Achieving social change means social investment wisely directed to initiatives focused on addressing the most relevant needs and problems in a community. The challenge is to find the right partners to achieve this goal.

On the one hand, grantmakers look for effective civil society organizations and for projects that promise significant impact. On the other, CSOs search for funders willing to commit to the organization and the specific project as well as to the social cause and community they serve. To help both sides, CEMEFI has developed a practical tool for recognizing CSO standards on institutionalism and transparency. The Indicadores de Institucionalidad y Transparencia (IIT – Indicators for Institutionalism and Transparency) constitute ten objective and easily verifiable standards for CSOs to comply with.

CSOs may achieve three different levels depending on their level of compliance, and those complying fully with all ten standards obtain a seal.  Grantmakers can either use the IIT as criteria for the selection of their CSO partners or choose to strengthen them through the professionalization process for CSOs that CEMEFI has developed.

The IIT also help to increase trust, visibility and public acknowledgement of CSOs’ participation in furthering the public good. In collaboration with seven regional partners, 242 CSOs in 22 states have so far been awarded the IIT seal.

For more information
http://www.cemefi.org