Giving Compass' Take:

• CEO of the Obama Foundation David Simas offers insights into how NGOs and other organizations that are threatened by the growing populism movement can work to resist it.

• Can all of these organization survive the wave of populist policies? Should they? 

• The Carnegie Foundation conducted research to understand how civil society can gain and retain legitimacy in the communities they work with.

CEO of the Obama Foundation David Simas advised NGOs and advocacy organizations with global missions to focus on building trust at the community level in order to face down the rising tide of populism in both key donor states and the localities they work in.

“Unless NGOs can build a community-type of cohesion, then they’re always an outside organization trying to be helpful. And that’s just not the right place to be in moments like this.”

Populist movements, such as those associated with the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and the elections of U.S. President Donald Trump, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and others have resulted in deep cuts to foreign aid, shoring up of powerful economies, and curbing of international civil society spaces. This has left international aid and advocacy organizations asking whether overseas aid may be swept up in a rapid global retreat.

Simas said that in the undeniable trend toward populism — which signals at its essence a disconnect between communities — aid organizations should audit their own relevance to the communities they serve.

Read the full article about resiting populism by Molly Anders at Devex International Development.