About the organization
The Comuá Network is an association of independent philanthropic organizations focused on socio-environmental justice in Brazil, created in 2012 and formalized in 2023. Bringing together donor organizations that mobilize resources to support civil society actors, the Network works to strengthen community philanthropy, the defense of human rights, community development, and democracy. Its strategy combines advocacy, knowledge production, communication, capacity building, and coordination with national and international partners, seeking to expand the access of groups, organizations, and social movements to financial and non-financial resources, especially in agendas led by political minorities and historically vulnerable territories.
Socioeconomic context
Formed by independent and community funds, the Network works to strengthen local giving ecosystems and expand more flexible, place-based, and trust-based grantmaking practices, especially in contexts marked by regional, racial, and socio-environmental inequalities. In 2023, a mapping carried out by Comuá itself identified 31 independent community philanthropy and socio-environmental justice organizations operating in Brazil, responsible for donating approximately R$ 276 million to R$ 330 million in a single year, with a strong focus on institutional strengthening, community development, and support for historically vulnerable populations.
Project objective
Institutional development of the Comuá Network and strengthening of its Advocacy Program, expanding its management capacity, governance, sustainability, and influence in the field of community philanthropy and socio-environmental justice. The resources contribute to structuring administrative and financial processes, supporting the executive leadership transition, consolidating governance bodies, developing internal policies and protocols, strengthening engagement strategies for member organizations, and providing sustainability for strategic initiatives, such as the Comuá Platform for the Climate and the Transforming Philanthropy Month. In terms of impact, the support seeks to enhance the Comuá Network’s role as a national coordinator of independent philanthropy, promoting greater visibility for rights, democracy, and climate justice agendas, and democratizing access to resources for civil society organizations, groups, and movements.
Partners
| Civil society/Private | Community/territory | International |
| ACP Institute, Beja Institute, Pipa Initiative, Pact for Democracy, Movement for a Culture of Giving, GIFE, Conjunta Platform, ponteAponte, Rhizomatic Network, VMCA, ABCR, GIFE. | