Month: October 2025

From September 21–25, RACI took part in the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, represented by our Executive Director, Guillermo Correa. On this occasion, we engaged in spaces for international dialogue and collaboration with foundations, networks, and global organizations, placing civil society and international cooperation challenges at the center of the conversation.

Discussions highlighted the need to strengthen organizational resilience, create enabling environments, and consolidate philanthropy as a strategic partner for inclusive, locally led development. New frameworks for justice, accountability, and multilateral cooperation were also debated, aimed at revitalizing institutions in the face of emerging global challenges.

Our presence at UNGA 2025 was an opportunity to reaffirm that civil society must not only be heard but also recognized as a key actor in building a more equitable and sustainable future.

We successfully wrapped up the third module of the training series “Transform Your Work: New Tools to Enhance Your Organization’s Impact,” organized with the support of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires.

Civil society organizations from Buenos Aires joined this training space focused on strengthening their communication capacities through storytelling—exploring how the power of stories can mobilize, connect, and highlight the impact of their work.

During the sessions, we explored concepts, tools, and practical examples around:

• The importance of stories compared to data.
• The anatomy of a good story: beginning, conflict, and resolution.
• Different types of stories CSOs can share (impact, origin, future, team).
• Narrative techniques such as the hero’s journey, flashbacks, and contrasts.
• Adapting one story across multiple channels: social media, reports, talks, or media.

The virtual panel featured two leading communication professionals in the social sector:

• Flavia Gemignani, Director of Communications at the Latin American Team for Justice and Gender (ELA), an expert in digital communication and creative formats.
• Florencia Iris Sierra, Digital Communication Lead at Fundación Huésped, with extensive experience in digital campaigns and strategic communication.

Both shared concrete experiences and recommendations for CSOs to apply storytelling in their daily work, showing that every organization holds stories capable of inspiring and mobilizing.

A step further in strengthening CSOs

This third module reaffirmed that communication is not only about informing but also about connecting. Through storytelling, CSOs can inspire emotions, build closeness, and mobilize support—strengthening both their influence and sustainability.

The series will continue with a final module on impact evaluation and results measurement, concluding an edition designed to provide CSOs in Buenos Aires with innovative tools to enhance their work.

With strong participation, we concluded the second module of our training series “Transform Your Work: New Tools for CSOs,” where more than 40 organizations explored how innovation and agile methodologies can strengthen civil society’s work.

Over the course of the sessions, we focused on four key areas:

• Planning in changing contexts: strategies for adapting to uncertainty with flexibility.
• Building collaborative teams: tools to strengthen teamwork and shared dynamics.
• Fostering a culture of continuous improvement: driving more efficient and sustainable internal processes.
• Practical application in social projects: concrete examples of applying methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban to the social sector.

The module featured the participation of leading experts:

• Ariel Kirshbom and Marcelo Fernández, Agile Coaches at EY, who introduced the main agile approaches and their value for CSOs.
• Verónica Gil Libarona, Coordinator at Chicas en Tecnología, who shared a hands-on case study applying these methodologies.
• Jenifer Mazariegos Taracena, Operations Coordinator at Jóvenes Contra la Violencia (Guatemala), who presented how design thinking can be a key tool for social project design.

This second module reaffirmed the importance of adapting tools from the business world to the social sector, proving that innovation and agility are also key to strengthening the impact of organizations.

On September 1–4, we participated in the 7th Regional Conference for Latin America of Good Deeds Day, held in Lima, Peru, under the theme “Fostering Community Resilience by Doing Good.”

The event brought together more than 100 leaders and organizations from across the region, who exchanged experiences and insights on community resilience, social innovation, and collective action. Through panels, dialogues, and collaborative spaces, we sought to strengthen strategic alliances and build stronger regional networks capable of creating a positive impact in our communities.

The conference was organized around three thematic pillars: Resilience, Community, and Good Deeds, with panels covering topics such as “Purpose-Driven Strategic Leadership,” “Leadership Care and Human Sustainability,” “Strategic Communication with Impact,” and “Advocacy and Territorial Articulation.”

