Our Story

PartnersGlobal’s Story

The PartnersGlobal story begins in 1989. The downfall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe left a political and social vacuum, which attracted a flood of foreign donors who imposed short-term training programs and external policy recommendations on the newly democratic societies. PartnersGlobal took a different path. From the start, we committed to building partnerships and working with local leaders and institutions to create sustainable democratic change and build a strong civil society.

For more than 30 years, we have supported local civil society activists as they created independent conflict transformation organizations in their countries, serving as hubs for peaceful social change and participatory democracy. These organizations, known collectively as the Partners Network, now span 20 countries.

Today, PartnersGlobal continues to expand our reach by working with existing local civil society around the world. We are still on the cutting edge of organizational infrastructure support for peaceful democratic change through our unique approach to improving resiliency in the civic sector. Applying hard-earned lessons in adaptive capacity and the power of networked action, we work with leaders and organizations around the world to improve their ability to respond collectively to our fast-changing political and social environments.

Whether we are working to address corruption, reform security sector institutions, advocate for human rights or reduce violent conflicts, the Partners Team and our Network build bridges among different groups for a common purpose. By integrating disparate actors and their efforts, we amplify our impact and strengthen the conditions and relationships for lasting social transformation.

Our Story in Photos

Get to know the Partners family through pictures.

Our Story on Video