struggles for peace and justice. Access the 2023 Year in Review.

Mozilla: Trustworthy AI Funding Principles: Learnings and Opportunities from Mozilla Foundation’s 4+ Years of AI Grantmaking: Mozilla has published its Trustworthy AI Funding Principles — institutional lessons learned from five years and $75 million of trustworthy grantmaking around the globe. Learn more.

Both ENDS video podcast series ‘The Future We See!’: In 2023 Both ENDS hosted a live talk show and video podcast series about inspirational solutions of visionaries and practitioners from around the world. The series showcase how to transform our economies, food systems and decision-making for a sustainable and just future. Watch and/or listen here.

Ford Foundation: Philanthropy and DEI: Building on momentum post-2020: Ford Foundation’s Chief People Officer, Diane Samuels, spoke with Candid about the foundation’s commitment to DEI at every level and their work to help better meet their mission and maximise their  impact. Click to read the article.

2024 Narrative Predictions: “Despite overlapping crises, there remains a collective yearning, an insistence even, to live freely and abundantly. We see this not only in the rise of global solidarity movements against war and genocide, but also our dreams of shared prosperity.” Using research tools that track the volume and velocity of content trends and conversation patterns across time and distribution channels, ReFrame released a report (that can also be listened to) about what we can expect to see in the narrative landscape this year.

ODIHR: Implementation of the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area: While some positive transformations have been achieved for the Roma and Sinti people who live in the countries belonging to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) over the last two decades, deep differences still persist between their lives and those of the general population. Access the report.

Stories: 1000 Lives, 0 Names: The Border Graves Investigation. How the EU is failing migrants’ last rights: “What happens to those who die in their attempts to reach the European Union? How are their lives marked, how can their families honour them? How do governments recognise their existence and their basic rights as human beings?” the Border Graves investigation tracks how EU countries bury migrants in unmarked graves with no way for their loved ones to find them.

Grant-Making

Catalyst Balkans & BCSDN: Mapping of The Donors Active in The Western Balkans: The report provides valuable insights into the current donor landscape, focusing on bilateral, multilateral, and private foundations, and corporate donors supporting civil society. Key questions addressed include the donors’ activity levels, areas of focus, and interactions with funded organisations. The research highlights challenges faced by civil society, such as shrinking civic space and government restrictions, emphasising the need for new funding mechanisms. Read more.

Luminate Blog: How funders can support grantees through executive coaching: “Leadership coaching isn’t something that is generally offered in the not-for-profit world in this modality, therefore it’s a new concept that took some time to ‘socialise’ as a good idea. However, the transformation of some of the team was drastic in terms of their confidence and ability to manage time to be more productive whilst enjoying their work without burning out.” In 2021 and early 2022, Luminate provided coaching stipends to 78 of their partner organisations, with more than 200 leaders receiving executive coaching. See what they learned based from the feedback their partners provided through post-coaching stipend reports.

KIOS Annual report: The KIOS Annual Report 2022 shows that despite the challenges rising conflicts and questioning of the whole human rights systems around the globe, active civil society actors can make an impact and are needed now more than ever. In 2022, KIOS funded 44 human rights projects or programmes in East Africa and South Asia. Access the report here.

CEP: 10 (Additional) Lessons Learned for Funders Considering the Grantee Perception Report: Laura Bacon, formerly of Luminate, shares 10 new lessons learned after using CEP’s Grantee Perception Report twice, and shares insights for funders considering the tool.

Mama Cash: Funding our Future: Resourcing the Feminist Movements Driving Climate Action: Across the world, feminist movements are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, developing effective strategies and solutions, disrupting the status quo, and resisting injustice in various forms. Access Mama Cash’s new brief that sets out seven tangible actions to advance gender and climate justice.

Crappy Funding Practices: Crappy funding practices is a new movement that aims to publicly call out bad and unjust funding practices. You can submit a bad funding practice here. Interested to hear what funding practices are considered “crappy”, take a look.

