How did the Hewlett Foundation contribute to Sonora Ciudadana?
In 2007–2008 the founder of Sonora Ciudadana was invited by Hewlett Foundation Program Officers to share his vision for Sonora Ciudadana and some of its early successes monitoring state-level budget allocations and service delivery. Sonora Ciudadana’s goals and objectives closely aligned with the foundation’s accountability strategy — particularly the emphasis on accessing public health services. Their model of intervention used access to information laws, analysis of program operating rules, budget analysis, strategic litigation (key for setting precedents), and citizen engagement to test and enforce local accountability structures and service delivery programs.
At the time, Hewlett was very focused on strengthening access to information at the subnational level and given the close relationship of its founder with Fundar, a longstanding Hewlett grantee, investment in Sonora Ciudadana presented a lower risk strategy for subnational engagement than working to support subnational CSOs that were not as familiar to the foundation.
Sonora Ciudadana was a key grantee for helping watchdogs gain access to budget information so they could impact the efficiency and equitable distribution of budget allocations at the local-level. For example, the initiative Rebelión de los Enfermos (Rebellion of the sick) fought for equal access to health services by low-income government workers. The case was settled by the Supreme Court in favor of the initiative. This win required the state government to provide health services to public employees previously excluded from the public insurance system for having pre-existing conditions.
The first three years of Hewlett’s support of Sonora Ciudadana were in the form of program support centered on research and advocacy to share evidence of misuse of public funds and shining a light on the political opacity in the state. Important work included the following:
- Training local NGOs on how to access state and federal information to strengthen their advocacy
- A partnership with a local radio station to produce and air a radio talk show to promote greater awareness of the benefits and use of transparency laws
- The promotion of public interest litigation cases
In 2010, the Hewlett Foundation awarded Sonora Ciudadana the first of seven General Operating Support (GOS) grants. These allowed more flexibility, and enabled Sonora Ciudadana to redirect funds where there was the greatest need and allowed the organization to invest in strengthening staff capacity and to respond to policy priorities. For example, funds were used to train staff in effective communications, hire an editor and a campaign manager, and strengthen the capacity of administrative and finance staff. Hewlett support even enabled the organization to provide a modest safety net for staff by contributing to their social security.
