News and views

The latest news, blogs and opinions from across the international development and humanitarian sectors.

Bond experts, members and thought leaders from civil society provide the latest insights and trends across a range of topics, including: aid, funding, politics, Brexit, the SDGs, communications, public support, project management, leadership and civic space.

Sign up to our newsletter for a weekly digest of the latest news, views, events, funding opportunities, jobs and training. You can also subscribe to our podcast on the Apple and Google Play stores.

Community meeting in Myanmar

The new UK International Development Strategy doesn't join the dots on conflict

17 May 2022
On conflict and fragility, the UK government’s new International Development Strategy, published on Monday, says many of the right things. Yet the strategy misses a big opportunity to join the dots, and to look at the root causes of conflict.
Paulina Luza (centre-left), Secretary-General of Peru's Domestic Workers' Union with other members at the union's headquarters. Lima, Peru (August 2015) © Juan Arredondo/Getty Images.

Is the International Development Strategy good news for gender equality?

17 May 2022
“Provide women and girls with the freedom they need to succeed” is one of the priorities in the new International Development Strategy. Is this good news? Only if FCDO goes beyond political initiatives and slogans and takes real action.
Liz Truss holds a call with other G7 foreign ministers to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

The International Development Strategy: a rapid assessment

16 May 2022
Today the UK government released the long-awaited International Development Strategy (IDS). The IDS sets out what the UK’s approach to development will be and highlights the priorities for the FCDO going forward. Here is an overview of what it says.
Restructuring your organisation

NGO restructuring – embrace the change

11 May 2022
MzN consultants help NGOs with remodelling and restructuring. Here they share some of their experiences in restructuring, looking at the challenges, as well as the opportunities, they have encountered.

How to land media coverage: a guide for small NGOs

10 May 2022
Landing media coverage for your organisation can help expand your influence, raise awareness of your work with the public and donors, highlight success or pressing issues and campaign for change. Here are a few tips to help you along the way

Time to level the funding playing field for local partners?

10 May 2022
During the first of our Responsible Fundraising sessions we heard a fascinating and informative insight into how Restless Development have embraced and implemented their responsible fundraising strategy. Here is what we learnt.  
UN buildings with the SDGs projected onto them.

Almost halfway to 2030: re-making the case for the SDGs

4 May 2022
The SDGs provide the framework to address the interconnected crises of climate change, Covid-19, conflict, poverty and inequality, while leaving no one behind. But time is running out to implement them in full across sectors. Action must be taken.
Ripple Effect farmer Leah from Western Kenya

How does a small charity have a big impact?

3 May 2022
Send a Cow has a bold new ambition, which hopes to make even more impact in the communities they work in – and their new name, Ripple Effect, perfectly represents how they’re going to achieve it.
Community meeting in Myanmar

The new UK International Development Strategy doesn't join the dots on conflict

17 May 2022
On conflict and fragility, the UK government’s new International Development Strategy, published on Monday, says many of the right things. Yet the strategy misses a big opportunity to join the dots, and to look at the root causes of conflict.
Paulina Luza (centre-left), Secretary-General of Peru's Domestic Workers' Union with other members at the union's headquarters. Lima, Peru (August 2015) © Juan Arredondo/Getty Images.

Is the International Development Strategy good news for gender equality?

17 May 2022
“Provide women and girls with the freedom they need to succeed” is one of the priorities in the new International Development Strategy. Is this good news? Only if FCDO goes beyond political initiatives and slogans and takes real action.
Liz Truss holds a call with other G7 foreign ministers to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

The International Development Strategy: a rapid assessment

16 May 2022
Today the UK government released the long-awaited International Development Strategy (IDS). The IDS sets out what the UK’s approach to development will be and highlights the priorities for the FCDO going forward. Here is an overview of what it says.
Earth day illustration depicting world unity

Can we unite around the world we want to see?

26 April 2022
If a new approach to equality and development were to gain traction in the UK, it could have a lasting impact on how global solidarity is viewed and enacted by the rest of Europe and even the world.
Boris Johnson accompanied by the Home Secretary Priti Patel visit North Yorkshire Police HQ.

The nationality and borders bill is making me question whether I’ll ever be accepted

25 April 2022
With the nationality and borders bill edging closer to becoming law in the UK, Tahira Kulsoom of the Aid Alliance is asking a pretty fundamental question—what will it take to be accepted in the country you are born in?  
disability and inclusion

Are we in danger of rolling backwards on global disability inclusion progress?

22 April 2022
Following the launch in February of the government's new Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy, the Bond Disability and Development Group analyse what they've learned from the strategy, and whether the commitments fall short of what is needed.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss holds Baltic Summit

What do the latest UK aid provisional statistics tell us?

13 April 2022
A look at what we learned from the release of the UK’s Provisional Statistics on International Development and the OECD DAC Preliminary ODA Levels. These statistics give us an insight into how the UK chose to spend its ODA in 2021.

What does progressive, decolonised economics look like in practice?

