Reclaiming Civic Spaces

IMPACT’s most prominent program works with various civil society actors by providing capacity building, access to resources, and networking opportunities to help them grow and make substantial contributions to society and policy-making. Rather than relying on one-off training sessions or generic courses, we implement multi-level strategies to support the organic growth and sustainability of local civil society organizations.

Our program covers different regions across Syria, IMPACT established the first Civil Society Support Center (Daam Center) in 2018 in Al Raqqa province. A year after the success of the Al Raqqa center, IMPACT has established the second centre in the Deir Ezzor suburbs. Then in 2022, an additional center was established in Al Qamishli. IMPACT began in 2023 transitioning towards more advanced tracks. In 2023, two training tracks were launched in the areas of strategic planning and fundraising strategies. The objective of these tracks was to assist these organizations in maturing and defining their goals precisely, enabling them to build future plans and visions, in addition to developing funding strategies that could ensure their sustainability and growth, allowing them to better serve local communities.

Twenty-eight local organizations in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor benefited from these two tracks. IMPACT’s team and experts accompanied these organizations in developing their policies and procedures. Many of these organizations have formed partnerships with international donors in a short period and have received grants to implement projects, particularly with the WIAAM program and Expertise France.

In Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor more than 70 capacity-building workshops were conducted, along with over 230 technical support sessions. These initiatives benefited 61 organizations and more than 800 individual participants. The total number of direct and indirect beneficiaries of the funded projects exceeded 55,000.

Over 65 networking sessions were facilitated within and beyond incubation programs, engaging more than 700 civil society actors, partners, government entities, and other stakeholders from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.

‘These centres offer a vital space for civil society actors to receive assistance and build solidarity. “Daam Center is a small, warm house that never closes its doors.” 
One of the trainees noted. 

In NWS, IMPACT works with local partners to offer direct support via online coaching. In the Government of Syria areas, we focus on empowering women, youth activists, and nascent organizations to expand the shrinking space for civil society. 

Through a tiered partner selection process, IMPACT has awarded 145 grants, ranging from $10,000 for nascent initiatives to $900,000 for more established organizations. Our holistic, learning-by-doing approach ensures contextually relevant, locally-rooted interventions.

Grants management and civil society support form the backbone of IMPACT’s funding. To date, the grants and compliance team has managed over $9 million, with an additional $5 million planned for 2025.

Women and Youth Programs

IMPACT offers specialized programs for women and youth under this initiative. To foster women’s inclusion in all programming, we use a structured methodology from needs analysis to planning, recruitment, safe space creation, and evaluation.

Since 2022, IMPACT has implemented a multi-tiered incubation approach aimed at women-focused organizations (WFOs). This program enhances knowledge production and policy advocacy around gender equality and women’s rights by expanding Syrian women’s access to financial and technical resources. The Spaces Program provides comprehensive capacity building, networking, and safe spaces for women, ranging from grassroots activism to leadership.

This initiative promotes youth leadership by equipping young leaders with the tools and resources needed to enhance their roles as community leaders and drivers of positive change. Through facilitated community dialogues and capacity building, youth are empowered to design and implement initiatives that address their communities’ most pressing needs.