GFCF Annual Report, 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023
This GFCF Annual Report covers 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023. The war in Ukraine was a focus for the GFCF over the period. We have been nothing short of astounded by the work of our partners there, and the incredible creativity and innovation they have displayed during this challenging time. We have also been deeply moved by the solidarity displayed by GFCF partners in Ukraine and the wider region. Many have joined forces to provide housing for internally displaced people, deliver humanitarian aid to communities in need, coordinate advocacy efforts to raise the profile of local actors, and to launch fundraising campaigns in support of their peers. For anyone wondering what “movement generosity” looks like in action, look no further.
From our position at the GFCF, the pivotal roles played by our network of partners – particularly in times of crisis and upheaval – has never been clearer and more critical. Yet these actors continue to receive so little support. Promises from international donors to improve the amount and quality of funding reaching the grassroots, with only a few exceptions, continue to be hollow. According to a February 2023 report from Refugees International, less than 1% of the US $3.9 billion in international funding mobilized for Ukraine went directly to local actors. It starts to become difficult to imagine how those working at the grassroots can ever be expected to survive, let alone thrive, in a system that was not designed for their success. While those figures relate specifically to Ukraine, they should matter to all of us. For whatever
happens now in Ukraine could have lasting ripple effects throughout the humanitarian aid and international development systems.
In pursuit of a new, reimagined system, we at the GFCF have continued with our work supporting our community philanthropy partners through our grantmaking, connecting the field and building its evidence base, and building a global movement to #ShiftThePower. This Annual Report provides a sense of how we have approached this over the period. One particular highlight was the launch of the new #ShiftThePower Fellowship, which aims to deepen and expand the movement, and to support new voices that are also advocating for a more dignified and empowering development sector for all.
Published by: GFCF
Published: February 2024
Download: ‘GFCF Annual Report, 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023‘