On March 27, 2017, the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) co-hosted “What Makes a Successful Civil Society Project?” in partnership with the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). The event was an opportunity for civil society representatives to hear from UNDEF representatives about the lessons they’ve learned from over 10 years of project funding and evaluation experience. 

The event featured a panel consisting of Hannah Davies, Deputy Head, Policy Management at UNDEF and Dieter Wagner, Programme Management Officer at UNDEF, moderated by Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary-General of WFUNA. A variety of subjects were covered including successful past projects, engaging various groups, communication and outreach, measuring project impact, tips for proposals, and more.

Additionally, UNDEF introduced their new online resource that will provide a wealth of lessons learned to all applicants with access to previous projects and best ways to achieve success. The site will launch in April.

The panel then answered questions from civil society representatives in the room on best practices for application submissions and integration of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

Click here to watch the full event or browse highlights using #MeetUNDEF.

The UN Democracy Fund supports projects that strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. In 10 Rounds of Funding, UNDEF has supported over 700 two-year projects in more than 100 countries, at a total amount of almost 170 million US dollars.