Publications

As global aid budgets tighten, local intermediaries provide a cost-efficient and community-rooted way to channel support - delivering aid 32% more efficiently than international actors. But donors need to know who these local intermediaries are to fund them effectively. Our Local Intermediary Landscaping Study bridges this gap, helping funders connect international resources with locally led action. Explore and share the report to empower local actors.

From the 2nd of September until the 4th of September 2024, the Warande Advisory Centre (WAC) and The Share Trust (TST) organised and hosted a three-day forum in Nairobi, uniting local coalition representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. This event aimed to foster cross-border collaboration, providing a platform for participants to exchange experiences, address challenges, and strategise on empowering local actors....

Amid disputes over the meaning of a word that is set to transform development, some are asking if it's still fit for purpose.

A blueprint for locally-led development and systemic change.

Bringing together different perspectives from the development, humanitarian, Ethical and philanthropic sectors.

The Economics of Localizing International Assistance.

At the Global Philanthropy Forum 2025, our breakout session, "Whose Risk? A Collaborative Path to Inclusive Due Diligence," delved into the evolving dynamics of risk in philanthropy. Funders often speak of risk in financial, legal and reputational terms. However, for civil society organizations (CSOs), risk can be about survival — ensuring that they can continue to serve communities despite compliance burdens, shifting donor priorities and political challenges.

Practical approaches for enabling locally led development co-operation

The Share Trust and Warande Advisory Centre initiated the Local Coalition Accelerator (LCA) model, which brings together local and national organisations to form coalitions that co-create solutions supporting locally led development...

Assessing the philanthropic landscape in Africa to strengthen localisation, identify intermediaries and transform grantmaking.

International Civil Society Organizations’ Development Effectiveness: Reflections on progress in equitable partnerships, solidarity, and accountability

In fragile and conflict-affected states, resident CSOs are often the first to respond and have access to areas that are difficult for international actors to reach in the immediate aftermath of a crisis...