Ariadne's Thread

January 2025

Ariadne’s Thread is a monthly update of events, briefings and research for social change and human rights funders.

Ariadne news & events

Ariadne is looking for a new director

We are seeking a new Director to lead Ariadne at a critical time for social change and human rights in Europe, creating spaces for joint reflection and learning, building trusted relationships among funders, and fostering creative collaboration in philanthropy. Location: UK or Europe (remote). Salary: 106,000 GBP. Deadline for application 27 January 2025. Learn more and apply.

Register for the upcoming Forecast Roundtables (please note: these are funder-only events):

Ariadne’s Reconnect 2025: Early bird registration for Ariadne members only is now open for Ariadne’s 2025 Reconnect taking place Zagreb, Croatia from 8-10 April 2025  supported by Solidarna. Register here via the Ariadne Community Hub. 

New blog: Keeping our heads above the water and in the clouds by Maya Richman, Green Screen Coalition Co-lead.

Don’t miss the new page on Funding For Real Change Website dedicated to grantees! You can access the Grantees Hub, designed to support grantees in influencing their funding partners towards more effective giving practices. This page emphasises why full-cost coverage and flexible funding are essential to break the nonprofit starvation cycle. 

All these resources and more 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.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday 20th February. We would love to hear from you! Please contact us by Tuesday 18th February if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

New Research, Articles and Judgements

New research, articles and judgements

2024 Modern Slavery UK Benchmark: Through an analysis of the 2023 public modern slavery statements of the top 110 companies, representing 11 industry sectors and £2 trillion market capitalisation, the benchmark shows that 65 companies, particularly in consumer staples and financial sectors, improved their scores. Additionally, 30 companies disclosed finding a case of modern slavery, up from 25 in 2023. However, actions taken to remedy cases of modern slavery scored the lowest.

PLAN International report “Strengthening girls’ rights as human rights”: This 2024 report examines the status of girls in international policy-making, building on Plan International’s 2018 Girls’ Rights Are Human Rights report. The latest research explores changes from 2018 to 2023, analysing 3,664 international policy documents to shed light on progress, gaps, and opportunities related to girls’ rights and their protection within key human rights frameworks.

Women’s Philanthropy Institute report “Women Give 2024 – 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends”: The report provides analyses of two decades of data on women’s philanthropy, highlighting their resilience amid societal changes like the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers actionable strategies for nonprofits to engage women donors effectively. 

Open Knowledge Foundation report “Open Movement’s Common(s) Causes”: The report maps current threats and opportunities facing the open movement, based on the ongoing work of the organisations behind the Common(s) Cause event, which took place in Katowice, Poland. 

WEDO 2024 report “Towards Economic and Climate Justice: A Feminist Analysis of Critical Trends”: The report examines the progress and challenges in realising the vision of the Feminist Action Nexus for Economic and Climate Justice. This update focuses on four thematic areas: 1) debt, 2) the Bretton Woods Institutions (the World Bank and International Monetary Fund), 3) taxation, and 4) climate finance, highlighting key developments and releases of data between late 2023 and October 2024. The full Critical Trends Report 2024 is available in four languages: Arabic, French, English and Spanish.

Open Briefing report “Rethinking International Relocation: A Strategy of Last Resort and Strengthening Support for Activists in Exile”: Drawing on the feedback of activists in exile and based on Open Briefing’s extensive experience of working with activists and organisations before, during, and after international relocation, the report calls for a fundamental shift in how human rights defenders and other activists under serious threat are protected. It highlights the unintended consequences of over-reliance on international relocation and advocates for sustainable in-country solutions wherever possible.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

Blogs and other sites of interest

ILGA Europe Podcast “TikTok and the political earthquake in Romania”: “Amid viral anti-LGBTI TikTok videos and the bombshell rise of far-right Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, who previously said he wants to ‘ban homosexuality’, how did activists in Romania react to and read the situation? And what does the right-wing Romanian election debacle mean for elections everywhere?”.

ENAR concerned by the European Commission’s announcement regarding the EU coordinators on racism: “Of the three coordinators – combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, combatting anti-Muslim hatred, and anti-racism – only the EU Anti-Racism Coordinator was excluded from being politically upgraded. By strengthening the fight against specific forms of hatred and neglecting others, the Commission creates unacceptable hierarchies within anti-racism priorities, undermining the promises etched in the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan”.

