Empowering local leadership: how SCORE’s participatory grants are strengthening civil society

Why participatory grant‑making matters

Civil society organisations working with older people understand their communities best. Yet too often, decision-makers overlook them when setting funding priorities or designing programmes. SCORE is changing that.

SCORE operates through a participatory grant mechanism which enables local organisations to make their own decisions about how to deliver change. Its priorities are set by civil society representatives who review proposals and guide funding decisions, helping ensure that resources respond to the realities older people face.

Launched in August 2025, SCORE supports civil society organisations to advance older people’s rights, inclusion and voice. After an initial setup phase, the programme has moved onto implementation, with activities underway through the participating members of the HelpAge global network in Ethiopia, Lebanon, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania and Uganda.

How SCORE grants work

SCORE provides the participating network members – who represent civil society in their countries – with core funding that ensures organisational stability and helps them to plan strategically.

At the outset of each project year, the network members are awarded capacity strengthening investment grants that help them develop their national strategies, with technical assistance from HelpAge.

Large grants are then awarded competitively, using a participatory mechanism that has been co-designed with network members. These grants support work on the issues that matter most to older people, such as healthcare, financial security, and safeguarding their rights.

In 2026, SCORE is also launching a programme of small grants for civil society organisations, providing support for 15–20 organisations that are closely connected to their communities and the older people they serve.

The SCORE governance structures support this approach, and representative grant committees are now fully operational in all of the programme countries. These committees ensure that the selection of which organisations will receive grants is fair and competitive, as well as helping organisations build stronger proposals and partnerships, not just secure funding.

What comes next?

In the year ahead the SCORE programme will:

• Finalise and award its first large grants, supporting SCORE partner organisations to expand their work.
• Award the first round of small grants, enabling grassroots and local organisations to lead change in their communities.
• Strengthen learning and collaboration between grantees, building shared knowledge and confidence.
• Support civil society to influence policy and public debate, particularly in areas such as social protection, health, climate and gender equality.

The SCORE project is supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).