Adapting Under Austerity

The collapse of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and deep humanitarian funding cuts by other major donors, including Germany, have hit local peacebuilders hard. Some have had to close up shop, others have scaled down their operations significantly or have converted paid positions into volunteer work. 

This project will provide a first systematic account of how local peacebuilders are adapting to this new financial landscape. Which types of adaptation strategies work for which kinds of organizations, and at what cost? Which immediate moves keep future options open, and which close them off? And why are some organizations able to weather the cuts better than others?

To answer these and other questions, we will survey local peacebuilders, from individuals to registered NGOs, on changes in funding, operations, thematic focus, and partnerships. Additionally, we will conduct in-depth interviews with selected local peacebuilders. These will include representatives of organizations that faced an abrupt funding stop as well as those absorbing a slower decline. Finally, we will bring together German and European peacebuilding organizations for a workshop to discuss the findings and recommendations. We will offer recommendations to local peacebuilders, international peacebuilding organizations and donors.

For further questions, please get in touch with Melissa Li (mli@​gppi.​net). 

The project is generously supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.