Civil society is still standing – let’s find out what’s holding it up

November 9, 2026

Civil society has always had to adapt. Closing civic space, pressure on activists, disinformation, digital surveillance, funding cuts- we have seen it all. Many organizations have found it hard to survive- but many have also found ways to adapt and do more with less in more difficult circumstances- especially over the past two years. But we still know relatively little about this civic resilience- which organisations are coping, and why? What helped? What do they need to grow stronger from here?

The 2026 Civic Resilience Survey, launched today by Accountability Lab and Civic Strength Partners, sets out to answer those questions. The survey builds on a series of rapid surveys Accountability Lab ran through 2025 with Humentum and Global Voices, as funding cuts hit the sector. Those surveys captured the immediate shock. More than 60% of respondents had furloughed staff, more than 60% had not found other funding by May, and by October 2025 64% were seeking or considering mergers or partnerships. The 2025 results are at civicresilience.ngo.

This year we want to look beyond the damage to better understand how organizations have adapted and how their partners can better support civic resilience going forwards. Some questions repeat the 2025 rounds so we can track change in budgets, staffing, reserves and risk of closure. Most of the survey goes further, in four areas:

• What worked well. Many organisations cut costs, approached new funders, formed alliances or explored mergers. Which steps helped and which did not?
• What protected organisations. Did multi-year funding, reserves, a diverse funding base, a succession plan or strong community trust make a difference?
• The wider environment. How have organizations maintained trust with communities; and how have funders shaped missions?
• What organisations need now. We are the urgent needs now? What are the shared tools, such as pooled emergency funds, shared back-office services or early-warning data, that organizations would actually use?

Why your response matters

Most data on the state of civil society comes from small samples. Decisions about the future of civil society are being made on thin evidence, often far from the organisations most affected. Our goal is to hear from as many organisations as possible in as many countries as possible, so the findings carry real weight with funders, governments and multilateral institutions.

The results will be public. We will publish them on civicresilience.ngo as open data any organisation can use for its own advocacy and planning; and share them directly with the funders and policymakers who need to hear them.

The survey takes about 15 minutes and is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. Responses are anonymous. If you leave an email for follow-up, it is stored separately from your answers.

Take the survey

If you lead or work for a civil society organisation, anywhere in the world, we want to hear from you. Please complete the survey by the end of the day in your timezone on Friday December 18th. 

As a small thank you, we will donate [$20] to a fundraising campaign of your choice (for your organization or another) for each of the first 200 organisations that complete the survey.

Then please pass it on. Share it with your networks, coalitions, partners and newsletter readers. The more organisations take part, the clearer the picture, and the stronger the case for the support civil society needs.