Ariadne’s 2025 Forecast offers a rallying call to European funders. The report underscores the urgent need to adapt funding models and support grassroots and volunteer-led efforts in a time of political instability.
2025 marks a pivotal moment for human rights and social change funding in Europe. As highlighted in the Ariadne Network’s 2025 Forecast, the year has already seen unprecedented developments—from the dismantling of USAID to growing constraints on civil society across Europe. At a time when the philanthropic sector faces both moral and operational challenges, Ariadne’s community-driven report stands out as a call to action.
“This is not just a moment of turbulence—it’s a moment to build resilience,” said Renata Ćuk, Ariadne’s Director of Programmes.
The forecast captures the mood of a sector in transition. Declining government support, rising far-right influence, and fatigue within activist communities create a perfect storm. Yet, according to Ariadne, this has led to an unexpected resurgence of solidarity among funders. At roundtables in cities from Berlin to London, donors agreed: old ways of working no longer suffice.
“The strategies that got us here won’t get us where we need to go,” said one roundtable participant. “We need to hack the system.”
Volunteer organizations—especially those working in hostile environments—are increasingly seen as strategic allies rather than peripheral actors. Ariadne’s forecast stresses the importance of investing in these groups not only with money but with long-term, flexible, trust-based support. Many funders are:
Backing food security initiatives driven by local communities;
Partnering with grassroots networks fighting for migrant rights and racial justice;
Funding digital rights volunteers teaching safe tech practices in authoritarian contexts.
“Pushing back against anti-rights forces requires more than crisis management. It demands space to rethink and rebuild,” the report notes.
A major theme of the 2025 report is the need to sustain critical work in increasingly restrictive environments. Ariadne showcases practical examples of:
Pooling resources across borders to avoid national restrictions;
Supporting informal mutual aid networks that emerged post-COVID;
Building “solidarity infrastructures” through co-funding and peer-led learning.
These models not only reinforce volunteer capacity but also insulate them from political repression.
Whether you’re a donor, volunteer, or concerned citizen, the Ariadne community offers several ways to engage:
Join or fund local mutual aid efforts—especially those operating in vulnerable communities.
Push for flexible, unrestricted funding in your organization or network.
Stay informed through reports like the Ariadne Forecast 2025.
Support cross-border cooperation among NGOs facing censorship or funding restrictions.
Take a look at what Renata Ćuk, Ariadne's Director of Programmes, has to say about the 2025 Forecast here.
Add new comment