Rethinking Development Funding: A Call for Decolonisation and Empowerment
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Development funding is a complex and often contentious issue. Several key questions often emerge: Whose philosophy drives funding? Which development goals are being prioritised? Is funding alone sufficient to address development challenges? Who defines these challenges and who provides the solutions? These questions are vital as they lie at the heart of the issues faced by civil society actors, particularly those from the Global South.
Colonial legacies in development cooperation
Colonialism and neo-colonialism profoundly shape development cooperation, influencing who makes decisions, who others see as competent, and whose resources others value. This colonial legacy sets the standards for success and determines who evaluates whether these development projects achieve these goals. Moreover, it defines risks and identifies who is most at risk. Under the colonial order, people in Africa and the Global South are often viewed through a lens of pity and dependency, undermining their competency and trustworthiness. Although outward appearances may have changed, the fundamental structure remains unchanged. The Peace Direct publication ‘Time to Decolonise Aid’ highlights how colonial and neo-colonial values drive structural racism in the development sector.
Persistent structural racism
Structural racism in the development sector manifests in several ways:
- Marginalisation of local knowledge: Those who live with and understand the development challenges are often excluded from leadership and decision-making roles.
- One-size-fits-all funding models: These models overlook the diverse sizes and needs of local organisations.
- Bureaucratic burdens: Complicated requirements drain resources from local organisations without providing necessary support.
- Advantage to international organisations: Long-standing support to international organisations gives them a competitive edge over local entities.
- High-risk aversion: Donors exhibit high-risk aversion towards organisations from the Global South, ignoring the risks faced by these local entities.
- Short-term, inflexible funding: Short-term project funding fails to align with the need for long-term outcomes, especially in volatile contexts.
- Focus on deliverables: Funding overly emphasises project deliverables without supporting the systems and structures necessary for sustainable development.
- Imposed, rather than discussed and agreed, benchmarks of success.
- Exclusion of civic movements: The focus on registered organisations excludes effective civic movements operating in restrictive environments.
The call from civil society
In August 2023, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), in collaboration with Bond UK launched a consultation process to influence the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) civil society programming. This initiative undertaken at the request of the FCDO engaged civil society practitioners, activists, and advocates from diverse regions, including, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Indo-Pacific, Eastern Europe and the UK. Participants recommended several key actions for the FCDO that other donors should also adopt:
- Tackle power imbalances and racism within international development.
- Adopt flexible, unrestricted funding models: to support the evolving needs of civil society organisations.
- Reduce risk aversion: Minimising donors’ excessive caution can foster more effective partnerships and enable organisations to take calculated risks.
- Invest in long-term capacity development: prioritise supporting the growth and sustainability of local organisations through long-term capacity development initiatives.
- Strengthen safeguarding measures: ensure that robust safety and ethical standards are in place to protect civil society and partners.
- Implement alternative success indicators: work with partners to develop more meaningful metrics of success that capture the true impact of their intervention.
- Commit to long-term community investment: provide sustained support for community initiatives, recognising that lasting change requires long-term approaches.
- Encourage innovative and transformational funding: support new funding models that emphasise local leadership and empowerment, fostering more sustainable and impactful partnerships.
- Engage diaspora communities: involve diaspora communities in development efforts, leveraging their unique perspectives, skills, and connections to enhance the effectiveness of their interventions.
Proposed donor models for transformation
The consultation proposed three funding models designed to advance transformative and sustainable development funding:
- Traditional Model
This model advocates for enhancements to existing financing mechanisms including full cost recovery, inclusion of safeguarding costs, exclusion of commercial fund managers, additional staff dedicated to relationship management, and proportional compliance requirements.
- Innovative Model:
This model prioritises local leadership and community initiatives, promoting a more inclusive approach to funding.
- Transformative Funder Model:
This model seeks to empower communities by recognising their expertise, decentralising power, and implementing a trust-based approach. It integrates the principles of the traditional model while decentralising power to UK embassies and providing additional staff for relationship management.
Decolonising development
Decolonising development and genuinely shifting power requires moving beyond rhetoric to actions that drive transformation. The proposed funding models advocate for transformative funding that values community leadership and their contributions to development. Global civil society calls on international donors to adopt these innovative and transformative funding models to create lasting change.
In conclusion, the current development funding paradigm heavily reflects colonial legacies and structural racism, undermining local expertise and leadership. By addressing these issues and adopting more flexible, inclusive, and empowering funding models, the development sector can foster sustainable and effective solutions that genuinely meet the needs of the Global Majority. Decolonising development is not merely an ideal but a necessity for achieving authentic progress and equity in global development efforts.
About the author
Dr. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu is the Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), driving civil society capacity building in the region. A lawyer with an LLB from the University of Ghana, a Master’s in Law from New York University, and a PhD in Africa Philanthropy from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Nana has extensive experience in governance, human rights, and gender advocacy. She is also a Core Team Member of the groundbreaking Reimagining International NGOs (RINGO) systems change initiative. Nana also serves as a Trustee of Oxfam GB and a Board Member of Resource Alliance. She has held leadership roles with OSIWA, IBIS West Africa, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, among others. Nana is also a member of the Ghana Bar Association and several gender-focused networks, championing initiatives on legal empowerment and policy advocacy.
