News

The first quarter of 2025 has brought fresh challenges to the international development sector. With sudden, dramatic cuts to USAID and the unexpected announcement of UK Aid reductions by 2027, many organisations are turning inward, focused on survival. SWIDN are committed to supporting our members and wider international development community, and so are delivering a series of events throughout May designed to inspire and inform greater resilience within our sector. 

Funding has become increasingly difficult, with shrinking aid budgets, rising competition, and declining public giving. In our Funding Differently session, we’ll hear from a philanthropist, a corporate-funded INGO based in the South West, and a Nairobi-based consultant helping partners build their own fundraising capacity. Supporting partner resilience might include shifting fundraising capacity back to the countries in which programmes are implemented, or resourcing finance from sources outside the usual channels.

Supporting partner resilience may also involve addressing the historical trends that have forced a reliance on foreign aid. For over a decade, the aid sector has faced scrutiny over safeguarding, systemic racism, and the failure to address the colonial roots of global development. Our Shifting Practice session focuses on some practical tools and approaches that can inspire and inform change, featuring stories from South West organisations already taking these steps.

As the extent of the impact of cuts to US and UK aid has increasingly become clear, there has been a growing focus on sustainability.  In our Merging to Thrive session, we’ll explore bold, collaborative approaches, such as mergers, that may reduce competition for resources and increase collective impact towards achieving global justice. 

We’ve also seen several SWIDN members close in recent years. We know how challenging this can be, both emotionally and practically. Endings are never easy, even when planned for and deliberate. Our session on Closing Well will offer guidance from finance professionals, sector leaders, and peers who’ve navigated this process, and who will share their advice and experience on how to close a charity with minimal impact on the work of partners.

Join us on Thursday lunch times throughout May in this online event series focused on resourcing international ‘development’ charities for the future ahead. 

Tickets are tiered for small charities and free for all SWIDN members and available here.