Ariadne's Thread

Ariadne’s Reconnect 2025 is just around the corner, taking place from 8-10 April in Zagreb, Croatia. 2025 is shaping up to be a critical turning point for human rights, democracy, and civic action: we are facing an unprecedented funding crisis and seeing a backlash against human rights worldwide. Now more than ever, we need to remind ourselves of the power and the responsibility we hold as a sector. Our theme, “Philanthropy at the Tipping Point: Courage and Community for Rights and Justice,” calls on all of us to leverage the collective knowledge and experiences within our network, stay nimble, collaborative and responsive to emerging challenges, ensuring that our efforts are directed towards maximising positive impact. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Invitation Funders’ Briefing “The human labour behind AI: Building global solidarity with data workers”: The April Funder’s Briefing will spotlight the human labour behind AI and explore strategies to build solidarity with data workers in the global majority as they fight for fair working conditions. We will be joined by Martha Dark (Foxglove, UK), Julia Kloiber (Superrr Lab, Germany), and Joan Kinyua (Data Labelers Association, Kenya), who bring deep expertise in organising and building trust-based collaborations across continents to challenge abuses of power. Together, we will discuss effective strategies for building collective strength and leveraging laws to improve conditions for AI data workers in Kenya and Ghana. When & where: Wednesday, 2 April, 3 – 4 PM CET on Zoom. Register now.

New blog “Racial justice: A review of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s approach”: How can funders better fund organisations addressing racial inequity? Learn more in this review of Esmée’s approach to racial justice, including actions for 2025. Read the blog here.

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 17th April. We would love to hear from you! Please contact us by Tuesday 15th April if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

EU System for an Enabling Environment “The Impact of the US Funding Freeze on Civil Society”: This report assesses the impacts, highlights the trends and recommends actions that arise from the US funding freeze which has affected civil society organisations worldwide in a major way.

European Civic Forum “In historic decision, European Commission promises strategy to support, protect, and empower civil society”: The European Commission has pledged to introduce a Civil Society Strategy in 2025. The move comes at a crucial moment, as civic space across the EU faces increasing restrictions and widespread attacks.

Friends of the Earth UK – new report “Harnessing AI for Environmental Justice”: This report sets out clear principles for responsible AI use within the climate and digital rights space. It unpacks the challenges and opportunities that face both larger organisations and those with more limited means to suggest a number of principles that can inform and guide responsible AI practices. 

Fòs Feminista – new report “Beyond the Global Gag Rule”: This document presents an analysis of three components of the anti-rights and anti-gender projects coordinated by individuals and organisations from the U.S. – the Geneva Consensus Declaration (GCD), Women’s Optimal Health Framework (WOHF), and Project 2025.

Global Narrative Hive – new report “Countering extreme right narratives across movements: learning from experimentation”: Written by Alejandra Sarda & Fenya Fischler this report sets out the process of developing collective learning spaces, reflections on practices and power dynamics, and key lessons for activists and funders based on the experience, practice and learning of the participating groups. The report is also available in French and Spanish. The text is also available in Arabic, Hindi and Russian. 

Weaving Liberation “Resisting Digital Policing” toolkit: The toolkit has evolved from various in-person workshops, interviews and desk research, and its richness really comes from the work and insights of the activists, organisers, researchers, academics and legal practitioners who have been in community with us – people who are working on the ground in support of those harmed by policing across Europe and in the US. Report developed & designed: Zara Manoehoetoe with the support of Laurence Meyer. Visual identity: Alice Z Jones. Graphic design & art direction: Claire Zaniolo & Estelle Ndjop Pom.

Outright International – new report “Defunding Freedom – Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide”: The report reveals the devastating consequences of these cuts on frontline organisations working to safeguard the dignity, safety, and rights of LGBTIQ people. This report is a call to action for governments, donors, and all who value equality.

Fund for Global Human Rights – commentary “How Does Securitisation Threaten Climate Activism?”: New research from London School of Economics and Political Science shows that authorities are using counterterrorism-style tactics to clamp down on climate activism. James Savage, Program Director at the Fund for Global Human Rights examines this alarming trend and outlines ways to keep civic space open.

New research by the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM): The latest research by SEENPM and partners documents escalating attacks on journalists and a decline in public trust in the media, driven by political influence over editorial policies. 

