Ariadne News & Events

This will be the last Thread before the summer break. Ariadne wishes you an enjoyable holiday. We will be in contact again in September with more events and updates from the network. Enjoy the summer!

REGISTER NOW: WEBINAR – CONNECTING COMMUNITIES: How are Foundations in the UK and across Europe responding to concerns of popular disquiet and disconnection across communities? With the withdrawal of the Welfare State and fundamental changes to social provision under way, what is the role of Foundations in this new world, and against a backdrop of Brexit? Where is collective action making a difference and what more needs to be done? Join us on Thursday 27th July, 14:00-15:00 BST to hear reflections from Annabel Davidson Knight, Head of Practice at Collaborate, drawn from interviews she has conducted with Chief Executives of Foundations across Europe on practical responses and future priorities for collective and individual action on these issues. The conversation will provide an opportunity to share your own practice and explore emerging ideas for collaboration. The webinar will be moderated by Julie Broome, Ariadne Director.

REGISTER NOW: ARIADNE PORTAL TUITION: An hour’s tuition to increase your skill in using the Ariadne Portal will be held on Thursday 10^th August, 15:00 BST. This is an online webinar you can participate in from your desk. To join, you will need a computer or tablet (iPad/Android) to watch the online demonstration. To register, please RSVP to Lori Stanciu.

REGISTER NOW: 2017 ARIADNE GRANT SKILLS DAY: MOVEMENTS MATTER: THEY CAN INFLUENCE CHANGE: This year’s Grant Skills Day will focus on why movements matter. In light of a rising tide of populist movements and post-truth politics, movement-building has the potential to influence change, acting as a catalyst and equaliser by putting people’s voices at the centre and transforming systems from the ground up. By attending the event you will gain an appreciation of how funders can recognise and support movements and make links with fellow funders who are already funding or considering funding in this area. Speakers will include Shari Turitz, Vice President for Programmes at AJWS, Jenny Hodgson, Executive Director UK/South Africa at the Global Fund for Community Foundations and Jessica Horn, Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund. See the Ariadne portal for more details. To register, please click here.

INSCRIPTIONS: 19 OCTOBRE, PARIS, RENCONTRE SUE LE RÉTRÉCISSEMENT DE l’ESPACE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE: Ariadne, la Fondation Charles Léopold Mayer et l’Initiative des Donateurs pour la Société Civile (Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society), invitent des fondations à un après-midi d’échange consacré aux initiatives et aux opportunités pour les fondations francophones face au rétrécissement de l’espace de la société civile. Cette rencontre a pour objectif d’échanger sur les enjeux et l’envergure de la fermeture de l’espace de la société civile et d’appréhender comment les fondations francophones qui soutiennent des projets au niveau national et international sont affectées par cette problématique. Ce sera également l’opportunité d’explorer les initiatives effectives des fondations et les besoins de poursuivre un travail collectif sur ce sujet. La réunion se déroulera en français. Merci de bien vouloir vous inscrire en cliquant sur le lien ici avant le 1 octobre 2017.

ARIADNE 2018 POLICY BRIEFING:  Next year’s Ariadne Annual Policy Briefing will take place in Paris, France (as suggested by last year’s participants). We will select a date and open the call for session proposals in early Autumn. More details will follow on the Ariadne portal soon. In the meantime, we would love to hear from you if you would like to propose a site visit to one of your grantees based in Paris. Contact Lori Stanciu at lori.stanciu@ariadne-network.eu for more details.

SEEKING ARIADNE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS: Do you want to become more involved in Ariadne?  Do you have great ideas for what the network could do and wish you could put them into action? Then we want to hear from you! Ariadne is intending to refresh and expand its Advisory Board over the next two years, and as such we are seeking new Advisory Board members from within the Ariadne community! These are voluntary positions that advise the Ariadne team on the overall direction of the network and that help keep us accountable to our members. To give you a better sense of the commitment involved, Terms of Reference for Advisory Board members are available on the Ariadne portal. If you would like to be considered for 2017, please get in touch before 21st July.

*To register for Ariadne events, your institution must be a member organisation of Ariadne. For questions regarding your membership status, please contact Lori Stanciu at lori.stanciu@ariadne-network.eu.

New Research, Articles and Judgements

Europeans more divided over immigration, says study: A new European Social Survey report entitled Attitudes towards immigration and their antecedents: Topline results from round 7 of the European social survey finds that, whilst Europeans have become slightly more favourable towards migrants from the same racial or ethnic group, they have become less positive about migrants from poorer countries outside Europe.

