Author Archive:
Alan Fowler
CIVICUS International Civil Society Week: Why did we let it happen?
As a past board member, and having missed CIVICUS conferences for a few years, it was a great opportunity to connect with the organization and be invited to help out in a couple of sessions …
In the public policy arena, Queensbury’s rules no longer apply
The recent article on the ‘bare-knuckle’ philanthropy of the Koch brothers (Alliance Extra, 1 August) reaffirms what Moving a Public Policy – a 1997 study by Sally Covington of 12 conservative US foundations, including Koch …
Are foundations more risk-averse than necessary?
A recent gathering in Bellagio discussed the role of foundations in international development. Both surprise and lament seemed to accompany the conclusion that foundations are more risk averse than they need to be. By implication, …
‘Virtual vertical’ – the Internet and higher order civic organizing
Life operates at many levels of association and action – from local to global. However, an abiding problem for multiple tiers of organizing is how to finance them. Compared to government and business, civil society …
Breaking the politics of impact measurement – from chains to systems
Significant effort is now being applied to improving the performance of international development assistance by measuring the change it brings about. But why now and not long before? And how well are such efforts working? …
The Struggle for Accountability: The World Bank, NGOs and grassroots movements edited by Jonathan A Fox and L David Brown
One hallmark of international development in the 1990s is the growth of civic advocacy towards multilateral institutions operating within the aid system. Typically, but not solely, such advocacy is spearheaded by non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs). …
Bad aid to NGOs – a case of partnership or conspiracy?
The past 15 years have seen non-governmental organizations involved in international development (NGDOs) come into their own – largely owing to the ‘civic’ funding policies of the official aid system. Within the framework of strengthening …
