About Roots of Change

The push toward localization is reshaping the landscape of global development and humanitarian aid. Traditional donors, who have controlled the what, how, and where of aid, are now rethinking their roles. As aspirations for locally led development gain momentum, so do questions about how to deliver its goals.

Roots of Change explores the localization agenda — zooming into its successes and failures and zooming out to see what changes are needed from both donor and recipient organizations. The series will also elevate the voices of local leaders and their reflections on localization.

Explore Roots of Change

Opinion: We need to stop telling the global south what to do

Opinion: We need to stop telling the global south what to do

By Melissa Leach
Opinion: Localization — a seed that bears fruit even when we’re not there

Opinion: Localization — a seed that bears fruit even when we’re not there

By Charles E. Owubah
Inside the push to make intellectual property work for African pharma

Inside the push to make intellectual property work for African pharma

By Sara Jerving
No events about you without you, Samantha Power tells local leaders

No events about you without you, Samantha Power tells local leaders

By Elissa Miolen
The New Zealand nonprofit aiming to 'scale localism'

The New Zealand nonprofit aiming to 'scale localism'

By Vince Chadwick
Opinion: Civil society advocate's key role in localization

Opinion: Civil society advocate's key role in localization

By Vandana Shah, Valentina Ochoa
Five things we've learned about localization

Five things we've learned about localization

By David Ainsworth
House committee passes bill to make local funding easier for USAID

House committee passes bill to make local funding easier for USAID

By Elissa Miolene
Are local voices shaping USAID policies? A new report says: not quite

Are local voices shaping USAID policies? A new report says: not quite

By Elissa Miolene
Opinion: It’s time to take locally led development from talk to action

Opinion: It’s time to take locally led development from talk to action

By Kathleen Enright
Opinion: Lean in, let go, keep it real — effective INGO-local partnership

Opinion: Lean in, let go, keep it real — effective INGO-local partnership

By Isam Ghanim
High risk, high reward: Gavi's investment in Africa vaccine production

High risk, high reward: Gavi's investment in Africa vaccine production

By Sara Jerving
The local case for climate migration solutions

The local case for climate migration solutions

By Olivia Govik
Opinion: How cooperation and data are the key to locally led development

Opinion: How cooperation and data are the key to locally led development

By Judith A. Hermanson
Opinion: 8 principles for power-sharing development funding

Opinion: 8 principles for power-sharing development funding

By Atti Worku, Katie Bunten-Wamaru
Opinion: Breaking through localization myths

Opinion: Breaking through localization myths

By Sean Callahan, Lucy Espila, Patrick Sambaga, Dr. Mohamed Lamine Yansané

Watch

Watch

From our partners

IWD Invest in Women, Invest in Localization, think piece

From development Research and Projects Center, dRPC

Budget Advocacy Toolkit for Epidemic Preparedness

From GHAI

From the Ground Up: Partnering with Cooperatives on Locally Led Development

From OCDC International Cooperative Research Group

Planting Seeds of Hope in Zambia

From Action Against Hunger

AVFund's short film

From UNICEF

Opinion: To achieve global migration goals, invest in local solutions

From Mayors Migration Council

HOW DOES CRS PROMOTE LOCALLY-LED RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT?

From Catholic Relief Services

The Power of Local Partnership

From ChildFund International

Supporting Community Leaders and Advocating for Locally-Led Solutions

From Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Locally Led Development Resources

From Council on Foundations

Epidemic Preparedness and Response Financing Increased in Nigeria’s Kano State

From GHAI

What Difference Do Cooperatives Make?

