Mobilising Resources for Preventing Violent Extremism

Violent extremism is a direct threat to international security, economic growth, and development. GCERF works to prevent violent extremism by investing in people. As the only global fund dedicated to preventing violent extremism, we channel global funds to local civil society organisations. We fund community-centric initiatives that are designed to address the local social, economic, and political drivers of violent extremism.

Our investment strategies and programs are aligned with national strategies and action plans to prevent violent extremism. We help implement these strategies at the local level, tailoring them to fit local circumstances and needs. This ensures that our efforts are both relevant and impactful, fostering resilience and sustainable peace within communities.

1. Identify communities

We work with local civil society organisations and government partners to identify the communities most vulnerable to violent extremism.

2. Find and fund organisations

We identify and fund grassroots community-based organisations that can implement local initiatives and have the potential for growth and scalability.

3. Strengthen Capacity

We strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations to effectively implement initiatives and develop sustainable, long-term prevention solutions.

4. Connect with partners

We connect local civil society organisations with national governments, foundations, and businesses to scale their initiatives. Through our Global Action Platform, we link GCERF-funded organisations from across the world to foster collaboration, and share good practices and lessons learned.

5. Monitor Progress

We ensure the effectiveness of our programmes through robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes. We are committed to long-term sustainability by consistently assessing and enhancing our initiatives, ensuring continuous learning and improvement.

Types of Grants

Core Funding Mechanism

The core funding mechanism provides grants and support for up to three years to organisations working at the community level to build resilience to violent extremist agendas. Grants are disbursed to locally-registered legal entities, or primary recipients, who coordinate a consortium of community-based organisations, or sub-recipients, who run activities aimed at preventing violent extremism.

Comprehensive Risk Management

To ensure the optimum performance of its funding, GCERF systematically conducts risk assessments in areas of institutional programmatic, and contextual risks, with special focus on ensuring that the risks to grantees and beneficiaries are minimised.

Context Relevance

GCERF always bases its funding decisions on thorough assessments of local factors that act as drivers of violent extremism. Addressing context-specific needs often calls for new and innovative approaches.

Country OwnerShip

GCERF ensures that activities are led by local communities and support the strategic objectives of national governments to prevent violent extremism. GCERF only supports projects or activities that are previously agreed to by GCERF partner governments (which are also members of the GCERF Governing Board).

Accountability & Learning

GCERF’s work is anchored in evidence. GCERF develops and adapts methodologies and tools to monitor and evaluate results, learn from experience, and continuously improve performance.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Strengthening grantees’ M&E capacities remains one of the key features of GCERF’s support. In addition to day-to-day technical advice, the Secretariat implements a Community of Practice in several countries to improve M&E practices and allow reflection on achievements, implementation challenges, lessons learned and programme design.

In 2019, the GCERF Secretariat hosted a two-day international learning event called the GCERF Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. The idea was to allow the cross-pollination of ideas between grant recipients and give an opportunity for PVE practitioners to learn from each other. The event was attended by more than 35 participants, including grant recipients from Bangladesh, Kenya, Kosovo, Mali and Nigeria, as well as international PVE experts and representatives from Global Affairs Canada.

The Independent Review Panel is an impartial group of experts appointed by the Governing Board to provide a rigorous technical assessment of requests for funding received by GCERF. The panel ensures quality programming, PVE specificity, and alignment to national priorities. The panel also provides expert advice on country assessments and GCERF’s investment strategies. Members are institutionally independent of the GCERF Secretariat and Governing Board. Each serves in a personal capacity with no link to their employer, government, or other entity.