The Check Is Not in the Mail: How Local Civil-Society Organizations Cope with Funding Volatility in Postconflict Sierra Leone

Big funding flows immediately following the end of the Sierra Leone civil war in 2002 led to a rise in the number and profile of local civil-society organizations (CSOs), but donors' largesse to the indigenous entities in the nongovernmental sector was short-lived, as donors curtailed their support as soon as the most critical phase of the peace process had concluded. The donor cutback threatened the existence and viability of nongovernmental civic groups in all sectors, but, coupled with stringent government measures aimed at curtailing civil-society activities, it has not led to the withering or the resultant decline in the number and visibility of local CSOs. To the contrary, CSOs have adapted, resulting in their continued numerical growth and activities. This expansion and the range of their concerns and interests raise an interesting question: if funding is what spurs the growth of these civic groups, why are they multiplying when external funding is drying up and the government of Sierra Leone continues to tighten regulations? This paper argues that the 1991--2002 civil war represented a rite of passage for these organizations. Though they have reinvigorated the country's democratic process, they have struggled to convert their numerical strength into influence on policy issues of national importance. The paper posits that, to understand the internal dynamics and modus operandi of local groups, one needs to understand the internal and external environments from which they extract resources.