Report: Brexit a threat to Britain’s fight to tackle modern slavery: The Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group, hosted by Anti-Slavery International, has launched the report Brexit & the UK’s fight against modern slavery. The coalition of thirteen UK anti-trafficking organisations that monitors the UK’s progress in the fight against modern slavery considers Brexit to pose an ‘existential threat’ to the UK’s co-operation with European countries that is essential to tackle modern slavery. See also, Modern Slavery Registry keeps record of companies’ statements by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.

Call for input on positive practices and policies in protecting rights of undocumented migrants: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is preparing a compendium of principles, good practices and policies on safe, orderly and regular migration in line with international human rights law. They would be grateful for contributions, in particular in relation to the thematic areas which are based on the six informal thematic sessions of the preparatory process for the global compact on migration.

EU signs Council of Europe convention to stop violence against women: The EU has signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence on 13^th June, also referred to as the ‘Istanbul Convention’. The Convention is the most comprehensive international legal framework to combat violence against women and girls and domestic violence.

Council of Europe – Action Plan on children in migration: The Council of Europe has published a Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Refugee and Migrant Children in Europe (2017-2019). The Action Plan is based on a clear principle: in the context of migration, children should be treated first and foremost as children. It concerns all children in migration who arrive/have arrived in the territory of any Council of Europe member state, including asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children.

Attitudes towards refugees, immigrants and identity in France: New research by More in Common shows that 85% of the French population thinks that there has been a significant increase in immigration in the country.  56% of people surveyed stated that the impact has been negative and only 16% stated that it has been positive. The research was supported by The Social Change Initiative.

Malta legalises same-sex marriage: Malta has become the 15^th nation in Europe and the 25^th world-wide to legalise same-sex marriage. Only one member of parliament voted against the marriage equality bill. See also, Transgender rights in Lithuania – The European Convention as a catalyst for change, by the European Implementation Network.

The future of Europe: Comparing public and elite attitudes report:  When asked if richer member states should support poorer member states, 50% of European citizens in 10 countries agreed that they should and only 18 % disagreed, according to a survey supported by Stiftung Mercator, Robert Bosch Stiftung, King Baudouin Foundation and ERSTE Foundation.  The Future of Europe: Comparing Public and Elite Attitudes is based on a survey of more than 10,000 members of the public and 1,800 ‘influencers’ from politics, the media, business and civil society. The study compares these ‘public’ and ‘elite’ attitudes within and across 10 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. See also, Alliance Magazine’s Breakfast Club – Solidarity: more in common?

The place of reconciliation in transitional justice report: The term reconciliation has long been associated with the field of transitional justice and is often presumed to be one of its goals. At the same time, reconciliation has been both controversial and vague as a concept, giving rise to different understandings and approaches. This paper by the International Center for Transitional Justice presents possible understandings of the concept of reconciliation as well as its relationship to the field of transitional justice.

International organisations and the crisis of legitimacy: In this article for Open Democracy, Aseem Prakash, Director of the Center for Environmental Politics at the University of Washington and Nives  Dolšak, Associate Director, School of  Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington look at international organisations and the crisis of legitimacy. According to the authors, when international organisations face legitimacy problems, they need to address governance issues, conflicts of interest, and poor leadership.

State of democracy, human rights and the rule of law: Populism – How strong are Europe’s checks and balances? In his latest report on “State of Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law: Populism – How strong are Europe’s checks and balances?”, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland emphasises the importance of education for democracy and human rights in tackling current challenges. He points out that “Education for democracy and human rights is […] a fundamental component of any measure taken to address discrimination, prejudice and intolerance, thus preventing and combating violence extremism and radicalisation in a sustainable and proactive way”.

Does Big Data equal Big Brother? This article by Policy Connect looks at how public opinion and election outcomes can be influenced by recent technological advances. The briefing recommends several ways in which we can deal with digital manipulation.

The missing Muslims: Unlocking British Muslim potential: The Citizens Commission on Islam, Participation and Public Life has launched ‘The Missing Muslims – Unlocking British Muslim Potential for the Benefit of All’ .  Over the last 18-months the Commissioners, comprising high profile names from business, academia, politics and faith, travelled to hearings across the UK to listen to more than 500 hours of testimonies and evidence detailing the experiences of Muslim and non-Muslim individuals. The report includes a series of recommendations and some key areas for action by the Government and civil society.

