Hewlett Foundation contributions to the Colectivo and the Red
The Hewlett Foundation contributed in three main ways to the Colectivo por la Transparencia (Colectivo) and the Red por la Rendición de Cuentas (Red):
Direct funding to the Colectivo and the Red
Hewlett awarded grants to the founders of the Colectivo (Fundar) and the Red (CIDE) to operate these coalitions and to produce research, publications, networking, dissemination, capacity building and engagement with key actors. In the case of the Red, Hewlett was particularly interested in supporting good quality research that could be used to influence policy.
Each group had its own strategic approach to its collaborative work. The Colectivo worked with a small group of civil society organizations with a strong focus on capacity building, dissemination and activism. The Red, on the other hand, worked with a broader network of diverse organizations, with research and evidence-based policy engagement at the forefront of their agenda. In both cases, however, Hewlett Foundation funding was central for fostering trust, collaborative action, and new ideas and approaches to shape the agenda.
Multi-annual support and long-term commitment by Hewlett reflected an understanding that the issues at hand could not be resolved in the short-term and would require medium to long-term engagement to sustain efforts. This was a key feature of Hewlett’s support for transparency and accountability work. Having medium to long-term funding periods gave the coalitions time and space to coordinate and strategize.
Funding to organizations that are or were part of the Colectivo and the Red
Hewlett’s second contribution to the Colectivo and the Red was through its support of their members. Colectivo and Red members have been Hewlett grantees, and in most cases, very salient and active as part of these coalitions.
In the Colectivo, about one third of members were Hewlett Grantees. Hewlett has been an important partner for these organizations, financing much of their research, policy engagement and communications activities, which enables them to deliver strong results as independent organizations. By having solidly supported CSOs with their own stakeholder engagement spaces, the Colectivo also gained in strength.
As for the Red, several of its 81 members who are actively engaged in research, communications, capacity building knowledge exchange and policy influencing are Hewlett grantees. These grantees are among the most active in the network, with their research outputs and technical publications underpinning the communications and engagement work of the Red.
Creation of a community of practice
The Hewlett Foundation fostered the development of a community of practice by bringing its multiple and diverse grantees working in the field of transparency and accountability together. At the Transparency Breakfasts organized by the Hewlett Foundation, these organizations exchanged knowledge and planned to work together to achieve more than they could have done if working individually. These collaborative efforts greatly helped the Colectivo and the Red identify and plan joint advocacy and engagement strategies.
