DonorWatch
DonorWatch is a global initiative that aims to improve how donors fund and work with civil society organisations. It gives organisations a safe way to assess their donors and use their shared experiences to call for better funding practices.
The initiative is coordinated by IM and carried out with partner organisations in Guatemala, Malawi, Moldova, Palestine and Ukraine.
Why DonorWatch is needed
Civil society organisations are regularly assessed by their donors. Donors, however, receive much less systematic feedback from the organisations they fund.
Funding conditions can limit an organisation’s independence and its ability to respond to the people and communities it works with. Short agreements, restricted funding, heavy reporting requirements and limited dialogue can make it harder for organisations to adapt when circumstances change.
DonorWatch aims to address this imbalance. Its long-term goal is that, by 2030, civil society organisations in the participating countries report better access to flexible, quality funding.
How DonorWatch works
Civil society organisations will anonymously assess donors through a common DonorWatch Index. The index will be developed by the five partner organisations and IM, based on consultations with civil society in each country.
The assessment will look at different parts of the funding relationship. These may include the type and length of funding, flexibility, reporting requirements, access to funding, communication and the extent to which civil society organisations can influence priorities and project design.
The findings will be presented in public country reports. The reports will show where donor practices work well and where they need to improve. Partners will then use the evidence in dialogue and advocacy with donors, organisations that provide funding through intermediaries, governments and other civil society organisations.
DonorWatch builds on a pilot carried out by IM and Phenix Center in Jordan. The pilot showed that anonymous assessments can make differences between donors visible and provide a practical basis for dialogue about better funding.
The donors
DonorWatch will assess donors that fund civil society organisations in the five participating countries. These may include bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, intermediary organisations and other grant-makers.
The project does not start with a fixed public list of donors. Participating civil society organisations will identify the donors they have experience of working with. The country reports will present donor-specific findings when enough responses have been collected to protect the anonymity of participating organisations.
The five DonorWatch partners
Myrna Mack Foundation, Guatemala
The Myrna Mack Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 1993. It works to combat impunity and strengthen respect for human rights in Guatemala. Its work focuses on justice, security and democratic institutions, with the aim of helping citizens participate actively in building a democratic rule of law.
The Foundation leads DonorWatch in Guatemala. It will bring together civil society organisations from different parts of the country, support the development of the index and use the findings to promote better funding relationships.
Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency, Malawi
The Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency, CSAT, is a Malawian organisation working on governance and civic participation. It promotes accountable use of public resources, protects civic space and supports civil society organisations to influence public policy.
CSAT leads DonorWatch in Malawi. It will use its experience of research, advocacy and dialogue with civil society, government and development partners to support constructive discussion about donor practices.
CONTACT Centre, Moldova
CONTACT Centre is a national centre that supports and provides information to civil society organisations in Moldova. It works to strengthen civil society and create better conditions for organisations to take part in the country’s development.
CONTACT Centre leads DonorWatch in Moldova. It will help civil society organisations define what quality funding means in the Moldovan context and create structured dialogue between organisations and donors.
Al-Marsad, Palestine
Al-Marsad works on public policy, social and economic rights, and accountability in Palestine. It produces research and analysis to support public debate and influence policies and institutional practices.
Al-Marsad leads DonorWatch in Palestine. It will create a safer and more systematic way for Palestinian civil society organisations to assess whether donor funding supports locally defined priorities, organisational independence and the ability to respond to changing needs.
Philanthropy in Ukraine, Ukraine
Philanthropy in Ukraine, PhilinUA, works to strengthen Ukraine’s civil society sector and improve cooperation between Ukrainian organisations and international donors. It runs a platform for verifying and mapping civil society organisations and also carries out research, training and advocacy.
PhilinUA leads DonorWatch in Ukraine. It will use its relationships with both civil society and donors to gather evidence, build a shared understanding of good funding and promote more equal partnerships.
A global network with national leadership
Each partner leads DonorWatch in its own country and adapts the work to the national context. The five partners also form a global network coordinated by IM. Through the network, they develop the common index, share learning and coordinate advocacy where this can increase their influence.
IM funds the country projects, manages the central system for anonymous data collection and supports the analysis and presentation of results. IM also helps connect partners with donor forums and other opportunities for advocacy.
The initiative began in 2026 with consultations and mobilisation in the five countries. The first assessments and country reports are planned for 2027. Partners will then use the findings for continued advocacy, with a follow-up assessment planned for 2030.