Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists, based in Washington, DC, that works to strengthen citizen action and civil society. Its website describes an alliance of more than 17,000 members in over 175 countries; the organization says it was formed in 1993.
Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation at a glance
In short: Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation reported $3.2M in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $3,171,867 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +16306.5% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $14,531,746
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $5,994,053
- -1.5% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $254,234
- +27.7% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $7,938,474
- -8.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- How to Apply
-
CRF applicants may submit applications throughout the year for rolling review. CSF applicants must be CIVICUS voting or associate members and meet the fund’s eligibility guidelines. CIVICUS’s filing narrative says grants have an activity budget for a stipulated period and that grantees provide a detailed expense report with supporting documents at the end of the activity period.
- Review Cycle
- The CRF has no fixed deadline stated; applications are received and reviewed throughout the year.
- Deadline
- The CRF has no fixed deadline stated; applications are received and reviewed throughout the year.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1775 Eye Street Nw 1150, Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (314) 591-7974
Website: https://civicus.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 11 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CIVICUS describes its work as global. Its website says it prioritises sustaining progressive actors in the Global South and improving resource access and resilience for smaller organisations. The CRF and CSF materials describe eligible or intended applicants by organisational type, membership and circumstances rather than specifying a country list.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
How Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation gives
- Giving grew 93% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2021) to $3.2M (2025). In 2025 it reported $3.2M in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Latin American and Caribbean Network Wayland, MA | Civic Space Research | $11,333 |
| Neo Philanthropy New York, NY | Civic Space Research | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $14,531,746 | $5,994,053 | $7,938,474 | $3,171,867 | Total only | $254,234 |
| 2024 | $13,741,538 | $6,084,811 | $8,704,962 | $19,333 | 2 | $199,024 |
| 2023 | $15,553,588 | $10,572,711 | $10,233,754 | $30,000 | 3 | $71,550 |
| 2022 | $16,633,462 | $11,155,413 | $8,193,457 | $74,383 | 5 | $1,007 |
| 2021 | $11,497,317 | $14,106,058 | $9,898,095 | $9,999 | 1 | $950 |
| 2020 | $9,517,215 | $10,206,636 | $9,626,585 | $20,000 | 2 | $8,822 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CIVICUS’s stated mission is “to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world.” Its website says it works to build solidarity across borders, advocate for open civic spaces and systemic change, amplify voices that are often excluded, and promote resourcing for diverse and resilient civil society.
Its Crisis Response Fund (CRF) offers short-term advocacy and resiliency or emergency grants to formal or informal civil society organisations, groups and social movements working to expand civic and democratic freedoms. The fund focuses on protecting freedoms of assembly, association and expression. CRF guidance says smaller organisations, grassroots movements, collectives and traditionally marginalised groups are prioritised.
The CIVICUS Solidarity Fund (CSF) is a member-led, member-resourced fund for CIVICUS members that struggle to access resources and support. The website describes intended beneficiaries as including small formal or informal civil society organisations, individual activists, movements and early-stage social advocates and social entrepreneurs, particularly those from historically oppressed and marginalised groups.
CIVICUS also describes work in advocacy and campaigns, innovation and impact, digital democracy, and civic-space research. Its filing narrative describes the CIVICUS Monitor as tracking conditions for civil society in more than 198 countries and territories.
Grantmaking
IRS filing data reports two grants totaling $19,333 in 2024 and three grants totaling $30,000 in 2023. In 2025, the filing reports no grants. One identified 2024 recipient was NEO Philanthropy Inc., which received $8,000. NEO describes its own work as providing fiscal sponsorship, collaborative funds, strategic partnership programs, infrastructure support, financial management and capacity building for nonprofit leaders and institutions.
CIVICUS’s CRF offers grants for activities lasting three to six months, up to US$10,000 for one organisation or US$20,000 for two or more co-applicants. Applications are received throughout the year and reviewed on a rolling basis. Its Solidarity Fund offers grants of US$1,000 to US$10,000 for up to 12 months. The website says CSF applications are open to CIVICUS voting or associate members that meet its eligibility guidelines.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dylan Mathews as board chair and Sonia Kwami as vice board chair. Board members listed are Ekenia Chifamba, Sarah-Rose Dunn, Cristina Palabay, Blessing Oka Ewa, Patricia Tatis, Oma id Sharifi, Irene Petras and Mario Roset.
Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation is led by Dylan Mathews, Board Chair on every filing since 2023; 2 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dylan Mathews
Board Chair
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Claire Nylander
COO
Chief Operating Officer → COO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$122K (2020) → $159K (2025)
Mandeep Tiwana
Cpo
Chief Programmes Officer → Cpo, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$135K (2020) → $192K (2025)
Patricia Tatis
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mario Roset
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sonia Kwami
Vice Board Chair
Secretary → Vice Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cristina Palabay
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ekenia Chifamba
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Irene Petras
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omaid Sharifi
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah-Rose Dunn
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stellah Bosire
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blessing Oka Ewa
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ibarra Paulina Andrea
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yi Kang Choo
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Patricia J. Lerner (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Ana Addobbati (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Vandita Morarka (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Altinisik Serap (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Amitabh Behar (2020–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Anna Nilda Bullain (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Betty Barkha (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Guillermo Correa (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Julia Del Carmen Sanchez (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Maryam Al-Khawaja (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Amy Taylor (2020) — Chief Networks Officer
- Former: Daisy Ndikuno Owomugasho (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Jesse Chih Hao Chen (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Lorenzo Marsili (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Lysa John Berna (2020) — Secretary General
- Former: Nyaradzo Mashayamombe (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Ziya Guliyev (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $192K, to Mandeep Tiwana (CPO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation
How much does Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation give each year?
Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation reported $3.2M in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $19K across 2 grants.
How large is Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation?
Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation reported $14.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.0M.
What does Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation fund?
CIVICUS’s stated mission is “to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation?
CRF applicants may submit applications throughout the year for rolling review. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation make grants?
CIVICUS describes its work as global. Its website says it prioritises sustaining progressive actors in the Global South and improving resource access and resilience for smaller organisations. The CRF and CSF materials describe eligible or intended applicants by organisational type, membership and circumstances rather than specifying a country list.
What is Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation's EIN?
Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1847010. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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