Number of displaced people reached 65.6 Million in 2016: The number of people forcibly displaced by war, violence, and persecution totalled a record 65.3 million at the end of 2016, a report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees finds. According to the report, Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2016, 10.3 million people were newly displaced in 2016, the equivalent of one person every three seconds. See also, External dimensions of a comprehensive migration and refugee policy –  Insights from Germany, by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

The European Commission launches infringement procedure in Hungary for law on foreign-funded NGOs: The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure in Hungary over its new law on foreign-funded non-governmental groups. This comes at a time when the Hungarian government has launched a new campaign which evokes anti-Semitism as part of its wider attack on independent voices in the country. See also, Supporting civil society under pressure – lessons from natural resource exploitation, by Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

PHOTOS: Outside the Lines Project by FearlesslyFRIDA:  In a recent workshop, The Fearless Collective and Beyond Borders, a FRIDA grantee partner, unpacked the idea of ‘home’ and created an impossible home of their own. Syrian, Lebanese, Kurdish, Turkish, Armenian, Palestinian, Indian, Ethiopian and Pakistani women and men lived together for a week, making art, comparing histories, and holding space for difficult conversations. They explored the ritual of packing and unpacking as a symbolic reference to leaving and making homes. See also, UNHCR Malaysia’s app which lets you walk a mile in the shoes of 16-year-old Rohingya refugee, Kathijah.

PODCAST: Is civil society in the Global South sustainable? Global Partners Digital’s executive director talks to Julie Broome, director of Ariadne, Andrew Puddephatt, executive chair of GPD’s advisory board, and Khilen Nathwani of the Kays Foundation, about growing challenges to civil society sustainability in the Global South.

VIDEO: New Global Witness report on killings of land and environmental defenders: Global Witness has launched its 2017 report on the killings of land and environmental defenders in 2016. Yet again, this year topped all others, with 200 killings spread across 24 countries compared to 16 countries in 2015. This year’s report is  rich in video content, with three additional videos from Colombia, India and Nicaragua.  The Guardian has partnered with Global Witness and created a dedicated space on their site for Global Witness data. Together they will be tracking defender killings in real-time and the Guardian will be deploying their foreign and environmental correspondents to report on cases of violence, attacks and threats as they happen.

VIDEO: How words change minds: The science of framing: Sometimes a good idea isn’t enough to change minds or garner support, more important is how you articulate that idea. This is where the science of “framing” comes in. In his talk, FrameWorks CEO Nat Kendall-Taylor breaks down how people make decisions, and how understanding culture and behavioural science can be used to communicate complex issues and shape policy. The Fund for Global Human Rights is exploring how to apply values-based framing to designing new, more effective (counter) narratives to the dominant negative narrative used to stigmatise and delegitimise human rights and other civil society activists as part of the crackdown on civil society space. If you have experience in this area or simply an interest to discuss this, please get in touch with James Savage at jsavage@globalhumanrights.org.

VIDEO: Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Norway – Keynote Address: Fewer than 10 percent of the 193 countries that make up the United Nations currently have a female head of state or government in office. In a landscape dominated by men, Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, has steered notable advancements in Norway on issues from human rights to the empowerment of women. In her #OsloFF talk, she shares her perspective on politics as a force for good and her vision of Norway’s future.

TOOLKIT: The Global Fund for Women – #BuildMovementsNotWalls: The Global Fund for Women encourages you to checkout their action toolkit for 8 ways you can help make a difference now for women’s rights.

PODCAST: Human Rights Defenders depend on allies they can gain in business: Business and Human Rights Resource Centre’s Executive Director Phil Bloomer discusses the importance of business allies for human rights defenders in an interview by Raoul Wallenberg Institute.

VIDEO: Giving trans activism the support it deserves:  The International Trans Fund (ITF) is a new participatory initiative to bring resources to grassroots activists for trans people’s rights and to make sure that the movement for trans rights is being led by trans people themselves. The ITF is hosted by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and supported by foundations and donors. As Broden Giambrone, the ITF’s director, notes in this video, the fund follows the principle of “nothing about us without us,” giving trans people control over decisions about their needs. That principle defines both how the fund works as well as where the money goes; organisations that receive grants must be trans-led, and their work must do more than provide direct services. It needs to support the larger movement for trans rights. To ensure that its resources are not available only to those with experience in traditional NGO settings, for example, the fund accepts proposals in five languages and lets applicants submit proposals by video.

VIDEO: Using family as a frame in social justice activism: A guide for activists and funders: This guide, produced by Reclaiming Family Values, explains why progressive activists should use family in their work and encourages funders to support social justice activism on families. The guide provides a unique definition of family equality, a way to connect across progressive movements and gives 10 strategies to include family in your social justice work. You can now replay the one-hour conversation with Gordan of Bosanac Center for Peace Studies (Croatia) and Nicky McIntyre of Foundation for a Just Society (Netherlands/USA). Ariadne-Francophone will be holding a webinar on this topic with Bruno Selun, the author of the guide, in French in mid-September.

In-depth company reports of the top 200 companies on gender equality: Equileap has launched in-depth Company Reports of the top 200 companies leading the field in gender equality. These give an analysis of each company’s performance in terms of gender equality, relative to its sector and country, based on our 19 criteria, and updated several times per year.

