Working closely with Members and other International CSOs, we strive to work across a global CSO accountability network on a variety of projects and initiatives. Find out more about the exciting projects being undertaken by us around the world.

Accountability in Action

Our Projects

Research and co-creation of evidence-based safeguarding practice standards
for the Funder Safeguarding Collaborative (FSC)
FSC is developing evidence-based safeguarding standards for philanthropic funders to strengthen safety practices across their organizations and those they support. Accountable Now is leading this work through a two-phase process—first researching effective approaches, then co-creating standards with funders through an inclusive, collaborative process
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City Shapers at WUF12
with Fondation Botnar
Accountable Now partnered with Fondation Botnar to prepare and support its City Shapers youth cohort for meaningful participation at the World Urban Forum 2024 (WUF12). Many delegates were new to international convenings, so the project focused on holistic, human-centred preparation. Accountable Now provided strategic guidance, designed and delivered preparatory workshops, curated content, and facilitated daily onsite sessions to build confidence, connection, and learning.
Facilitating a Virtual Community for the City Shapers
with Fondation Botnar
Following the momentum of the City Shapers’ in-person engagement at WUF12, Accountable Now partnered with Fondation Botnar to help transition the cohort into a sustainable, youth-driven virtual community. The project focuses on maintaining the connections and shared purpose built during the forum while enabling ongoing collaboration and learning across a global network. Accountable Now is facilitating a co-creation process with the City Shapers, hosting regular touchpoints and guiding the development of a community shaped by their needs, voices, and ambitions.
Civil Society and Leadership Initiative Global Learning Partnership
with Packard Foundation
Accountable Now is partnering with the Packard Foundation’s Civil Society and Leadership (CSL) initiative to build an evidence-informed learning system that strengthens adaptive decision-making across diverse civic space contexts. In Phase I, we are mapping and synthesizing data, generating insights, and facilitating reflection sessions to inform strategic planning. In Phase II, we are supporting deeper country-level engagement, co-developing outcome and learning frameworks, and guiding ongoing learning processes across geographies. This multi-phase collaboration integrates research, facilitation, and systems thinking to help CSL better understand outcomes, respond to complexity, and support resilient, locally rooted civil society.
Designing and launching the Collective Action Assistance Fund
for Humanity United
Humanity United is launching a multi-donor pooled fund to provide flexible, participatory support for people-powered movements, ensuring those with lived experience help shape its strategy and design. Accountable Now is supporting the Fund’s design and launch by building the structures and practices needed to align with its values and empower movements for lasting change.
Board induction, cohort building, and training on dynamic accountability
for World Organization of Scouts Movement
The World Organisation of the Scout Movement is working to strengthen youth leadership by bringing more young people into its Board and decision-making roles. Accountable Now is supporting this effort by designing and facilitating the Board’s first in-person meeting, mapping key skills, and building cohesion for an effective multi-generational leadership body.
Global Standard for CSO Accountability Partnership
with Australian Council for International Development, PIANGO, InterAction, DENIVA, PHE Ethiopia consortium, VANI, VIWANGO, WACSI, RENDIR CUENTAS, Balkan Civil Society Development Network, Cooperation Committee for Cambodia
The Global Standard Partnership aims to transform CSOs’ work for strengthened impact and resilience by becoming more transparent, responsive and accountable towards the people whom they work for and with. Accountable Now co-created the 12 Accountability Commitments, hosted the Secretariat until 2023, and supported the transition to a decentralised model where partners collectively drive implementation and reform.
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Coalition governance, strategy, and renewal
for the Global Democracy Coalition (hosted by International IDEA)
Accountable Now partnered with the Global Democracy Coalition (GDC) to strengthen and formalise its governance and strategic direction as the network evolved beyond its initial launch-phase structures. With the coalition taking on more complex programming, Accountable Now reviewed and updated its governance model, decision-making processes, and strategic framework. Through extensive consultation with the Steering Group, member organisations, and the host institution, we introduced more democratic, consent-based approaches and clarified roles and responsibilities better positioning the GDC for coherent, inclusive, and future-focused collaboration.

Our Projects

Past Projects and Initiatives

The Resilient Roots initiative

The Resilient Roots initiative, coordinated by CIVICUS and in collaboration with Accountable Now, Keystone Accountability and Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo, aimed to test whether organisations who are more accountable and responsive to their roots – namely, their primary constituencies – are more resilient against external threats.

 

From 2017 – 2020, the initiative worked with 14 national partner civil society organisations (CSOs) of varying size, focus, location and approach, to help them design and implement year-long pilot projects aiming to increase accountability to the people and communities impacted by their work.

The Development Alternative

Recognising the enormous, but largely untapped, potential of youth civil society in the moment of the largest youth generation in history – the Development Alternative was created to shift power and turn traditional development on its head through leveraging the potential and agency of young people and communities to accelerate development outcomes. 

The Development Alternative is a consortium of organisations, led by Restless Development, including Accountable Now, DOT LebanonIntegrity ActionINTRACWar ChildY Care International.

From 2019 – 2021, the consortium worked closely with young people and their communities, and youth-led and focused organisations to co-design approaches to development that ensure these groups define, own and lead solutions to the problems they face.