4 April 2022
Last week, international development economists Dr Priya Lukka and Dr Surbhi Kesar both shared their reflections on how and why the global economic order needed to be challenged and dismantled. Here are their main arguments.

How to land media coverage: a guide for small NGOs

10 May 2022
Landing media coverage for your organisation can help expand your influence, raise awareness of your work with the public and donors, highlight success or pressing issues and campaign for change. Here are a few tips to help you along the way
Hands together

Meeting people where they are at? Sure, just don’t leave them there

16 March 2022
It’s a laudable aim to engage groups who have lost faith in international institutions and “meet them where they are at” as the We The Helpers campaign set out to do. But we have a duty to move towards greater understanding and global solidarity.
Speech

Is now the time to rename "aid"?

7 December 2021
Last week, the Kampala Initiative hosted an event asking whether now is the time to rename "aid”. Bond's Head of Media and Communications, Maryam Mohsin, shares her reflections from the thought-provoking session.
A screenshot of the communities platform

Bond launches new communities platform for members

1 December 2021
Our communities platform is a new and improved online space to help colleagues from across Bond’s membership connect with any of Bond's 40 working groups, manage your registrations for our events and training courses, and recruit the best talent.
Snippet from the "Talking Disabilities" animation

Talking Disability: The new animation for those who dare to do it differently

1 November 2021
What makes a “good disability story”? How can we embrace authentic voices for inclusive storytelling and journalism? Bond’s Disability and Development Group have launched a new animation which provides some solutions to these questions.
Illustration created by Vidushi and her team for Urgent Action Fund Asia and Pacific

Challenging harmful visual narratives through images

10 September 2021
In order to stop perpetuating white saviourism, we need to strategically shift the narrative towards love, hope, solidarity and connection. We need to re-imagine our choice of images to represent people in their power.
Speech

Devspeak: are the words we use doing more harm than good?

25 August 2021
Development and NGO clichés can be problematic for a variety of reasons. So how can we encourage people to put a bit more thought into how they communicate, without being too prescriptive?
Examples of the largest collection of free and open source hopeful human rights art from TheGreats.co

How can we use images of hope to campaign for human rights?

14 April 2021
What is the picture we want people to see when they think of human rights? This new project from Fine Acts and hope-based communications sought to answer the question with a series of new images.

Time to level the funding playing field for local partners?

10 May 2022
During the first of our Responsible Fundraising sessions we heard a fascinating and informative insight into how Restless Development have embraced and implemented their responsible fundraising strategy. Here is what we learnt.  
Money arranged into a world map

Are INGOs ready to fundraise responsibly and achieve locally-led development?  

24 November 2021
Bond's funding policy manager, Zoe Abrahamson recently convened a group of UK and international fundraisers to find out how Bond can better support NGOs to fundraise in ways that support locally-led development. Here are her reflections.
Proposal planning documents

10 tips for writing better project proposals

17 November 2021
Writing successful proposals is essential to the work of every aid and development organisation. Here are some of the most important tips for creating proposals that are more likely to stand out to key decision makers.

Shifting to locally-led development starts with how we transform ourselves

19 October 2021
Locally-led development has shot back up the international development communities’ agenda but what does this mean for our approach to funding community-led programmes?

Six tips for success with institutional fundraising in 2021

31 August 2021
This blog offers expert advice on how you can make your organisation stand out to keep your institutional funding pipeline growing.

What does good funding look like?

2 August 2021
With so much riding on the international development strategy, we will be anxious to see whether ODA remains focused on delivering long-term, sustainable and community-led programmes, for the people who need them the most.

Diversifying income streams – emerging lessons from the Enterprise Development Programme

28 July 2021
With the recent aid cuts and an increasingly volatile donor situation, is it time for NGOs in the international development sector to embrace and utilise enterprise income?
Money

Building financial reserves as we recover from the current financial crisis

6 May 2021
As NGOs grapple with grant cuts and other pressures, financial reserves and building sustainable income streams are more important than ever.

5 programmes putting women and girls at the centre of development

8 March 2021
This International Women’s Day, Bond members celebrate just some of the many programmes that are putting women and girls at the heart of development.
COVID Relief volunteers in Bangkok

5 ways NGOs are working with local partners to respond to Covid-19

29 April 2020
International NGOs are working with local partners to reassess and adapt how they support the world's most vulnerable communities through the Covid-19 crisis.
Margaret Klonzo of Amref Health Africa

Community health workers: the first line of defence against Covid-19 in Africa

23 April 2020
As seen from the Ebola outbreak, community health workers are essential to ensuring communities stay healthy as coronavirus spreads in Africa.
Nana Afadzinu holding a workshop on #ShiftThePower

Going beyond Western models of value to shift the power

16 January 2020
NGOs in the global south often have to jump through hoops for foreign donors. They are bereft of power in many ways. How can we shift the power to make it more balanced?
"Ava" and her newborn baby at the IDP Camp, Bunia General Hospital, Democratic Republic of Congo 

Why we need to keep talking about inequality

15 October 2019
If we want to eradicate global poverty, we need to tackle the political and structural factors that are driving inequality.