International Press Institute (IPI) “Georgia: Independent journalism and media pluralism on the brink”: Media Freedom Rapid Response (MMFR) partners warn that recent amendments to the Broadcasting Law and the proposed “Foreign Agent Law” signal a new wave of repressive legislation that threatens Georgian independent journalism with imminent extinction.

Global Resilience Fund opinion piece: Serbian students are ending the criminal regime: Serbian young feminist and Purposeful/Global Resilience Fund Advisor, Marija Jakovljević shares how, despite violent repression, students have sparked a movement against corruption, and are mobilising across the country. 

Navigating the USG Foreign Assistance Freeze by Humentum: The recent breakdown of U.S. foreign assistance has created uncertainty across the sector, disrupting funding, operations, and long-term planning. Humentum are responding with trusted guidance, collective problem-solving, and practical solutions to help navigate this evolving landscape. Check out their list of resources, including online events and survey results.

StoP Toolbox to fight domestic violence: The newly launched StoP Toolbox is an important online resource that showcases how communities can come together to raise awareness and build networks to prevent domestic violence. The toolbox showcases practical strategies for neighborhood interventions and features the experiences of “neighbours” who have successfully implemented this approach.

Liberties article: Are EU Member States Meeting the Challenge Set By DSA? As the EU takes steps to regulate the digital space, the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) varies significantly across Member States. The latest research by Liberties reveals key gaps in the independence and effectiveness of Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs)—the national authorities responsible for enforcing the DSA.

Open Global Rights article “Smart borders kill: New frontiers of violence and erosion of rights at the world’s borders”: In this article for Open Global Rights, Petra Molnar unpacks how border technologies heighten the historical violence of colonialism and imperialism while failing to address the root causes of forced migration.

People vs. Inequality podcast “Another philantropy is possible – funding movements for food justice”: Thousand Currents President and CEO, Solomé Lemma joins Barbara van Passen for the latest episode of the People vs. Inequality podcast to talk about transforming food systems, highlighting Thousand Currents’ commitment to trust-based funding, and how co-creating spaces with social movements can lead to the world we’re all dreaming of. 

Robert Bosch Stiftung story “The support that Ukrainian civil society needs now”: Ukrainian civil society is making a significant contribution to the country’s resilience. How can the international community best support it? A discussion with Daniel Busche (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Orysia Lutsevych (Chatham House) and Markus Lux (Robert Bosch Stiftung).

Legal Empowerment Fund video “Fishing for Justice: How Coastal Communities in the Philippines Are Fighting for Their Rights”: Watch “Fishing for Justice”to see how Edalyn and her fellow community members are mobilising for their livelihoods and our planet. The Legal Empowerment Fund supports Nuclear and Coal Free Bataan Movement in providing education to Edalyn’s and other communities in Bataan to know, use, and shape the law to protect their rights and challenge corporate impunity.

#ProtectNotSurveil position paper “Stopping The Unfettered Expansion of Europol’s Digital Surveillance Powers Against Migrants”: This position paper by the Protect Not Surveil coalition, focuses on the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation to enhance Europol’s support in ‘preventing and fighting migrant smuggling’.

“Funding Justice 3” report: This report by Jon Cracknell at The Hour is Late and Eliza Baring at the Civic Power Fund analyses over 20,000 grants from 84 grantmakers, totalling £935.7 million. This is equivalent to c. 16.1% of giving by the UK’s largest grantmakers in 2022/23. With the third edition of this research the authors have begun to build comparable, year-on-year data to tell us what is happening in UK social justice funding, and whether funding flows are keeping pace with rhetoric, ambition, and need. The report is linked here, and Eliza’s Medium piece summarising the research is linked here. You can also watch the recording here. 

Segal Family Foundation Funder Directory: This directory contains links to corporations, foundations, governments, impact investors, intermediaries, and x-laterals in the Segal Family Foundation database who are funding in Sub-Saharan Africa. You can use this list to identify donors funding in your geographic area or sector.  

Racial justice: A review of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s approach: The report is written by Chrisann Jarratt and follows a listening exercise with some of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s racial justice grant partners. This work was commissioned to help the foundation understand how they can support their grantees to have greater impact and improve their practice. Alongside the report, you will find some of their initial reflections and next steps.

