Civil Society and Leadership Initiative

We support leaders, organizations, and movements to achieve their missions and work towards collective change while fostering a thriving civil society. 

Civil society is a sector of society where individuals, organizations, and movements come together to address societal challenges, advance shared interests, and create positive change.

When civil society is strong, leaders and organizations can enable strong governance in their communities and build inclusive institutions that foster dialogue, collaboration, accountability, and civic participation. A strong civil society is essential for achieving progress toward our collective goals of a healthy climate, an ocean that sustains us, gender equity, thriving families and communities, and a just society.   

Across the globe, we are witnessing threats to civil society. It is estimated that more than two billion people, or 28% of the world’s population, live in countries with a closed civic space. These are places where there are significant restrictions on the rights of assembly, association, and speech accompanied by an increase in intimidation, detainment, and harassment of civil society leaders. When civil society becomes constrained by a lack of resources and supports, or when civic space is threatened or closed, progress becomes stunted.   

We support civil society partners to ensure they have the resources and capabilities to work toward their mission. We invest in the skills and strengths of leaders and organizations through coaching and mentorship programs, resource hubs, and peer support spaces. We provide support to strengthen the networks and movements they are part of, helping to improve coordination and collaboration. And we work to ensure that our partners have a safe and thriving civic space in which to do their work.