VIDEO: Moving beyond institutions and supporting independent living in Europe: A new documentary by The European Network on Independent Living, an Open Society Foundations grantee, shows how deinstitutionalisation has transformed the lives of people with disabilities and underscores the importance of EU funding for independent living.

INFOGRAPHIC: Two new land rights infographics: The Landesa Center for Women’s Land Rights and Women Deliver’s Deliver for Good campaign have developed a new infographic called Women’s Land: Closing the Gender Gap in Sub-Saharan Africa. The infographic explores some of the factors that drive inequality in land rights for women, including discriminatory customary practices, lack of adequate representation in land governance, and gaps in national and regional policies and implementation locally. See also an infographic by Landesa and BRAC on how secure land rights can form a bulwark against climate change.

PODCAST: Understanding a foundation’s social compact by Rien van Gendt: This podcast is part of GrantCraft’s Theory of the Foundation series, which explores the role and purpose of foundations and offers a framework for introspection on three core elements: charter, social compact, and operating capabilities. Together, these shape a foundation’s structure and approach.

VIDEO: The economic impacts of child marriage: The World Bank and the International Center for Research on Women have released the findings of the first-ever research on the economic impacts of child marriage. A recording of the event is now available.

Grant-Making

Recording – Non-Financial support as a tool for building grantee resilience: This joint webinar between Ariadne and the Bodossaki Foundation provided different perspectives on the value of foundations providing non-financial support to grantees (including training, mentoring, coaching, consulting and networking), drawing on the Bodossaki Foundation’s experience. Jennifer Clarke, Capacity Building Programme Coordinator at the Bodossaki Foundation looks at the foundation’s perspective: rationale, costs and benefits, and lessons learned; Nikol Pyrgaki, Project Manager at NGO Αntirropon discusses the grantee’s perspective: the practical impact of non-financial support, and Ioanna Kounoupi, Commercial Manager Randstad Hellas & pro bono Mentor shares the pro bono partner’s perspective: the added value of collaboration with the private sector and what they gain from the collaboration.

Lutte contre le rétrécissement de l’espace de la société civile: Guide pratique à l’usage des donateurs: Le rapport sur la Lutte contre le rétrécissement de l’espace de la société civile: guide pratique à l’usage des donateurs, produit par Ariadne (Donateurs européens pour le changement social et les droits humains), le Centre Européen des Fondations (EFC) et le Groupe international des bailleurs de fonds pour les droits humains (IHRFG), est maintenant entièrement disponible en français. Ce rapport, issu de la collaboration entre les trois réseaux et leurs participants, s’appuie sur les recherches, le partage d’expériences et les suggestions concrètes de plus de 80 contributions recueillies lors de la conférence de Berlin sur cette problématique co-organisée par les trois réseaux de fondations. Il a pour objectif d’aider les donateurs à mieux comprendre et appréhender cette tendance générale au rétrécissement de l’espace de la société civile, dans leur travail et avec leurs bénéficiaires. Il offre également des perspectives de convergence pour aller de l’avant, notamment à travers la mise en place de l’Initiative des donateurs pour la société civile – FICS. Il s’agit d’un document public que vous pouvez partager avec vos contacts ou mettre sur votre site internet.

Disability Rights Fund Releases 2017 Round 2 Request for Proposals – Bangladesh, PICs, Rwanda, Uganda:  The Disability Rights Fund has opened its Request for Proposals for funding for disabled persons’ organisations in the Pacific Island countries and Rwanda, as well as for invited applicants from Bangladesh and Uganda. Please feel free to share this announcement widely.

Standing Firm: New report on the gendered impact of closing space for civil society: Mama Cash and Urgent Action Fund have launched a report entitled Standing Firm: Women and Trans- Led Organisations Respond to Closing Space for Civil Society. The report is based on fifteen interviews with activist groups led by women and trans people working from a feminist perspective in six countries where closing space is a pressing reality: China, Egypt, India, Russian Federation, Turkey and Uganda. The report documents the perspectives and experiences of these women’s rights and trans rights activists, and provides examples of the gendered impact of closing space. It includes activists’ recommendations to the funding community on ways to support their organising and counter the closing space trend, and shares lessons and strategies that may be useful to other activist groups facing threats.

The Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society’s new strategy: In July 2017, The Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society launched a new, three-year strategy to move beyond diagnosing the problem and coordinate a robust philanthropic response. Established in 2016, The Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society (FICS) brings together private philanthropy from around the world to help ensure that the space for civil society is free and open, with engaged citizen participation that is free of restriction from governments. FICS is a collaborative programme funded by 11 international donors, and supported by the funder networks Ariadne and the Human Rights Funders Network. FICS is housed at Global Dialogue. See also their two-page summary Closing space grant-making: resilience or resistance?, which sets out the issues they are grappling with when trying to define what classifies as a ‘closing space’ grant, and offers two mini case studies of ‘closing space’ grants.

