Well Grounded works with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on natural resource governance and social justice in the Congo Basin.
We look for organisations with high impact potential at both local and national levels, mobilising and representing local and indigenous communities’ voices and interests, with a particular emphasis on women’s voices. We look for organisations who take action to influence legal frameworks related to natural resource governance, community and indigenous rights and who are empowering communities to take control of their destiny.
We look especially for indigenous people, women and youth led organisations and networks aiming at increasing and advocating for women’s and IP’s rights in natural resource governance with the potential to grow and achieve positive change, and to inform and inspire others.
Our CSO partners can be formal or informal groups and include:
• National or community based civil society organisations and associations
• Local, national or regional CSO networks (platforms, coalitions or alliances)
What we look for in our partners:
The problems we seek to address are complex, requiring long-term commitment to create lasting change. We choose our partners thoughtfully, consistently evaluating our collaboration and adjusting strategies when needed. We support CSOs based on funding we receive from donors, or when the CSO itself dispenses or raises the funds to remunerate WG’s involvement. Therefore our resources are limited and we are unable to respond positively to all the requests we receive. The following components are essential when we choose the organisations we support:
1/ Social & Environmental justice
Organisations who (1) Accompany communities to be effective actors in natural resource governance; (2) Support communities’ sustainability and autonomy; (3) Advocate for local community’s rights, in particular women’s rights over natural resources, specifically concerning land rights; (4) Work on climate change related issues in general with a focus on the impact climate change has on women in particular.
2/ Geographical focus
Well Grounded seeks to work with organisations from countries in the Congo Basin, in particular from the DRC, the RoC and Cameroon. Organisations from other countries in Africa can be taken into consideration when they are working in strategic and innovative areas for natural resource governance and conservation.
3/ Commitment
Organisations who are passionate and committed to their work, to what they want to achieve, and to developing and sustaining their organisation. Organisations who are committed to the change processes associated with organisation development and willing to invest energy and time to improve their organisational effectiveness so that they can become better at what they do.
4/ Change potential
We look for organisations that have the potential to influence change at the local and/or national level, organisations that seek to effectively challenge existing power dynamics and mobilise communities. Organisations which are innovative or have found a unique added value.
5/ Leadership
Organisations with motivated leaders with a compelling vision, and the desire to learn, challenge themselves and collaborate with others in order to achieve their vision. We are particularly interested in working with women or IP led organisations.
6/ Access to communication technologies
Organisations who have reasonable access to internet communication channels and infrastructure as well as openness and commitment to collaboration through a mix of in-person and online meetings/workshops. Open to learn and take advantage of existing (and affordable) technology so as to increase effectiveness and visibility.
7/ Emerging organisations
We look to support emergent organisations that are trying to challenge the status quo and to innovate, those who are led by youth, in order to prepare for and get involved with the next generation and to encourage diversity of ideas and actions in the civil society context.