Civil Society Activity Quarterly Progress Report – FY18 Q3

The program was originally designed to achieve this goal through three components: reducing barriers to ISOs and CSOs obtaining and maintaining legal registration, instituting a grants program to ISOs and CSOs engaged in crime and violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and human rights, and strengthening Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) of targeted ISOs and CSOs. During the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2018, significant achievements were made in these areas. USAID supported the generation of specialized knowledge on civil society strengthening through the presentation of advances of the "Fortalecimiento Institucional de OSC en México" project. This project brought together various stakeholders, including UNDP, Alternativas y Capacidades, Citibanamex, Fundación Cinépolis, Fundación Televisa, GIZ, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Relations, Monex, Nacional Monte de Piedad, Procura, Promotora Social México, and CSA. Civil Society Organizations received training in tax and anti-money laundering law, enabling them to learn about their legal obligations and acquire tools to assess and increase their compliance. Additionally, INDESOL, a key influencer in the system, received training for its staff in the legal framework for CSOs, connected to direct legal advice from Pro Bono Firms. This capacity development activity was attended by 10 GoM Officers and 30 members. USAID/Civil Society Activity also strengthened collaborative relationships with the Board of Directors of Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuense (FECHAC). Adrián Aguirre, Director of FECHAC, expressed enthusiasm for carrying out their self-assessment and learning methodologies in institutional strengthening to apply with hundreds of partner organizations that work with FECHAC. Representatives of civil society organizations received training in labor law, connected to direct pro bono legal advice from top law firms. Participants were able to assess their level of compliance, and organizations with specific needs were offered access to specialized legal advice through a pro bono network of law firms. The CSA team also met with the Board of Directors of FECHAC to initiate collaboration on civil society strengthening. Furthermore, a meeting was held to discuss findings and recommendations from the Institutional Performance Assessment and to implement the Systems Mapping Exercise with Fundación Dibujando un Mañana (FDuM). The Board of Directors, leadership, and operations staff of the foundation were invited to voice their concerns and questions regarding the findings and recommendations. The four Intermediate Support Organizations (ISOs) collaborating with USAID Civil Society Activity met to exchange knowledge and further their articulation to launch their Request for Proposals from CSOs. The organizations defined a set of eligibility criteria for the proposals, which will be used to select CSOs for funding. Overall, the CSA has made significant progress in its efforts to improve the institutional capacity and sustainability of Mexican CSOs. The program's achievements in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2018 demonstrate its commitment to supporting the development of a strong and effective civil society in Mexico.