Collective Imagination Practices Toolkit: According to the creators, the toolkit aims to gather and platform the wisdom of Collective Imagination practitioners around the world, creating an accessible set of tools for anyone who wants to build the capacity to explore and learn a spectrum of practices related to Collective Imagination (as well as unlearn those practices that might block their inquiry).

2024 Racial Justice Audit: Funders for Race Equality Alliance have published their 2024 Racial Justice Audit, reviewing grants from 20 funders, which shares progress as well as persistent disparities within racial justice funding.

Policy brief “The Right to Know in National Security Related Immigration Matters” by Katalin Juhasz of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee: As part of the ‘Right to Know 2’ project funded by EPIM, this policy brief highlights significant breaches in access to classified information in immigration-related proceedings across the EU. 

Working papers by the UNESCO Chair in the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Expansion of Political Space, Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York:

Grant making

Grant making

KIOS Annual report 2023: The latest Annual Report shows how KIOS’s grantees work promotes the participation and legal protection of individuals and communities, and creates opportunities for human rights, democracy, and equality. In 2023, KIOS funded 34 human rights projects or programmes in East Africa and South Asia.

Esmée Fairbairn Blog “New Connections funding: behind the scenes and reflections so far”: In this blog, Chebet Kuntai, Esmée Fairbairn’s Climate and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, writes about the identification and outreach process for the New Connections fund, along with reflections on the process. Learn more in the infographic and timeline.

Alliance Magazine article ” ‘We wanted to change philanthropy’ – Hilary Pennington and Kathy Reich in conversation”: After a decade of shaping the Ford Foundation’s global impact, Hilary Pennington, executive vice president for program since 2013, and Kathy Reich, Director of Building Institutions and Networks (BUILD) since 2016, come together to mark a pinnacle point in their careers. In December 2024, Hilary will announce her retirement from Ford, and Kathy will move on to start a new chapter in her career”.

CEP blog “What Are You Bringing to 2025 and Leaving Behind in 2024? Here’s What Your Grantees Are Saying”: Emma Relle Senior Analyst, Assessment and Advisory Services at CEP shares responses, suggestions and acknowledgements from grantees.

Podcast “The Guide to Good Series: Effective Ways to Support Global Human Rights”: In this episode, Rona Peligal, Vice President of Development and Communications at the Fund for Global Human Rights joins Brandolon Barnett, Head of Innovation and Philanthropy at Giving Compass, to share the current state of human rights, stories of grassroots organisations who are leading the fight for justice, and how donors can support these bold advocates. 

ClimateWorks Foundation Funding trends 2024: Climate change mitigation philanthropy”: Access the report to track the evolution of climate philanthropy, understand sectoral and geographic trends, learn about emerging trends in climate philanthropy, identify opportunities for learning and collaboration, and make informed decisions on climate strategies.  The report highlights three key opportunities for funders:

  • Work collaboratively: Participate in collaborative giving platforms that allow funders to amplify existing initiatives and accelerate solutions that already exist.
  • Back grantees to win: Invest deeply in grantee capacity development and multi-year flexible, core support, especially in low-to-middle-income countries.
  • Think holistically: Embrace integrated climate solutions at the intersection of societal issues such as human rights, public health, and economic development.

Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe “First three years of the Alliance: What we’ve learned”: Access this blog to learn about the work of the AGEE in the past three years. The findings are based on an independent evaluation with contributions from grantees, members, and external stakeholders. It offers a look at the successes, challenges, and opportunities for the future.

Jobs and Opportunities

Jobs and opportunities

The National Lottery Community Fund – Deputy Director: Digital. The National Lottery Community Fund is currently seeking a Deputy Director: Digital – a critical role supporting the wider organisation in delivering its ‘It Starts with Community’ strategy through to 2030. This exciting, pivotal, and varied position comes at a time of optimistic change and growth. Salary: 75,000 – 83,000 GBP. Location: United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 24 January. 

