here is no question that global governance is becoming more difficult as aid and diplomatic budgets are cut, statecraft is perceived in zero–sum terms, and global norms and rules continue to crumble. Part of the challenge is that what we at Accountability Lab call the “proximity gap”—the distance between those making decisions and those closest to the problems—is widening. The challenges are increasingly obvious and overwhelming to average citizens, but the people with the money, power, and institutional weight to address them are too removed—either by default or intent—to adequately respond.
This is where civil society plays a critical role. Social sector organizations and charities do not just provide services, mobilize citizens, and advocate for change—they act as sense–makers and dot–connectors. Multilateral organizations, philanthropies, and government decision–makers do not have the time to fully understand the deeply local and specific contexts in which they operate around the world. But local civil society organizations do—they live in these places and have deep, personal experience as to who does the best work. As a result, they can much more easily provide ideas on how funds should be directed and demonstrate where local initiatives can best bolster broader reform efforts.
#CivilSocietyWayfinder type campaigns are one way to celebrate agile, resilient organizations that can light the way as we all reimagine global development. Or think of the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR)—a coalition of local organizations that channels resources, ideas and influence to the grassroots. Other good examples include Thousand Currents, which acts as an intermediary for movements, with a participatory grant-making model centered on issues of climate justice, gender equity and more; and the Fundo Casa Socioambiental, a regional community fund in Latin America that regrants to and supports local civil society movements.
Currently it is difficult for global institutions to benefit from the wisdom and expertise these organizations bring. Broadly they must move swiftly to make five core improvements.
- Bring in civil society networks earlier and more meaningfully as part of decision–making and project design at every level—from advisory boards down to country and program level choices.
- Get better at measuring inputs from these networks and integrating these inputs into key impact indicators.
- Make sure decision–makers have the guidance and backing to engage substantively with civil society.
- Dramatically grow dedicated funding windows for local civic intermediaries.
- Support the infrastructure needed for effective engagement with these groups—from translation services to digital infrastructure and legal support.
The future of global governance is not, in fact, global. It is local. This requires renewed efforts to bring these proximate dot-connectors into decision-making. It is from the bottom–up that we will renew governance, not from the top–down.
a global affairs media network
Governance wayfinding with civil society
Photo by Dylan Chan via Pexels.
April 13, 2026
Civil society can bridge the gap between global decision–makers and local realities, strengthening governance through proximity and local insight, writes Blair Glencorse.
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here is no question that global governance is becoming more difficult as aid and diplomatic budgets are cut, statecraft is perceived in zero–sum terms, and global norms and rules continue to crumble. Part of the challenge is that what we at Accountability Lab call the “proximity gap”—the distance between those making decisions and those closest to the problems—is widening. The challenges are increasingly obvious and overwhelming to average citizens, but the people with the money, power, and institutional weight to address them are too removed—either by default or intent—to adequately respond.
This is where civil society plays a critical role. Social sector organizations and charities do not just provide services, mobilize citizens, and advocate for change—they act as sense–makers and dot–connectors. Multilateral organizations, philanthropies, and government decision–makers do not have the time to fully understand the deeply local and specific contexts in which they operate around the world. But local civil society organizations do—they live in these places and have deep, personal experience as to who does the best work. As a result, they can much more easily provide ideas on how funds should be directed and demonstrate where local initiatives can best bolster broader reform efforts.
#CivilSocietyWayfinder type campaigns are one way to celebrate agile, resilient organizations that can light the way as we all reimagine global development. Or think of the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR)—a coalition of local organizations that channels resources, ideas and influence to the grassroots. Other good examples include Thousand Currents, which acts as an intermediary for movements, with a participatory grant-making model centered on issues of climate justice, gender equity and more; and the Fundo Casa Socioambiental, a regional community fund in Latin America that regrants to and supports local civil society movements.
Currently it is difficult for global institutions to benefit from the wisdom and expertise these organizations bring. Broadly they must move swiftly to make five core improvements.
- Bring in civil society networks earlier and more meaningfully as part of decision–making and project design at every level—from advisory boards down to country and program level choices.
- Get better at measuring inputs from these networks and integrating these inputs into key impact indicators.
- Make sure decision–makers have the guidance and backing to engage substantively with civil society.
- Dramatically grow dedicated funding windows for local civic intermediaries.
- Support the infrastructure needed for effective engagement with these groups—from translation services to digital infrastructure and legal support.
The future of global governance is not, in fact, global. It is local. This requires renewed efforts to bring these proximate dot-connectors into decision-making. It is from the bottom–up that we will renew governance, not from the top–down.
