OGP’s Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society 2025-27

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society (HDFCS), designed to strengthen open government processes and reforms across OGP member countries. Named in honor of Helen Darbishire, the late human rights and access to information champion, and former OGP Steering Committee member, this fund aims to enhance civil society capacity and multi-stakeholder collaboration to help sustain OGP processes and deliver more ambitious reforms in critical areas of open government.

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is proud to announce the recipients of the first call for applications under the Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society, designed to strengthen open government processes and reforms across OGP member countries.

Announcing the Recipients of the Helen Darbishire Fund for Civil Society

The aim of these grants is to support core OGP processes in member countries with limited financial resourcing, focused on where real opportunities are at risk of being lost. The grants are intended to provide support for civil society organizations in countries where there is limited resourcing and where there is a financial need for OGP processes to succeed.

Applications must clearly demonstrate:

1. The expected impact of how the grant will help to sustain or advance OGP processes in an OGP member country, clearly outlining how a lack of funding will or is impacting OGP reforms in the country.
2. The applicant CSO’s (or consortium’s) implementation capacity and feasibility of approach, including its ability to engage relevant stakeholders in the country’s broader OGP ecosystem.
3. The applicant CSO’s (or consortium’s) sustainability strategy, particularly in light of the financial need in the domestic context.

The application period closed on July 13, 2025, at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time. We are no longer accepting applications.

• Please reach out with any questions or clarifications to [email protected].
• Following a review process, the OGP Support Unit will announce funding decisions by mid to late August 2025.
• Upon selection, projects can start as early as September 2025. Projects will be implemented between a duration of six to eighteen months.