Learning Review: Civitates’ Ukraine Solidarity Fund: ‘A critical initiative in a time of pressing need’: In 2022, Civitates set up an ad-hoc fund to support European civil society organisations working in solidarity with Ukraine. This learning review outlines the successes of this fund and share lessons on how other pooled-fund can set-up similar rapid-respond fund in the future.

WINGS: What should philanthropy do about the US freeze on aid? With USAID frozen and European governments cutting aid, philanthropy must rethink its role, and prioritise local giving, advocacy and resilience. Benjamin Bellegy, Executive Director at WINGS, shares his thoughts on the freeze of USAID, global shifts in North-South funding for civil society, and how philanthropy can step in. 

Global Fund for Children (GFC) – Annual Report 2023-24: Last year, GFC continued to build on their legacy of positive change, working together to create lasting impact across the globe. From empowering youth leaders to advancing gender justice, they’ve seen great progress: providing flexible funding to 398 community-based organisations, including 81 emergency grant recipients, helping them drive meaningful impact in their communities.

Robert Bosch Stiftung focuses on strengthening democracy: In 2024, the Robert Bosch Stiftung has invested almost 219 million euros in its areas of support health, education, and global issues, with around 151 million euros going to health. In addition to its own institutions, the Robert Bosch Stiftung carries out numerous projects and enters into partnerships worldwide. Read more about their work in the past year, in which they celebrated the foundation´s 60th anniversary. 

KIOS Foundation Programme Evaluation Highlights the importance of KIOS work and grantee satisfaction with the support KIOS provides: The latest programme evaluation of the KIOS Foundation has shed light on its effectiveness in strengthening the capacities of human rights organisations, the impact of its grant mechanisms, and the functionality of its funding model.

Alliance for Feminist movements: A Snapshot in Time: Data Highlights for the Feminist Funding Ecosystem: Funding for women’s rights organisations (WROs) and feminist movements is essential—but tracking it remains a challenge. With diverse funding sources, complex financial flows, and incomplete data, understanding the current landscape requires carefully sifting through a variety of sources. The latest data snapshot provides brief insights into existing data documenting funding flows to WROs and feminist movements, helping advocates, donors, and allies understand where they are in order to navigate the shifting financial landscape. 

Article by Carola Carazzone, Vice President at Philea and Secretary General at Assifero, “On the right side of history: Philanthropy and international aid must ask hard questions”: “Philanthropy’s traditional model of project-restricted funding has kept civil society weak and dependent. The USAID funding freeze should be a wakeup call for the sector, who must reimagine how it operates. Philanthropy funding systems need a paradigm shift.” Read more.

Global Fund for Women – Feminist Crisis Response Program Officer. The Program Officer will lead grantmaking and strategic initiatives that reflect feminist principles in crisis response. This position focuses on supporting feminist movements and grassroots organisations globally, with emphasis on the MENA region, and advancing Global Fund for Women’s evolving Feminist Crisis Response strategy to address systemic inequalities and empower marginalised communities globally. Salary: 50,000 – 100,000 USD. Location: New York, USA (Remote). Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Open Society Foundations – Associate Director, Americas. The Associate Director, Americas will be responsible for the development and implementation of communications and media strategies that position key Open Society Foundations’ messages, people, and grantees on the communications channels covering the Americas. Salary: 130,000 – 189,000 USD. Location: Washington, D.C, USA. Deadline for applications is 21 March.

GiveOut – Head of Philanthropy. As Head of Philanthropy, you will play a critical role in shaping and executing the fundraising strategies, ensuring the growth and sustainability of GiveOut’s impact. You will lead the fundraising team, manage key donor relationships, and oversee all aspects of philanthropic engagement. Salary: 46,000 – 50,000 GBP. Location: Central London / Hybrid (team currently in office 6 days per month). Deadline for application is 24 March.

Network of European Foundations – Strategy and Operations Senior Manager. The Strategy and Operations Senior Manager strengthens NEF’s ability to operate as a high performing, strategically aligned organisation. Acting as a key partner to the Executive Director, the Strategy and Operations Senior Manager ensures that strategic imperatives are implemented on time and to standard, bridging high-level direction with effective execution. Salary: 74,000 – 83,500 EUR. Location: Brussels, Belgium. Deadline for applications is 28 March.