Update from the European Digital Rights Fund: In February of this year, Renewable Freedom Foundation launched the European Digital Rights Fund, a participatory grantmaking platform, together with the Open Society Foundations. The Fund has recently published an interim report which includes the results of a survey amongst its participants. The report details the changes The Fund has implemented based on the feedback of the community.

New funders join Friendly Funders Living Wage Scheme:  The Coutts Foundation, the Goodall Foundation, Money Advice Trust and Millfield House Foundation have recently all signed up to be Living Wage Friendly Funders. As part of their commitment to being Friendly Funders, these organisations will support and encourage charities to pay the Living Wage to any grant-funded staff posts. Living Wage Friendly Funders work together to end low pay in the VCS.  Find out how to join the scheme by listening to Ariadne’s Living Wage webinar. See also this blog by Sue Wicks, Strategic Lead for Sport for Change at Comic Relief on The Living Wage Friendly Funder initiative.  

New Global Engagement Lab: EDGE Funders Alliance is launching the Global Engagement Lab, a peer-learning programme to explore just transition and systemic change concepts and initiatives. They invite funders to join them in this journey of co-learning, collaboration, practice and strategy building, in the context of EDGE’s Just Transition Collaborative.  From November 2017 to April 2018, the first group of funders will dig deeper with networks of peers, activists and civil society experts to enhance understanding of theoretical frames and to explore concrete, real world practice in different contexts. The programme is composed of: two in-person retreats, monthly virtual conferencing, monthly webinars, readings and on-going collaborations.

Reimagining new strategies that can better protect activists: Earlier this year, JASS joined forces with the Fund for Global Human Rights to bring together an unusual mix of frontline activists and advocates from Mesoamerica with international human rights organisations and donors in Mexico City. Together, they examined the nature and causes of violence in the contexts where funders work to support community-driven responses. Some rich insights gleaned from this dialogue, which capture activists’ voices and first-hand experiences include a blog on OpenGlobalRights, a short film, and activist interviews.

Avoiding the Black Hole: What happens when funders focus less on themselves and more on grantees: This article What does it mean to be “grantee-centric”, by Segal Family Foundation’s Executive Director Andy Bryant and Tory Dietel Hopps from Dietel Partners, emphasises the need for funders to be grantee-centric in their work. Bryant and Dietel encourage funders to engage with peers in the funder space through affinity groups and to share information. They also discuss the need to continually look for patterns across their grantmaking portfolios to gain greater insight into the challenges grantee partners face. See also, Five tips for building strong relationships with grantees, by the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Trust for London commits £40 million to tackling London’s social issues: Trust for London has launched a new 2018-2022 funding strategy and committed nearly £40 million over the next five years to tackle poverty and inequality in London. The next deadline for grant application is 1pm, 5th October 2017. Please share with anyone interested.

New collaborative fund by and for sex workers: The Red Umbrella Fund has opened its 2017 Call for Applications, and has launched a new history report entitled The Creation of a Collaborative Fund by and for Sex Workers. Starting with a meeting on sex work and trafficking in 2008, the report highlights perspectives and experiences from sex workers and funders involved in the process up to 2012 when the Fund was officially launched. It looks at how the sex workers activists and funders overcame their differences, and worked to build common understanding and consensus.

Stavros Niarchos Foundation commits $150 million for civic engagement: The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has announced a commitment of $150 million for a joint effort with Johns Hopkins University to address the deterioration of civic engagement worldwide and facilitate open and inclusive discourse, the cornerstone of healthy democracies.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday 21^st September. We would love to hear from you! Please contact Lori Stanciu by 18^th September if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

Jobs and Tenders

Hub Fund Programme Manager – The Indigo Trust: The Indigo Trust is seeking a Programme Manager for its Hub Fund. The successful candidate will manage a portfolio of grants to technology innovation hubs across sub-Saharan Africa. They will also manage relationships with funding partners and be responsible for delivering collaborative programmes on their behalf as well as meeting their reporting requirements. This role will also involve bringing on board new funding partners and working with them to develop initiatives which support the tech hub community across the continent. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 28^th July 2017.

Programme Associate – Sigrid Rausing Trust: Sigrid Rausing Trust is recruiting a Programme Associate to support its Environmental Protection programme. The role will focus on supporting the implementation of a grant-making programme providing financial support to organisations working to protect the environment, including work to protect common land and waste management initiatives. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 14^th August 2017.

Programme Officer – EPIM: The European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) is recruiting a Programme Officer. The successful candidate will be a key point of contact in the field of migration at the European level for civil society organisations seeking and receiving EPIM funding and for foundations working with EPIM. The position includes the management of a portfolio of grants in defined thematic areas. The Programme Officer will contribute to the implementation of grant-making, capacity development and the evaluation and monitoring of programmes. Location: Brussels, Belgium. Deadline for applications is 31^st July 2017.

