CIVICUS Digital Action Lab: Unleashing Tech for Democracy 2024

Welcome to Digital Action Lab (DAL), an initiative empowering civil society actors in countries facing restricted civic space, with the skills, resources and confidence to take effective action for inclusive democracy.

DAL'S MISSION:

To cultivate real-world pilot projects that strengthen the organising, advocacy, and campaign capacities of participating civil society groups in the Global South, including via enhanced collaboration with local allies. By doing so, we will develop the knowledge, approaches, and tools needed to support even more pro-democracy organisations.

HOW IT WORKS:

We will use an open nomination and application process to select DAL cohorts of up to ten civil society organisations. Over a nine month period, these participants will work with the CIVICUS team, technical experts, and each other to develop a fully funded project which will be delivered in their local setting. 

• Table of Content
• About Civicus
• Civicus Digital Action Lab
• Aim and Benefits of Civicus Digital Action Lab
• Requirements for Civicus Digital Action Lab Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Civicus Digital Action Lab
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Civicus

CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. We were established in 1993 and since 2002 have been proudly headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with additional hubs across the globe. We are a membership alliance with more than 9,000 members in more than 175 countries. Our definition of civil society is broad and covers non-governmental organisations, activists, civil society coalitions and networks, protest and social movements, voluntary bodies, campaigning organisations... continue reading

Civicus Digital Action Lab

Aim and Benefits of Civicus Digital Action Lab

Create and control your DAL experience:

• Participate in an initial in-person co-creation workshop to define your DAL cohort’s joint priorities and ways of working together, along with a discovery process to identify the focus of your specific pilot project.

Tailored skill enhancement and confidence building:

• Seize the chance to improve your skills through tailored workshops and training plans which address the unique needs and challenges of your organisation. DAL is committed to building your confidence, empowering you with the knowledge and expertise  to leverage new digital opportunities for your work.

Financial support for participation and implementation:

• Access a grant ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 USD to fund both your costs of participating in the DAL and the implementation of your DAL pilot project.

Take existing work to the next level:

• Rather than start from scratch, DAL projects will focus on enhancing your current strategies and approaches, to maximise impact and sustainability. You already know what is needed to deliver real change for inclusive democracy. The DAL will simply help you to unlock your digital potential.

Explore and test digital solutions:

• Receive funding and support to find the digital tools and approaches you need to overcome persistent challenges or turbo-charge your existing practices. This could be directly related to enhancing your organising, advocacy, and campaign work, or strengthening the organisational systems and capacities these activities depend on.

Structured format for meaningful engagement:

• Participate in the DAL via online collaboration platforms, virtual workshops, localised implementation activities, and at least one in-person workshop. This combination of settings and formats aims to maximise opportunities for engagement with the DAL team, peer-learning, and community building.

Documentation and knowledge sharing:

• Contribute to the creation of case studies, infographics, videos and other knowledge products that document your approaches, successes, and lessons learned. Your experiences will be shared through the DDI knowledge hub and broader CIVICUS strategic networks, aiding other civil society actors in their efforts to expand civic and democratic freedoms.

Showcase progress and networking opportunities:

• Participate in a DAL achievement summit at the end of the initiative, along with additional opportunities for engaging wider networks, including communities and events like I4C, Vuka!, RightsCon, and more. Connect with like-minded peers, share successes and challenges, and foster collaborations to further enhance your work.

Requirements for Civicus Digital Action Lab Qualification

The Digital Action Lab (DAL) is open to civil society organisations from the Global South, that are actively involved in advancing inclusive democracy civic space. Organisations representing historically excluded groups, such as rural communities, indigenous peoples, women, youth, and the LGBT+ community, are encouraged to apply or be nominated, and will make up at least 50% of each cohort. We will also be prioritising organisations from countries with restricted civic space. The programme seeks collaborators who are committed to shaping and testing digital interventions to strengthen their organising, advocacy, and campaign capacities, or other organisational systems and capabilities which underpin this work.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Civicus Digital Action Lab

DURATION AND SCHEDULE:

1. The first DAL cohort will run for nine months
2. Organizations will be notified about the results of their applications by mid-January 2023
3. Partnership agreements will be in place with all organisations by January 2024, followed by a full onboarding process
4. The in-person codesign event will tentatively take place in February 202. Location to be confirmed.
5. Development of the program
6. Achievement summit
7. End of the first cohort in September 2024

Application Deadline

How to Apply

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

APPLY NOW FOR DIGITAL ACTION LAB

Submit your application for a place in the DAL, or nominate another organisation to apply.

APPLY NOW 

NOMINATE HERE

The application form will ask you about the nature of your organisation, including its mission, the communities you work with and for, and the approaches you use to promote inclusive democracy and civic space. It also asks about how you currently use technology, why you want to be a part of the DAL, and any specific accessibility requirements you may have.

For more details visit: Civicus website.