#ShiftThePower Manifesto for Change

If we want to create a genuine alternative to existing ways of deciding and doing, we need to:

1. Embrace a vision of a ‘good society’ built around core values of equality, democracy and sustainability and a set of organizing principles based on global solidarity and distributed leadership.

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2. Cast off the restrictive framework of ‘international development’, which is defined by money and power and which creates artificial barriers between communities and movements in the Global North and South.

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3. Move away from a system preoccupied with quick ‘solutions’, and that is premised on and organized around the transfer of funds. Change how we approach, and seek to measure, the notion of success.

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4. Creatively find ways to unlock the inherent power of communities in determining their own development course – however they define it – and let the language of ‘beneficiaries’ and ‘recipients’ be a thing of the past.

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5. Move away from ‘building capacity’ as defined by external actors and requirements, towards community organizing and movement building, where ‘capacity’ equates to relevance, rootedness and constituency.

English

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Português

Français

6. Ensure that external funding recognizes, respects and builds on local resources and assets, rather than overlooks, undermines or displaces.

English

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Português

Français

7. Expand our horizons beyond money as the central driver of change, and place greater value on other kinds of infinite non-financial assets and resources (knowledge, trust, networks etc.).

English

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Português

Français

8. Change the language we use so that it enables new ways of working and thinking, rather than constrains them. And challenge the dominance of English.

English

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Português

Français

9. Change ourselves. We need both humility and boldness, and to be ready to challenge our own power and to listen to and work with others.

English

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Português

Français

In short, we want a future that is negotiated, participatory, and widely owned, and which is developed through values and processes based on movement generosity rather than the success or failure of one organization over others.

#ShiftThePower Manifesto for Change

If we want to create a genuine alternative to existing ways of deciding and doing, we need to:

1. Embrace a vision of a ‘good society’ built around core values of equality, democracy and sustainability and a set of organizing principles based on global solidarity and distributed leadership.

2. Cast off the restrictive framework of ‘international development’, which is defined by money and power and which creates artificial barriers between communities and movements in the Global North and South.

3. Move away from a system preoccupied with quick ‘solutions’, and that is premised on and organized around the transfer of funds. Change how we approach, and seek to measure, the notion of success.

4. Creatively find ways to unlock the inherent power of communities in determining their own development course – however they define it – and let the language of ‘beneficiaries’ and ‘recipients’ be a thing of the past.

5. Move away from ‘building capacity’ as defined by external actors and requirements, towards community organizing and movement building, where ‘capacity’ equates to relevance, rootedness and constituency.

6. Ensure that external funding recognizes, respects and builds on local resources and assets, rather than overlooks, undermines or displaces.

7. Expand our horizons beyond money as the central driver of change, and place greater value on other kinds of infinite non-financial assets and resources (knowledge, trust, networks etc.).

8. Change the language we use so that it enables new ways of working and thinking, rather than constrains them. And challenge the dominance of English.

9. Change ourselves. We need both humility and boldness, and to be ready to challenge our own power and to listen to and work with others.

In short, we want a future that is negotiated, participatory, and widely owned, and which is developed through values and processes based on movement generosity rather than the success or failure of one organization over others.

© Global Fund for Community Foundations