Programme Manager – Open Society Foundations: The Open Society Foundations are seeking a Programme Manager for its Women’s Rights Programme. The post holder will formulate strategy and implement grants, technical assistance and advocacy to advance WRP’s work. They will oversee WRP’s strategy implementation, and monitor grant-making and related processes. This will include being responsible for a portfolio of core grantees and supervising two programme officers and one member of administrative staff. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is 24^th July 2017.

Consultant – Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice: Transgender Europe and the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice are coming together to address trans activists’ unique media, communications, technology, and holistic security needs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). To do this, they are launching a Media, Communications and Technology Labs (CommsLabs) initiative in EECA. To kick of the project, Astraea and TGEU aim to acquire baseline understanding of technology and communications assets and gaps in EECA by mapping the regional landscape of the state of communications, media, technology, and surveillance. The consultant, or team of consultants, will conduct the desk research and stakeholder interviews to develop this report. Deadline for applications is 31^st July 2017.

Programme Officer x 2 – Global Fund for Women: Global Fund for Women is seeking to recruit two Programme Officers; one for Economic and Political Empowerment and the other for Grantmaking and Movement Building. The purpose of each role will be to advance grantmaking, movement building and advocacy activities to get money and attention where they will make the biggest difference in the fight for gender equality. Location: San Francisco or New York, United States of America. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Grants Partnerships Coordinator – Comic Relief: Comic Relief is seeking a Grants Partnership Coordinator to contribute to the development and delivery of funding partnerships, specifically one of Comic Relief’s flagship partnerships, The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme. The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme celebrates the talents of young people across the Commonwealth. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 27^th July 2017.

*For more jobs, see the ‘Career Opportunities’ section on the front page of the Ariadne portal.

Public Meetings

BARCELONA, SPAIN

September 24^th – 30^th
EFC Research Forum 2017: Responsible Research and Innovation Workshop: more engagement, better impact? Responsible Research and Innovation encourages societal actors to work together during the whole research and innovation process to better align R&I and its outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society. In practice, it means taking action in: public engagement with science, science education, gender equality, ethics and research integrity, and open access/data. Its correct application though demands for a deep understanding of the underlying values to where those issues are anchored to. Responsible Research and Innovation is a cross-cutting issue within Horizon 2020.The event will take place on 29^th September 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

September 10^th – 16^th
The Fundamental Course on Venture Philanthropy and Impact Investing: This training course is designed to offer participants who are new to the sector the fundamental tool-kit to practice venture philanthropy and impact investing. The course consists of three phases; (i) online learning through ESADE’s (Escola Superior d’Administració i Direcció d’Empreses) e-learning platform with readings and exercises, (ii) a two-day residential course in Barcelona, with leading professors and practitioners from the field, and (iii) a final exercise and evaluation where participants will begin to consolidate their learning in daily practice. The event will take place between 14^th and 15^th September 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND

October 8^th – 14^th
ACF Northern Ireland Conference: This year’s ACF Northern Ireland Conference will explore the challenges facing charities in Northern Ireland, particularly in relation to building resilience, promoting civic engagement, and strengthening the voice of the sector. Delegates will have the opportunity to: learn from the findings of the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Futures project; contribute to the project by sharing and reflecting on their experiences of funding in Northern Ireland and elsewhere; consider the role of funders in shaping policy and practice for charities; discuss the implications of the wider political context; and connect with other funders with an interest in Northern Ireland. The event will take place between 9^th and 10^th October 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

September 17^th – 23^rd
Social Impact Management Training: This EVPA training course will be based on the Social Impact Measurement European Standard. The two-day training has been designed to give participants the basics of social impact measurement and management, a concrete expertise in using the right tools and to help them navigate the impact management space. The event will take place between 19^th and 20^th September 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

October 1^st – 7^th
Black Code: Nicholas de Pencier’s film, Black Code, reveals the global impact that the internet has had on free speech, privacy and activism; whether exiled Tibetan monks attempting to circumvent China’s surveillance apparatus, Syrians tortured for Facebook posts, Brazilian activists who use social media to livestream police abuses, or Pakistani opponents of online violence campaigns against women. The screening will be followed by a debate, and co-hosted by The Graduate Institute Geneva and Human Rights Watch. The event will take place on 4^th October 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland.

