Strengthening Civil Society Globally Quarterly Progress Report January 1 – March 31, 2021

The SCS Global leadership team made substantial headway in planning for these events, which are scheduled to take place in May 2021. The team also continued initial planning for the 2021 SCS Global MEL event, a key milestone in the project's Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework. Additionally, the CivicSpace.tech site was refined based on feedback received from user testing in Quarter 18, with further feedback gathered from the Global Development Lab and users. The refinements were categorized into those that can be made during the project's Performance and Oversight Period (POP) and those that will require additional funding. The team completed content for the updated Community Media Viability Guide, a key resource for community media organizations. The guide is expected to be formatted and released in Summer 2021. Furthermore, the SCS Global team incorporated new details and experiences from upcoming AAs into The Peaks and Pitfalls of Co-Creation white paper, which will be updated to reflect the co-creation approach of these new AAs. The team also completed applications for five new AAs in Quarter 20, including projects in Lebanon, Mexico, Cambodia, Belarus, and Zambia. Most of these new AAs will involve co-creation, which will be documented in the updated version of the co-creation white paper. Finally, the SCS Global team continued conversations with USAID's Africa Bureau regarding a new AA to support additional transition in the region. The SCS Global team's progress in Quarter 20 demonstrates its commitment to strengthening civil society globally and advancing the project's objectives. The team's achievements in planning regional learning events, refining the CivicSpace.tech site, and completing the Community Media Viability Guide are significant milestones in the project's progress. The project's Associate Awards (AAs) are a key component of the SCS Global initiative, providing funding and support to local partners and civil society organizations in various regions. The AAs are designed to promote civic participation, freedom of expression, and positive change, and to support the development of effective approaches to strengthening civil society and media. The SCS Global team's work in Quarter 20 has laid the foundation for continued progress in the upcoming quarter. The team's priorities for the next quarter include refining the CivicSpace.tech site, completing the co-creation white paper, and finalizing the Community Media Viability Guide. The team will also continue to work with USAID's Africa Bureau to support additional transition in the region.