Global Fund for Human Rights – Brand Refresh. The Fund seeks proposals for a brand refresh project to enhance their public image and messaging. This project involves reimagining visual identity, refining brand guidelines, and ensuring alignment with the organisation’s mission. Location: UK, United States, or anywhere else within +/- 5 hours of the GMT time zone. Deadline for applications is 24 January. 

Civitates – TOR external evaluators (Southern and Central Eastern Europe). Civitates is looking for two external evaluators to support the proposal assessment for their upcoming Tech & Democracy open call, focusing on Southern and Central Eastern Europe. Their input will help shape the selection of the cohort contributing to an effective enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and other EU tech regulations. Remuneration: 500 EUR/day (gross). Deadline for applications is 24 January. 

Ford Foundation – 2025 Summer Internship. Since its inception, the program has aimed to provide an enriching and rewarding experience for students from diverse majors and career aspirations. Designed to introduce participants to philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector, it offers a comprehensive learning and development opportunity. Salary: 38.50 USD per hour. Location: New York City, USA. Deadline for applications is 25 January.  

European AI & Society Fund – Lead Facilitator for Community Event. Seeking a consultancy lead facilitator to manage and guide discussions at an upcoming community event focused on AI and digital heritage, taking place on 11-12 June in Brussels. Responsibilities include developing event strategy and ensuring engagement of stakeholders. Deadline for applications is 28 January. 

The Legal Education Foundation – Board Member Opportunities. The Legal Education are seeking up to three new trustees to contribute to their mission to strengthen the power of communities to use and shape the law for social justice. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 10 February. 

*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.

Public meetings

Events

16 January, Online

Global Statelessness Fund Launch Event. Join for an online event to celebrate the launch of the Global Statelessness Fund, a new initiative that aims to support organisations and activists engaged in rights-based work to address issues of statelessness and discriminatory nationality laws. Simultaneous translation will be available during the event in English, Spanish, Arabic, and French. Read more and register here.

23 January, Online 

Reading the tea leaves: A critical conversation for philanthropy. Philanthropy worldwide is responding to an unprecedented convergence of challenges. The closing of civic space – from increased regulatory pressures in the Netherlands to financial restrictions in the United States – further exacerbates the polycrisis, threatening the vital work of nonprofit organisations around the world. This dialogue will reflect on how philanthropy networks are taking stock and building responsive strategies to strengthen civil society’s resilience. Read more and register here.

23 January, Online

Climate emergency and the future of civic space. As the climate crisis intensifies, so do efforts to securitize it. Will this approach drive action or sideline solutions? How might it impact shrinking civic space worldwide? FICS supports the launch of the London School of Economics’ report, “Climate Emergency and the Future of Civic Space: Lessons from the War on Terror”. This work, backed by FICS’ Civic Futures programme, highlights the risks of linking climate change with national security. Read more and register here.

 

30 January, Online

Using Demographic Data to Move From Intention to Action. With over 75,000 nonprofits sharing demographic data via their Candid profiles, the social sector now has the data to move beyond intention and into action. In this webinar, you’ll learn how Candid collects standardised demographic data from nonprofits and how Candid’s partners are leveraging this data to address disparities and inequities across the sector. Join to learn about these initiatives, how to access Candid’s data, and walk away asking yourself: What can my foundation do with demographic data? Read more and register here.

17-21 February, Kenya

The International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) Global Conference in Kenya. The conference aims to amplify the voices of African Indigenous Peoples on critical issues like land rights, climate justice, and cultural preservation. It will foster dialogue and collaboration among funders, Indigenous-led organisations, and stakeholders while promoting Indigenous self-determination and the 5Rs of Indigenous Philanthropy—Respect, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Relationship, and Redistribution. This gathering underscores the importance of decolonizing philanthropy and ensuring Indigenous representation and leadership at all levels. Read more and register here.

27 February, Online

Webinar: Inter-Narratives: What narratives will help us challenge a world where 7 people own 70% of the world’s wealth? Cassie Robinson will be in conversation with Jake Hayman, author of a new book Wealth Unpublished, Sarah Kerr, Research Fellow, International Inequalities Institute, LSE and one of the Wealth Hackers. Read more and register here.

Ariadne’s core operations are supported by the American Jewish World Service, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Oak Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Sigrid Rausing Trust.

Ariadne is also supported by voluntary contributions from its members.