October 8^th – 14^th
Rethinking Philanthropy: This conference will argue that today, an unparalleled amount of philanthropic resources is being applied to improve the state of the world. It will ask: who are the leaders and innovators of this new philanthropy, and what is the impact of this new philanthropy on developing countries? This day-long forum will gather more than 20 speakers – philanthropists, entrepreneurs, leaders from other sectors, and academic and development experts – to debate the main innovations, successes, challenges and limits of today’s ‘philanthrocapitalism.’ The event will take place on 12^th October 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. Registration will open in September.

LONDON

July 23^rd – 29^th
Environmental & Land Defenders Evening Briefing: At this event, Global Witness will launch their latest report detailing the killings in 2016 of those defending their land, rivers and forests against destructive industries. These ‘land and environmental defenders’ are being murdered in record numbers, often by a collusion of private and state interests seeking to silence dissent over large-scale projects like mining, hydro, agribusiness and logging. The report analyses seven of the worst-hit countries as well as the role of international investors, like development banks, whose engagement is essential in solving the underlying causes of the issue. It also suggests ways to tackle the main cause behind the violence: the imposition of extractive projects on communities without their free, prior and informed consent. As well as the deadliest countries to be a land and environmental defender, the report looks at the increase in criminalisation of activists in the US. The event will take place on 27^th July 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

September 17^th – 23^rd
The Philanthropy Programme – Involving the Next Generation: This event will seek to provide professional advisors with essential knowledge for giving philanthropy advice to families. More information to follow shortly. The event will take place on 19^th September 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

September 24^th – 30^th
Innovative Models for Engaging Philanthropists and Social Investors: The Sustainable Development Goals call for new sources of funding, ideas and approaches to end extreme poverty. To tackle the estimated $2.5 trillion investment gap needed to achieve these goals, new models of engagement are required that leverage the energy of philanthropists and social investors in ways beyond their financial commitments. With the transfer of wealth to the next generation, philanthropic giving will evolve to be more collaborative and innovative than ever before. The event will discuss innovative models of engagement that use the full ‘net worth’ of HNW and UHNW philanthropists and social investors employing them as true partners in uncovering new ways to tackle age old problems. This event will take place on 26^th September 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

September 24^th – 30^th
Grenfell Tower: Implications for Housing: In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, some have argued that this incident could have been avoided and that, at the very least, it has exposed some of the inadequacies of the current social housing system. This meeting will feature housing experts talking about the policy implications of what has happened and providing some guidance on what next steps should be taken to mitigate against the risk of another incident like this one. There will also be an opportunity for foundations operating in the housing space to reflect on the role they can realistically play in the short and long-term to promote meaningful changes, by making the best use of their limited but independent resources. The event will take place on 26^th September 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

July 30^th – August 5^th
Engaging Communities in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism: Women, Peace and Security in practice in Pakistan: The wave of violent extremism in rural and urban areas of Pakistan has cost the country more than 45,700 citizens, 4,600 security personnel, the destruction of infrastructure and the internal migration of millions of people. In areas controlled by extremists, women became an invisible community – denied basic freedoms, and prevented from working in public and private sectors. The extremists were engaged in ‘gender apartheid,’ but nobody dared to raise a voice against them, until the PAIMAN Trust, led by Mossarat Qadeem, created an innovative programme promoting peace and social cohesion. The event will take place on 1^st August 2017 in London, United Kingdom. 

NOVI SAD, SERBIA

September 24^th – 30^th
ISHHR Conference 2017: The theme of the 2017 ISHHR Conference will be ‘Mental Health, Mass People Displacement & Ethnic Minorities.’ It will focus on the displacement of communities as a result of conflict, the phenomenon of mass-traumatisation and the response of the European neighbourhood (particularly Central Europe) to the flows of people from the Middle East and North Africa, due in the most part to the Syrian crisis. Contributions will also be welcomed from experts on the situation in Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, as migration and the mass displacement of people is a global challenge. The event will take place between 26^th and 29^th September 2017 in Novi Sad, Serbia.

OSLO, NORWAY

November 5^th – 11^th
EVPA Annual Conference 2017: EVPA invites participants to join them for their 13th Annual Conference, on the theme of ‘Guiding Lights.’ The two-day event will seek to be a space for reflection, sharing of ideas and best practices. Attendees are promised the opportunity to be inspired by a variety of actors in venture philanthropy and social investment (VP/SI) and the showcasing of the Nordic model. The event will take place between 9^th and 10^th November 2017 in Oslo, Norway.

ONLINE

July 23^rd – 29^th
We Speak Translate: What does a Google App have to do with Immigrant Settlement? Building digital capacity in human service NGOs can be challenging, but forward-looking agencies are looking at how they can use technology as a tool in resettlement and integration. The ‘We Speak Translate’ project is a collaboration between Google Translate and the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, Canada that unlocks the potential of the Google Translate app for refugee resettlement and newcomer inclusion in local communities. Participants will join Kate Longpre of the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, Canada and Aleem Ali of Welcoming Cities, Australia to discuss how immigrant service organisations can use smart technology and corporate partnerships to achieve deeper impact; how the ‘We Speak Translate’ project, supported by Google, is training hundreds of ‘power users’ to build awareness about resettlement, integration and inclusion; and how community organisations and local businesses in your city can get involved. The event will take place on 25^th July 2017 online.

