CSIF Ethiopia Announces Successful Funding Round Applicants, Addis Ababa
1 October 2026, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Setting the stage for strengthened collaboration and shared learning. Today, The Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF) Ethiopia announced successful applicants of their second funding round, and kicked off their programme learning forum, bringing together civil society organisations (CSOs), donor partners, government representatives, and sector stakeholders from across the country.
Total investment in these CSIF projects is around €10 million, funded by the Agence Française de Développement, (AFD), the Embassy of Ireland, Ethiopia and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ethiopia and managed by the partners AGAR and MannionDaniels. The projects are made up of 15 consortia comprising 55 Ethiopian civil society organisations (CSOs), they will be undertaking activities for up to 46‑months (February 2025 – December 2028).
Ms Catherine Wanjiku, CSIF Programme Director and Regional Representative for Africa at MannionDaniels, delivered the welcome remarks, setting a strong tone for a day focused on expanding and protecting Ethiopia’s civic space. Donor representatives from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Embassy of Ireland, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy emphasised the importance of coordinated support for civil society, highlighting innovation, adaptation, and resilience as central pillars of the programme. A keynote address by Ms Bizuwork Ketete, Senior Governance and Civil Society Advisor, explored emerging evidence and scalable approaches in civil society strengthening. This was followed by a detailed programme overview from the CSIF Fund Management Unit, outlining the programme’s strategic priorities and early achievements.
“Great to see CSIF family growing, and this project becoming a powerful and dynamic platform to support emerging civil society organisations in Ethiopia, with a joint support now from our Irish and Norwegian friends joining Agence Française de Développement
It has become a key tool to improve dialogue and trust between CSOs and government institutions, especially with ACSO. But it also brings an efficient ecosystem that helps capacity building, financial sustainability, collaboration and exchange of good practices among these CSOs, and therefore strengthen this Ethiopian emerging civic space.
Having a strong and skilled civil society is critical, especially in the current context, to restore and improve dialogue and respect between communities, avoid misinformation and the tensions and violence that result from it. Without stability and lasting peace, no country can experience sustainable development.”
Programme Learning Forum
At today’s announcement a learning forum took place, a panel discussion on “What Works, What Matters, What Scales: Advancing Learning in Civil Society Strengthening” brought together perspectives from civil society leaders, media practitioners, and fund managers. The discussion highlighted practical experiences and insights from across Ethiopia's civil society sector, with conversations repeatedly returning to several priorities for strengthening civil society impact: the need for more flexible and responsive funding, simpler and proportionate compliance requirements, greater trust in local expertise, stronger collaboration across the sector, and an enabling regulatory environment that allows CSOs to adapt and lead in an increasingly complex social and political landscape.
In addition, there was an interactive poster gallery, where all 15 consortia showcased their project objectives, approaches, geographic coverage, and expected results. The learning forum provided a dynamic platform for strategic dialogue, knowledge sharing, and partnership building. It also reinforced CSIF’s commitment to fostering collaboration, strengthening civic space, and driving collective impact across Ethiopia’s civil society sector.
“Today was a meaningful day for me as I had the opportunity to represent our consortium Sewmehon Alliance and share the work we are doing through Civil Society Innovation Fund Ethiopia (CSIF) with partners and stakeholders. What stayed with me most is how much can happen when local organisations are given the space, support, and trust to lead solutions within their own communities. Grateful to be part of this journey, to learn from the many CSOs working across Ethiopia, and to contribute in my own small way.”
During the panel discussion and the poster gallery
“We extend our sincere appreciation to all participants for their commitment, donor representatives from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Embassy of Ireland, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy for their continued support and belief in the value of strong, locally led civil society, as well as the panel speakers and facilitators whose support was essential to the success of the event.”
We look forward to continuing our collaboration with all CSOs and key civil society partners in Ethiopia as we move forward with future initiatives.
Participants Group photo
Photos by Dawit Dagnew