GiveOut Annual Report: Access GiveOut’s 2022/23 Annual Impact Report to learn more about their work on bringing together communities and allies to support LGBTQI organisations, providing courageous activists with more resources to build a brighter future for LGBTQI people.

Philea: Philanthropy without borders: what are the drivers of generosity among the Swiss abroad? The Swiss Philanthropy Foundation and the Organization of the Swiss Abroad conducted a survey revealing that 93% of Swiss abroad have made gifts in the past three years, with 78% being financial. The diaspora, representing 10% of the Swiss population, is as generous as those living in Switzerland. Read more here.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday 15th February. We would love to hear from you! Please contact us by Tuesday 13th February if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

Jobs and Tenders

Ford Foundation – International Security, Safety and Risk Mitigation Manager. The Office of the Deputy Chief Operating Officer is hiring an International Security, Safety and Risk Mitigation Manager that will be based in the New York office. The International Security, Safety and Risk Mitigation Manager will work with the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to develop and implement a global security and risk mitigation framework that fosters a culture of safety awareness and risk mitigation. The incumbent will coordinate with the Director of Global Property Management to ensure the foundation’s duty of care for its staff and assets across all of its geographies are consistent and relevant. Salary: $109,000 – $127,000. Location: NYC, USA. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Ford Foundation – Technology Fellow. Ford Foundation’s Natural Resources and Climate Change International (NRCC-I) team is hiring a Technology Fellow to join their team. The Tech Fellow will integrate into the NRCC team, and will also be a part of the broader Technology Fellowship Program, which was created to support integrated learning and action at the intersection of social justice and technology throughout the work of the foundation. Fellows work both as a cohort across the foundation and as part of program teams to explore the role and impact of technology with social justice and help develop a critical technology lens throughout the foundation. Salary: $117,000 – $136,000. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Porticus – Executive Assistant To The CEO: The Executive Assistant will directly support the CEO; act as a thought partner and trusted advisor to the CEO, making sure the CEO is aware of pertinent information, and organising matters to ensure prioritisation and efficient use of his/her time; looping in relevant parties as needed. In addition, you will work closely with the Business Manager of the CEO. The Business Manager CEO supports the CEO on the ‘what & how’ the executive assistant supports the CEO with the ‘ when & where’. This operational role includes related strategic responsibilities, working closely with the CEO and BM. Salary: €45.000 – €60.000. Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Trust for London – Trustees: Trustees play a critical role in the work of the Trust for London. They set the strategy of the organisation and ensure that the endowment is used effectively. The Trust is looking for three new trustees to help them on the next stage of their journey. Candidates with experience in human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion, charity finance, and social investment are invited to apply. These roles cover: HR, diversity, equity and inclusion and Charity finance. Salary: All reasonable travel and subsistence expenses relating to Trust for London duties and responsibilities will be reimbursed in full. Location: London, UK. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism – Director Of Communications & Advocacy. Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism is seeking an experienced, strategic, entrepreneurial leader who has a sharp political analysis to build a culture of strategic communications and advocacy and to position the organization as a bolder, more powerful champion of feminist activists and movements around the world. The successful candidate is a passionate person who thrives in a highly collaborative environment. The Director Communications & Advocacy is a new position that will oversee the Communications and Advocacy work of the organization. In recent years, the Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism has undergone significant growth, including deep strategic work to center communications and advocacy as core elements of the organization’s work. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director Communications & Advocacy will oversee the development and execution of strategic communications, philanthropic and international human rights advocacy. Salary: $157,087 Location: This position is remote, candidates must live and be authorized to work in the U.S. Deadline for applications is 29 January.