Digital Freedom Fund – Board Treasurer. DFF is looking for a new Board member to take up a Board leadership role as Treasurer for a four-year term with possibility to renew for an additional term. Board membership is voluntary and Board members should expect a time investment of 4-8 hours per month in Board duties. Due to Dutch banking requirements, the Treasurer should be a Dutch resident and be knowledgeable of Dutch charity (ANBI) regulation. Honorarium: 1,800 EUR per year. Location: Remote. Deadline for applications is 30 March.

Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe – Programme Assistant (6-month internship). The Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe is looking for a Programme Assistant for a 6-month internship based in Brussels starting in May 2025 to support its daily operations. Please note that EU Citizenship or a Belgian Residence Permit is required for this role. Salary: A 6-month internship in one of two possible modalities, according to Belgian law: (1) You are currently enrolled in school: the position is unpaid but you may apply to an Erasmus+ grant. The Alliance will reimburse monthly transportation costs. (2) You have graduated from your studies: the internship is done under a Convention d’Immersion Professionnelle (CIP) and includes a monthly stipend from 865,90 EUR – 1056 EUR monthly, depending on your age. Location: Brussels, Belgium. Deadline for applications is 06 April.

IKEA Foundation – Chief Communications Officer. The IKEA Foundation is seeking an experienced, visionary and driven Chief Communications Officer (CCO) to strengthen their team. The CCO will shape and lead the IKEA Foundation’s communications strategy to amplify their mission to create a better everyday life for people and the planet. Location: Leiden, the Netherlands. Deadline for applications is 09 April.

Safe Passage Fund – Project Manager (Co-Lead). As project manager (co-lead), you will play a leading, dynamic and engaged role in the operational work and relationship-holding of Safe Passage Fund to enhance the social change impact and upgrade major donor prospects. Key responsibilities include: leadership and strategic guidance; grantmaking; financial administration; and, learning. Salary: 3,000 EUR gross monthly for 30 hours/week. Location: Remote (Germany). Deadline for applications is 15 April.

26 March, Online

Harnessing Our Collective Power to Defend Trans Movements (grant-makers only): Global Philanthropy Project (GPP), Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA), and Funders for LGBTQ Issues invite you to a grantmaker-only webinar to learn more about the new US Administration’s recent executive orders, legislative actions, lack of compliance with the rule of law, and funding restrictions, which have real consequences that directly impact critical and life saving funding for Trans communities in the US and globally. Date and time: 26 March, 9:00 – 10:30 am EST/ 2:00 – 3:30 pm CET via ZOOM. Register here.

31 March, London

UK Narrative Funders Gathering: Lankelly Chase Foundation and Elemental are hosting a daylong meeting to build connection, share insights about the landscape of narrative work and funding in the UK, and identify areas for learning and mutual support. Email mandy@elementalnarratives.com to express your desire to attend.

31 March, Online

Workshop on Wellbeing & Resilience – March 2025: The racist riots in August 2024 presented multiple safety and security challenges for the refugee and migration sector. In response, Migration Exchange commissioned a scoping exercise to explore the impact in terms of safety and security and wellbeing and resilience. They are hosting an online session in March 2025 to bring together organisations, funders and providers to discuss experiences and support needs on these topics. Date and time: 31 March at 10:00 am – 11:30 am GMT via ZOOM. Express your interest here.

30 April, London

Spring members’ lunch | Climate-related mobility: causes, impacts and the increasing influence on social justice. The climate crisis is having a growing impact on human mobility with increasing numbers of people forced to leave their homes due to extreme weather events and slow-onset impacts. The event will be joined by experts working at the intersection of the climate crisis and migrant justice to explore how the sector can work together, how to reframe the narrative, what role funders can play, and much more. Date and time: 30 Apr 2025 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM GMT. Learn more and register here.

24 – 25 April & 15-16 September, Online

Trans-Inclusive Grantmaking Training: Mobilizing for Trans Futures 2025. People working in philanthropy are in a unique position to improve strategies for global trans funding and serve as a bulwark against anti-trans agendas being promoted and enacted by anti-gender actors, political parties, national governments, and religious institutions.This training provides a unique opportunity for peer education and open dialogue among funders to explore key questions, discuss challenges, and receive expert guidance on providing intersectional support to trans communities in the regions or issue areas they serve. Date and time: 24 – 25 April & 15-16 September from 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM EDT. Learn more and register here.