From OCDC International Cooperative Research Group

USAID-Funded ACCELERATE Initiative to Boost Tuberculosis Elimination Efforts in South Africa

From The Aurum Institute

STRENGTHENING HEALTH SYSTEMS

From Action Against Hunger

UNICEF OOI's Investing in Women in Technology

From UNICEF

Cities Don't Get Much Support for Migrant and Refugee Aid. This Global Fund Aims to Change That

From Mayors Migration Council

POLICY BRIEF | POLICY PRINCIPLES TO SUPPORT EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

From Catholic Relief Services

Rising to the challenge of children’s needs in a changing world

From ChildFund International

Donor Statement on Supporting Locally Led Development

From Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Advancing Locally Led Development: An Overview of U.S. Foundations’ Direct Global Giving

From Council on Foundations

Locally Led Advocacy: Opportunities, Challenges and What We’ve Learned Along the Way

From GHAI

Cooperatives Enable Locally Led Development

From OCDC International Cooperative Research Group

Aurum Institute Ghana Receives Grand Challenges Grant For Catalyzing Equitable Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

From The Aurum Institute

PROPEL ADAPT

From Action Against Hunger

Equity & Innovation

From UNICEF

Philanthropy Can Better Support the Youngest Migrants and Refugees by Investing in Cities

From Mayors Migration Council

PARTNERSHIP & CAPACITY STRENGTHENING AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP

From Catholic Relief Services

Locally Led Development

From ChildFund International

Leading Global Foundations Join Bilateral Donors in Commitment to Locally Led Global Development

From Hilton Foundation

Locally-led development: We are willing and ready

From The Aurum Institute

Produced by

Devex

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In partnership with

Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach more than 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Aurum Institute

The Aurum Institute is a proudly African organisation whose mission is to generate evidence for policy and translate policy into practice to positively impact the health of communities globally. They partner with governments, the private sector and civil society to design and deliver high-quality care and treatment to people in developing communities. Aurum's headquarters are in Johannesburg South Africa, with a staff presence in the USA and Europe, as well as operations in Mozambique, Ghana, Lesotho and eSwatini.

ChildFund International

Worldwide, 570 million children live in extreme poverty, vulnerable to many factors that threaten their well-being. Children need protection, support and care at each stage of childhood to stay safe, healthy, learning and on track to achieve their potential. ChildFund works with local partner organizations, governments, corporations and individuals to help create the safe environments children need to thrive.

Council on Foundations

The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association that serves as a guide for philanthropies as they advance the greater good. Building on our 75-year history, the Council supports over 850 member organizations in the United States and around the world to build trust in philanthropy, expand pathways to giving, engage broader perspectives, and co-create solutions that will lead to a better future for all.

Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to serve World War II survivors in Europe. Since then, they have expanded in size to reach more than 130 million people in more than 100 countries on five continents.

Global Health Advocacy Incubator

Drawing on decades of experience working with global civil society organizations across public health issues and political systems, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator provides strategic support to advocates working to enact and implement laws that save lives. Our history is rooted in one of the most successful public health campaigns — tobacco control. Building on the successes and lessons learned in the global fight against tobacco deaths, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids launched the Global Health Advocacy Incubator in 2014 to strengthen advocacy capacity to improve public health around the globe.

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels. We provide funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of individuals living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage throughout the world.

International Cooperative Research Group - OCDC

The International Cooperative Research Group (ICRG) collaborates, partners, and co-creates with local researchers and cooperative development stakeholders. We carry out rigorous, locally-led research that bridges the gap between theory and practice. In the ICRG’s research, learning, and application model, research activity builds trust, ownership, and uptake of outcomes through engagement with key local stakeholders. This collaborative approach amplifies our research outcomes, deepens local uptake of concepts, and thus changes lives.

Mayors Migration Council

The Mayors Migration Council is a mayor-led coalition that accelerates ambitious global action on migration and displacement. Created by mayors for mayors, we are a coalition of 200+ city leaders from all over the world. We are guided by a Leadership Board of global city leaders and supported by a nimble team of political advisors and urban practitioners. As a Sponsored Project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, our work is made possible by philanthropic and government funders.

UNHCR

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated by the General Assembly of the United Nations (Resolution 428 (V), December 1950) to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees supports the work of the High Commissioner.

UNICEF

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

African Visionary Fund

The African Visionary Fund is unleashing breakthrough impact and tackling systemic inequities by driving resources and offering unrestricted, unburdensome funding to high-impact African founders.

International Development Innovation Alliance

IDIA is a collaboration platform that brings together senior leadership from the world's leading development innovation agencies.

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