Tapping into local knowledge to diversify income

12 September 2019
ChildHope UK drew on the expertise of local partners to build a consultancy to deliver their mission and financial value.
Children from World Vision peace club in Kenya

Listen to children and young people in policy making

12 August 2019
Children and young people have the right to participate in policy decisions that effect them. How can we facilitate this?
Satellite image

6 ways artificial intelligence is being used in international development 

8 August 2019
A look at some promising ideas and projects showing how artificial intelligence can potentially help with international development.

We can only transform the lives of animals and people with systemic change

20 April 2022
A look at the new strategy from Brooke, who has evolved their strategy beyond just eradicating equines’ suffering, to addressing the systemic problems that affect these animals, their communities and our shared environment.
Woman harvesting sea weed on a sea plantation in Tanzania.

The Participatory CLD Assessment Tool: Helping INGOs shift power

10 March 2022
The Participatory Community-led Development Assessment Tool was created to enable non-profits to deliver on their commitment to locally-led development. Here's a look at how it was made, and what the tool has helped INGOs achieve around the world.
Collecting water at the Kitongi spring

Women and water

9 March 2022
Unequal power and decision-making within families is one of the factors that mean women are more affected by the impact of climate crisis. Send A Cow are working to redress the balance with their projects in Kenya.
Interpol headquarters

Project Soteria: A long-term solution to the puzzle of safeguarding

23 February 2022
In the next decade we hope to see more survivors be able to come forward. We hope to see aid workers and those who commit sexual violence across the globe to come to justice. Project Soteria will help this happen.
Loop logo

Is “Talk to Loop” the answer to getting feedback from the communities we work with?

3 February 2022
An overview of the Talk to Loop platform, which is a mechanism using existing phone and computer technology to allow people receiving aid to give feedback safely, easily and without having to wait to be asked.

Shifting to locally-led development starts with how we transform ourselves

19 October 2021
Locally-led development has shot back up the international development communities’ agenda but what does this mean for our approach to funding community-led programmes?
Speech

Devspeak: are the words we use doing more harm than good?

25 August 2021
Development and NGO clichés can be problematic for a variety of reasons. So how can we encourage people to put a bit more thought into how they communicate, without being too prescriptive?
Volunteers load supplies outside town hall in Antigua, Guatemala to take to area affected by eruption of Fuego (fire) volcano

Grand Bargain 2.0: Tinkering or transformation?

8 July 2021
Without a more audacious vision, a more efficient and effective humanitarian system will remain out of the Grand Bargain’s reach.
Restructuring your organisation

NGO restructuring – embrace the change

11 May 2022
MzN consultants help NGOs with remodelling and restructuring. Here they share some of their experiences in restructuring, looking at the challenges, as well as the opportunities, they have encountered.

We can only transform the lives of animals and people with systemic change

20 April 2022
A look at the new strategy from Brooke, who has evolved their strategy beyond just eradicating equines’ suffering, to addressing the systemic problems that affect these animals, their communities and our shared environment.
Workforce

How racism manifests itself in NGO culture and structures - part two: The pitfall of EDI

12 April 2022
An active intersectional practice against racism and white supremacy in all their manifestations and across all areas of work is required, including across EDI practices. Part two of our blogs looking at culture and structures inside of NGOs.
Discrimination depiction

How racism manifests itself in NGO culture and structures - part one: Deep structures

6 April 2022
In the first of our series looking at racism in development, this blog is part one of two pieces looking at culture and structures inside of NGOs and the discrimination it exacerbates.
Directory screenshot

Bond launches new Services Directory

10 February 2022
Our members often ask us to recommend suppliers and service delivery organisations so, based on the types of advice we are asked for, we created the Bond Services Directory. Find out how to use it, and how you can advertise on it.
Recycling bin

How to build a climate-resilient NGO in 2022

9 February 2022
We can all help build climate resilience. There are many ways to incorporate resilience-building into non-climate focused development work and how we run our organisations. Here are some tips for your organisation.
Vertical garden on an office building

Creating a sustainable, digital NGO in 2022

12 January 2022
Building sustainable NGOs, projects and practices, rooted in a digital platform, is the only viable path to take if we want to continue making an ongoing impact in the years to come. 

Mergers: The dog that didn’t bark

9 December 2021
As the pandemic hit the charity sector, much was said about the likely consolidation of NGOs through merger and acquisition. Is “merger” still a dirty word in the charity sector and what are the actual risks and benefits?

Members' tweets

@TheHALOTrust
4 years ago

Mine clearance is transformative. That's why we're campaigning for a #LandmineFree2025 https://t.co/Nw4hK5XhR7

@IAPB1
4 years ago

The IAPB Standard List @IAPB_SL is working on updating an Essential List for #DiabeticRetinopathy. Until then, here… https://t.co/vmmHJUVyAH

@WorldHabitat
4 years ago

‘On the table’ conversation = likely to draw previously silent citizens into a discussion of problems and potential… https://t.co/Vo2DeqgLm6