Gulbenkian – Gulbenkian Research Fellowships in Portuguese Culture for Foreigners. Applications are open for the Gulbenkian Research Fellowships in Portuguese Culture for Foreigners, which aim to support non-Portuguese postgraduates, living abroad, to carry out research in Portugal on topics of Portuguese culture, in the field of humanities. Submissions until 31 January. Learn more and apply here. (in Portuguese)

Ford Foundation – Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government: The Ford Foundation’s U.S. Program in Civic Engagement and Government (CEG) seeks a collaborative, strategic, team-oriented Program Officer (PO) to help evolve and implement the “Bigger We” portfolio, an anchor element of CEG-US’s strategy to build resilient, reparative democracy. This portfolio focuses on expanding the base of people within organised communities and developing the infrastructure to support them to bring about meaningful change. Reporting to the CEG-US Director, and working alongside four other program officers, the PO will collaborate others to identify key ecosystems, and work with relevant actors and other funders, to analyse challenges and opportunities, identify levers of change, and play a leading role in shaping strong, grassroots-anchored ecosystem that engages those most impacted by inequality and excluded from democratic participation.  Salary: $165,000 – $185,000. Location: New York, USA. Deadline for applications is 5 February.

Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism – Director of Finance: The Director of Finance will lead a Finance team of 3, including a Senior Finance Officer and a Finance Officer, in all aspects of the organisation’s finances, building the backbone of a growing institution. The Director will oversee the development of the annual budget, totalling approximately $15 million, and the tracking of all income, expenditures, and investments. A member of the Management Team, the Director of Finance will supervise a growing team of finance professionals. Salary: $157,087. Location: This position is remote, candidates must live and be authorised to work in the U.S. Deadline for applications is 12 February.

Mama Cash/Red Umbrella Fund – Red Umbrella Fund Coordinator: The Red Umbrella Fund Coordinator is the senior staff member responsible for the day-to-day management of the Red Umbrella Fund secretariat. This includes supervising a team of a Deputy Coordinator and four Programme Associates and maintaining effective relations with the host organisation, Mama Cash. The Coordinator leads the organisational planning and budgeting, fundraising, and funder influencing work, and monitors the Fund’s participatory grantmaking. The Coordinator is directly accountable to the Fund’s International Steering Committee, which consists of sex worker activists and funders. Salary: €3.764 – €5.845. Location: Remote or Amsterdam. Deadline for application is 12 February.

EPIM – New Governing Body as a Forum Member. EPIM is looking for up to 16 dynamic Forum members who will bring a wealth of perspectives, knowledge, connections and lived experiences in areas relevant to EPIM’s work. As a Forum member, you will be an integral part of a collaborative effort, connecting with peers in stimulating and curated spaces. Commitment as a Forum Member is estimated at five to six days a year, including participation in an annual two-day in person gathering and several online preparatory meetings. Forum members will receive an honorarium in addition to having travel costs covered. This is a unique opportunity with an initial three-year mandate, allowing you to be at the forefront of social changes in migration. Salary: An honorarium in addition to having travel costs covered. Location: Remote. Deadline for applications is 15 February.

The Network for Social Change – Researcher. The Network for Social Change is looking for an experienced researcher to set up a detailed PDF list of organisations that fund projects on racial justice and environmental/climate justice. The list will be based on responses to a letter outlining the project that the Network has sent to funders. The position has been created by the Network’s Racial Justice Working Group. The researcher will be responsible to a member of this group. Salary: £350 -£400 per day worked. Deadline for applications is 23 February.

Various roles – American Jewish World Service (AJWS)
Various roles – Fondation de France
Various roles – Ford Foundation

*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.

Events

Online

24 January

Trustworthy AI Funding Principles | A MozFest Funder Track Event: Join for a conversation with J. Bob Alotta on shaping the future of AI through philanthropic funding. Part of our”Funder Track” series at Mozilla Festival; the premiere gathering for activists in diverse global movements fighting for a more humane digital world. Location: LinkedIn Live event. Date and time; 24 January from 17:00 – 18:00 CET. Join here. 

