STATE OF THE FIELD IN YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents
Chapter 9
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Annexes
State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities
savings, credit accompanied with training and support, jobs that pay fair wages and treat workers
justly, and/or market access.
• Environmental Justice: Programs promote people’s access, participation and rights in the care of
their water, soil, air, seeds, forests, fisheries, livestock and land.
13.5.1 Bright Ideas: IDEX Takes a Collaborative Approach to Funding
Grassroots Organizations
Chapter 13: Donor Strategies and Initiatives
IDEX has learned the following lessons in partnering
with grassroots organizations:
• Long-term relationship building: IDEX engages in
a long-term process that begins with a trial year of
relationship building. They strive for lasting, trusting,
reciprocal and humble relationships. Listening,
understanding, and respect, as well as insight
from the ground, form critical elements of the
partnership.
• Mutual and transparent evaluation of
effectiveness: Grantee organizations evaluate
IDEX’s effectiveness and vice versa. IDEX employs a
diverse evaluation process that includes site visits,
surveys and reports. The intention is to promote
an atmosphere of mutual learning whereby IDEX
understands their partners’ successes and challenges
and partners are able to provide honest feedback to
IDEX staff as well as request support.
• Eliminate barriers in grant seeking: IDEX wants
to ensure that partners understand what they are
getting with IDEX and other international funding
organizations. IDEX brings the voices of grassroots
organizations to the United States utilizing social
media, learning events and partner visits. When
grassroots leaders visit the U.S., they meet with other
funders, non-profits, government and community
leaders to gain exposure and build alliances. These
visits support the capacity building of partners.
• Respect what already exists: Observe, witness,
and understand civil society before making
funding decisions. IDEX is committed to acting in
true partnership and acknowledging the power
imbalance inherent in funding relationships. To do
this, IDEX supports individuals and communities
to step into their power as leaders and game
changers, advocates for philanthropy to adopt
more egalitarian practices, to balance learning
between Global South and North that engenders
hopefulness, to raise resources and facilitate
connections.
For more information about IDEX, see www.idex.org.
13.6 Additional Resources
• To view presentation material, please visit: www.youtheconomicopportunities.org/agenda.asp.
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