Financing Development Projects: An Approach by Civil Society Organizations

Abstract

This article analyzes how financing rules in civil society organizations affect their ability to promote development. The hypothesis proposes that there is a contradiction between the expectations of social innovation, and rules of competition for resources that respond to the efficiency and control paradigms. As a result, Civil Society Organizations have a limited ability to promote projects with a long‐term effect, and civil society’s autonomy is undermined. This study is based on a phenomenological approach and was carried out using semi‐structured interviews with nine organizations working in Mexico.