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. With funds from the Development Grants Facility, the program is administered through participating World Bank Country Offices reaching civil society organizations through transparent and competitive processes.
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.
For more information contact the CSF Secretariat, Kury W. Cobham (kcobham@worldbank.org)
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