A highlight was the beach clean-up activity, where participants, led by Karina Sánchez and Sofía Carrasco, collected 684 kg of organic and inorganic waste that does not belong to the beach’s natural ecosystem. This action reaffirmed our collective commitment to caring for the environment.

RACI took part in the experience-sharing panel on “Governance and Organizational Management,” where we exchanged lessons learned and best practices alongside organizations from across Latin America. In addition, as national coordinators of Good Deeds Day in Argentina, we continue to promote the importance of joining efforts and experiences to show that every action, no matter how small, can transform realities.

On September 29–30, Buenos Aires hosted the 16th Latin American Fundraising Congress, organized by AEDROS—an event that brings together sector leaders to share experiences, innovations, and strategies to strengthen civil society organizations.

Within this framework, RACI led the workshop “International Cooperation in Transformation: New Horizons, New Strategies,” where we analyzed ongoing changes in international cooperation amid budget cuts, new geopolitical dynamics, and the growing complexity of social and environmental challenges.

Anticipating Future Scenarios

The workshop aimed to provide organizations with a clear, updated outlook to help them anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and strengthen funding strategies. The session also opened space for dialogue, where participants shared concerns, experiences, and proposals in response to sector changes.

We thank AEDROS for once again leading this key space for knowledge exchange and alliance-building within the nonprofit sector. At RACI, we are proud to have contributed with a perspective on the new horizons of international cooperation and reaffirm our commitment to supporting organizations in their growth and sustainability.

In September, we hosted the Transformative Dialogues for Civil Society series—four virtual sessions that brought together actors from across Latin America and the Caribbean to reflect on the major challenges and opportunities facing civil society organizations.

Led by RACI and CONNECTAS, with the support of Red Comuá, the series was part of our regional program Reimagining the Future of Civil Society. Each session provided space to share analyses, experiences, and recommendations aimed at strengthening the sector’s resilience in a global context marked by reduced funding, democratic setbacks, and growing social demands.

Diversity and Inclusion: Sustaining Agendas in Adverse Times

The first dialogue addressed setbacks in rights and equity occurring in several countries in the region. Participants shared how financial cutbacks affect diverse communities and which advocacy strategies help keep these issues on the public agenda. The discussion emphasized the importance of building narratives that go beyond identity politics and forming alliances with non-traditional actors to reinforce diversity as a cross-cutting priority in democracy, migration, and environmental crises.

Environmental Crisis: Narratives and Climate Justice

The second session explored how the climate crisis—despite its urgency—is often deprioritized compared to other global issues. Participants agreed that reduced international cooperation has limited territorial and community action. In response, they highlighted the need for powerful, climate justice–based narratives to counter “greenwashing,” along with regional alliances to sustain the environmental agenda. Innovative financing models and collaboration with the private sector were also shared, alongside a call to strengthen the leadership of young, Indigenous, and rural communities.

Migration and Displacement: Between Emergency and Integration

The third dialogue placed a spotlight on the challenges of guaranteeing the rights of migrants and refugees in a context of growing stigmatization. The discussion centered on how organizations balance urgent humanitarian assistance with long-term integration processes. Participants underscored the importance of countering negative narratives with messages of inclusion and shared experiences of collaboration with local governments, universities, and host communities. The closing reflection emphasized that civil society must keep migration on the international agenda, even when other global priorities overshadow it.

Democracy and Governance: Defending Civic Space

The final session focused on democratic setbacks and their impact on citizen participation. Concerns were raised that reduced cooperation directly affects governance projects and that some donors prioritize technical assistance over political advocacy. In response, participants stressed the need to position civil society as a legitimate actor in polarized contexts, strengthen transparency mechanisms, and build alliances with the media, academia, and the private sector. Looking ahead, the consensus was clear: it is urgent to innovate in participatory governance at the local level and ensure that the democratic agenda remains central to international cooperation.

A Regional Commitment

The Transformative Dialogues left one key takeaway: civil society’s resilience requires collaboration, innovation, and strong narratives. Despite shrinking international funding and mounting pressures on civic space, Latin American and Caribbean CSOs continue to demonstrate their capacity to mobilize, resist, and propose pathways for the future.