Country ownership of the development agenda is a key principle of the World Bank's approach to reducing poverty and inequity for people in low and middle income countries. This principle underpins the Bank's emphasis on broad-based stakeholder participation in development, as well as its recognition of civil society organizations as key partners in the development efforts.
Created in 1983, the Social Development Civil Society Fund (CSF- formerly known as the Small Grants Program) is one of the few global programs of the World Bank that directly funds civil society organizations. It is a concrete tool to aid in the advancement of the Bank’s social development agenda to empower poor and marginalized groups. The program is administered through participating World Bank Country Offices, who hold a call for proposals for civil society organizations each year and select successful proposals through a transparent and competitive process.
Purpose of the Social Development Civil Society Fund
The purpose of the CSF is to strengthen the voice and influence of poor and marginalized groups in the development processes, thereby making these processes more inclusive and equitable. To this end, it supports activities of civil society organizations whose primary objective is encouraging and supporting civic engagement of these target populations. By involving citizens who are often excluded from the public arena, and increasing their capacity to influence policy and program decisions, the CSF helps facilitate ownership of development initiatives by a broader sector of society.
In Fiscal Year 2010, CSF allocated $2.3 million to 52 countries; translating to 356 grants, serving over 400,000 beneficiaries. Youth and children remained the largest category of beneficiaries, followed by women and girls, and rural communities. CSOs used these funds to leverage an additional 53 cents for every $1 of CSF funding. For the first time in CSF history, the CSF provided funds through an "Emergency Window" in response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Â Full Report
During Fiscal Year 2009, the CSF allocated $2.3 million to 57 Country Offices. CSF supported a total of 358 grants activities managed by grassroots CSOs. CSOs used these funds to leverage 41 cents for every $1 of CSF funding. The total number of beneficiaries for the year came to 351,295.
In Fiscal Year 2008, CSF funds served approximately 299,175 beneficiaries spending $6.30 of its own funds per beneficiary. The three most often targeted beneficiary groups were children and youth, rural communities, and girls and women.
In Fiscal Year 2007, the SmGP received $2.8 million from DGF and allocated approximately $2.3 million in grants with an average grant size of $6,400. SmGP activities covered 14 sectors and more than 10 thematic groups.
The tips cover seven areas that may be of interest to CSOs and that are key to organizational capacity. The audience is small NGOs and community based organizations who may have limited resources, but who have strengths, such as enthusiasm and commitment for their mission to improve the lives of others.
 
 
 
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