Event series: National Dialogues at crossroads ‘National Dialogues x Climate Change’.
At the launch event of the paper “National Dialogues x Climate Change”, we will explore whether National Dialogues may be one mechanism to address climate-related social change, mitigate vulnerablilty and enhance resilience. During the event, experts and practitioners will discuss how climate change can act as a catalyst for National Dialogues. Drawing on experiences from Sudan, France and Chile, speakers will discuss opportunities and challenges of designing National Dialogues in the context of conflict, energy transition or systems change. Date and time: 24 January, from 15:30 – 16:30 CET. Online event via Zoom, held in English. Learn more and register here.

25 January

Uncovering the racialised origins of the climate crisis: A look into eco-imperialism: In Systemic Justice’s second episode, we explore the historic role of colonialism in the extraction of wealth, and subsequent conquest, disinheritance, and dispossession of racialised peoples, from nature, looking specifically at the inextricable links between racism, capitalism, and environmental degradation in Europe. Date: Thursday 25 January, at 18:30 CET Location: Online on Zoom. Learn more and register here.

UK Poverty 2024 – The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK. Join to hear the latest findings of JRF’s flagship annual report – UK Poverty. The UK Poverty report looks across a range of data sources and published insights to set out a comprehensive picture of the current state of poverty in the UK and to determine who is worst affected, how levels have changed over time and what the future prospects are likely to be. As well as an overview of the overall rates of poverty, deep poverty and persistent poverty in the UK, it also shows how levels of poverty vary between different groups across the UK (including by family type and other demographics, ethnicity, geography, disability, housing, work and benefit receipt). As we know poverty can lead to negative impacts at all stages of life, the report also looks at the experiences of people living in poverty, focussing on their cost of living, levels of savings and debt, food insecurity, health and education. This will be the final UK Poverty report before the next general election. Date & Time: Jan 25, at 11:00 AM CET / 10 AM GMT. Learn more and register here.

Online

25 January

Launch of the inroads Body and Territory: Abortion Justice Fellowship Anthology: This event aims to amplify and celebrate the voices of inroads fellows leading abortion justice efforts tied to autonomy, ownership, and territory, tied together in the 2023 Fellowship Anthology. The Body and Territory Abortion Justice Fellowship, allowed fellows to delve into the intricate relationships between abortion justice, bodily autonomy, and intersecting territorial themes such as rural area resources, decolonization, caste discrimination, and indigenous land movements. Date and time: Thursday, 25 January at 2 PM UTC / 9 AM EST. Location: Via Zoom. Interpretation will be available in Spanish, English, and French. Learn more and register here.

Brussels, Belgium

1 February

BRIDGES Final Conference: Discussing migration narratives’ policy and societal implications: The whole-day event will be an opportunity to discuss the main findings of the project, to exchange with other research projects working on the same topic and to bridge the gap between research and policy-making by opening a discussion with members of the European Parliament. Date: 1 February. Location: Brussels, Belgium. Venue: Les Ateliers des Tanneurs (Rue des Tanneurs 60A, 1000). The Conference will also be streamed online through the BRIDGES Youtube channel: Youtube.com/@bridges_migration. Learn more and register here.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

5-7 February

“Countering Violent Conflict & Polarisation: How Can Donors Help?”  We are excited to extend an invitation to an upcoming international conference titled “Countering Violent Conflict & Polarisation: How Can Donors Help?”  This conference holds special significance as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Against this backdrop, it aims to provide a unique platform for donors to connect, reflect, and learn about effective strategies for advancing positive social change and countering polarisation in the many conflict-affected societies globally. The conference programme is designed to be informative and interactive, featuring keynote speakers, workshops, and panel discussions with contributions from philanthropy leaders, government donors, locally-based funders and field practitioners.
The event is scheduled to take place from 5th to 7th February in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with an optional additional day (Thursday 8th February) for those participants who want to examine the dynamics of the peace process in Northern Ireland. Learn more and register here.