SARAJEVO, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

September 24^th –  30^th
Media Meets Literacy 2017: Over the past several years we have witnessed fake news, disinformation and propaganda which has been rapidly disseminated through the Internet and other media. This conference will argue that, given the social and political consequences, it is more crucial than ever that citizens be critical users of the media. The second Media Meets Literacy conference, organised by the Evens Foundation and its partners, will gather media literacy professionals from Europe to explore the challenges of our rapidly changing media landscape. The conference will aim to reinforce dialogue, cooperation and partnerships between the education, training and media sectors, as well as other relevant stakeholders such as civil society and youth organisations. The event will take place between 21^st and 22^nd September 2017 in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

 THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS

September 3^rd – 9^th
Night of Dictatorships: How to remain human during times of inhumanity? What is the influence of crisis, violence or exile on the individual? What does it do to your dreams and your subconscious, to how you form relationships and how you view yourself? Syrian photographer Omar Imam researches these questions in his work, which he will discuss with theatre director Casper Vandeputte at this event. Iman made his name through photography project ‘Live, Love, Refugee’ – conducting research into the mental state of Syrians in a refugee camp in Lebanon. He asked participants to portray their dreams; dreams of escape, decline, love and terror. The images picture the inner worlds of the participants and break away from the way in which refugees are usually represented: as numbers and victims. Philosopher and columnist Marjan Slob will also produce a column on one of his photographs. The event will take place on 8^th September 2017 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

September 17^th – 30^th
Studio Aleppo: During the Just Peace Festival in The Hague, Humanity House will be turned into ‘Studio Aleppo.’ Here, ‘old’ and ‘new’ city residents will be invited to have their portrait taken by a prominent photographer, and will give short statements. The photos and interviews will be printed on the spot and become part of portrait gallery ‘Humans of The Hague.’ Studio Aleppo hopes to create a space for encounters and to contribute to a change in the perception of refugees and locals. The initiative started when Syrian photographer Issa Touma found the remains of the archives of a photo studio amongst the debris on a street in Aleppo: (glass) negatives and prints, made between 1920 and 1970. Every image is a painful reminder of the thousands of people who have fled, been wounded or killed, and of those who have remained despite the destruction. The fate of the people portrayed remains unknown. Issa Touma brought the negatives and prints to the Netherlands, and developed the concept for Studio Aleppo, in cooperation with Paradox. The negatives will be displayed at Studio Aleppo The Hague on small light boxes and tables. The event will take place between 23^rd and 24^th September 2017 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

 TRIER, GERMANY

September 24^th – 30^th
EU Disability Law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: This seminar will aim to provide participants with the knowledge and legal tools necessary to use the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in combination with relevant EU law in their daily practice. Key topics will include The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; disability in EU law; the legal status of the UNCRPD and its role as an interpretative tool; litigation of the rights of persons with disabilities – judicial and non-judicial remedies; securing access to justice for persons with disabilities; detention of persons with disabilities; disability in employment and more. The event will take place between 25^th and 26^th September 2017 in Trier, Germany.

WARSAW, POLAND

October 29^th – November 4^th
ILGA-Europe Annual Conference: Change! Communities Mobilising, Movements Rising:  At this conference, participants will be encouraged to ask themselves how they can put the needs and strengths of their own communities at the centre of their work. The focus will be on considering how to further strengthen LGBT communities so that they can come together, organise and demand that their needs are addressed, in solidarity with others. The conference wishes to explore how, together, participants can contribute to reversing populism by working on common objectives and making democracy work for people again. The event will take place between 1^st and 4^th November 2017 in Warsaw, Poland.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

September 24^th – 30^th
Grantmakers East Forum: Many European societies are facing increasingly complicated challenges to their economic organisation, political legitimation, and social cohesion. Coincidentally – or consequently – we witness governments constricting the civic spaces available and necessary for healthy political debate, expression, and interaction. Restrictions on freedom of expression and association allied to targeted discrimination and attacks towards specific societal groups are threatening inclusive and open societies. It is in this context that the Grantmakers East Forum will explore the role of institutional philanthropy in seeking innovative approaches to reclaiming and reasserting civic spaces. It will do so from the starting point that such approaches require mutual dependence and solidarity amongst a wide range of actors, and attention will be paid to the role of arts and culture in this context. The event will take place between 27^th and 29^th September 2017 in Vienna, Austria.