In today’s digital age, against a backdrop of shrinking civic space and declining democracy worldwide, the role of local civil society actors in promoting inclusive and equitable access to democratic processes cannot be overemphasised. Despite the important role played by grassroots actors in promoting democratic governance at the local level, they often operate in challenging environments and are frequently constrained with limited financial resources and institutional infrastructure. This is more evident with the shrinking funds in the civil society ecosystem, and local civil society actors lack the administrative and technical infrastructure to compete with established non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for funding. Given the relevance of the work they do, it is imperative to strengthen their financial and non-financial capacities for sustaining democratic engagements in this digital age.
Grassroots Organisations and the Funding Paradox
An informal community group in rural Nigeria monitoring local government transparency through digital platforms operates very differently from big, well-structured NGOs with dedicated staff. These local civil society actors often lack funding, formal structures, and technical expertise - yet they get the job done because of the invaluable local knowledge of the issues and community trust which larger organisations do not possess. International donors and large foundations often prioritise established NGOs with proven track records, sophisticated grant management systems, and technical teams. In most cases, established NGOs partner with the grassroot organisations to implement projects in the local communities because of their in-depth knowledge of the local issues and nuances. A community radio station in Peru combating disinformation during elections will have local impact but struggle to access funding that will allow them to scale or sustain their efforts. This is not the case with regional and National NGOs. They have strong institutional structures that enable them to meet donor compliance requirements, manage large grants, demonstrate impact through formal reporting systems, and maintain long-term financial and operational stability.
Beyond Money: Strengthening the Holistic Organisational Capacity
Beyond financial limitations, local actors also face new challenges in the digital space. Technology is now integral to civil society’s work and can enhance impact when leveraged effectively. It is important to leverage digital technology to promote democracy across the board. While financial resources are critical, non-financial capacity strengthening often determines the effectiveness of organisations in translating resources into impact. Many community-based groups working on digital democracy related initiatives are led by passionate activists/actors who excel at advocacy and mobilisation but may lack expertise in organisational development, strategic planning, sustainability, data security and protection, cybersecurity, social media management etc.
In our experience, many local civil society actors operate informally on a small scale but face limitations as they grow. Structured yet flexible organisational development support helps them formalise appropriately without losing their grassroots character. In this digital age as well, organisations face digital threats from surveillance to doxxing to platform suppression. Training in digital security, digital rights, and psychosocial support for activists facing online harassment is very crucial for their survival in today’s digital age. More importantly, broader improvements in digital skills and knowledge remain critical in effective management and implementation of digital initiatives.
CIVICUS DDI Strengthening Grassroots Voices
CIVICUS’ Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI) is on a mission to amplify grassroots voices across the globe — from the vibrant communities of Latin America to the evolving landscapes of South Asia and beyond. Rather than parachuting in with external models, we believe the best solutions already exist within local civil society. Our role is to recognise and fuel that local expertise, ensuring that grassroots organisations don't just survive, but lead.
The journey of the support model began with co-design and participatory processes where local civil society actors in the regions identified context-specific needs and priorities to channel financial and non-financial resources to promote civic space and inclusive democracy. Through a collaborative co-design process, we’ve moved from experimental prototypes to living, breathing support mechanisms. These aren’t just "grants"; they are comprehensive toolkits providing technical accompaniment, digital skill-building, and the financial oxygen needed to reclaim civic space.
The mechanisms provide a range of support instruments, including subgrants, learning resources and opportunities, and technical accompaniment to build core organisational capacities and digital skills related to action on civic space and inclusive democracy.
Across our 6 regions of focus, this vision is taking flight:
- In Latin America, DemocraTICa is expanding civic space through digital strengthening.
- In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Digital Spark is igniting locally led democratic solutions.
- From MENA to South & East Asia, we are building resilient ecosystems that protect the digital rights of citizens.
These aren’t just theoretical wins; they are tangible. In Peru, for example, Nodos Culturales is using DDI support to break down information barriers. By providing communities with access to public data, they are empowering historically excluded groups to sit at the table of national policy discussions, turning data into a tool for real-world accountability.
The Road Ahead
As digital technologies become increasingly central to democratic life, the need for strong local actors that can reimagine these technologies for grassroot impact becomes more urgent. The grassroots organisations promoting inclusive democracy and civic space in their communities are already powerful actors who need the resources and support to thrive despite systemic funding inequalities. The future of inclusive democracy depends not on bypassing local civil society actors in favour of more established NGOs, but on transforming support systems to recognise that those closest to the challenges should not be ignored in developing the solutions.
Vincy Mighulo Masaka is a Project Officer - Host Liaison for DDI at CIVICUS. Her work focuses on civic technology and digital democracy, supporting civil society to rethink how democracy is funded, defended, and practiced in the digital age, with a focus on resilience and grassroots innovation.
Seun Akinyemi is a Project Officer - Host Liaison for DDI at CIVICUS. His project management expertise covers a broad spectrum of critical issues, from digital democracy, electoral processes and media freedom to anti-corruption initiatives, local governance, healthcare, gender equality and financing.
Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash
