Support to civil society organisations

Sida has been commissioned by the government to review the international support that is mediated through Swedish civil society organisations - and open up for support to be mediated through organisations both in Sweden and in other countries. The call for expressions of interest for partnership closed on 27 May 2024.

Sida's support to civil society is often channeled through our Swedish strategic partner organisations.

Sida has multi-year agreements with a number of Swedish strategic partner organisations (SPO). They work to strengthen civil society in our partner countries.

The cooperation has two overall goals:

• Strengthening the capacity of civil society in low- and middle-income countries to contribute to poverty reduction
• To promote an enabling environment for civil society organisations in partner countries

The cooperation is guided by the government’s Strategy for support via Swedish civil society organisations 2024. 

• Forum CiV
• Union to Union
• Olof Palme International Center
• Swedish Mission Council
• Afrikagrupperna
• Diakonia
• We Effect
• The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
• Save the Children
• Act Church of Sweden
• Plan International Sweden
• RFSU
• WWF
• IM (Individuell Människohjälp)
• Kvinna till Kvinna
• Civil Rights Defenders
  Swedish Red Cross

Local CSO's also receive support through Sida's thematic and geographical units or through Swedish embassies. Either in direct cooperation with Sida or through Swedish, international or multilateral organisations.

Partnership with Sida

Sida maintains multi-year agreements with both Swedish and international humanitarian civil society organisations. These organisations are granted funding to carry out humanitarian operations that support people's immediate humanitarian needs.

The allocation of funding is based on:

• The principle of impartiality: the support is based on the needs of the affected populations, without discrimination regarding gender, ethnicity, religion or political opinion
• Sida's annual crisis analyzes that look at the needs for the coming year
• Additional allocations during the year based on world events 
• UN humanitarian appeals.

Sida's humanitarian aid is guided by the Swedish government's strategy for Sweden's humanitarian aid through Sida. The current strategy runs until 2025.

• Strategy for Sweden's humanitarian aid through Sida 2021-2025 on the government website
• Sida's work with humanitarian aid

The next contract period for humanitarian partnership with Sida is expected to start in 2026. Prior to that, Sida will conduct an assessment of organisations interested in becoming a strategic partner of Sida.

Expression of interest for humanitarian partnership opens in August 2024

Sida's humanitarian support is distributed between civil society organisations, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The civil society organisations receiving support are:

• Action Against Hunger
  Danish Refugee Council
• International Rescue Committee
• Islamic Relief
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• Oxfam UK
• Plan International Sweden
• Save the Children
• Swedish Red Cross
• Première Urgence Internationale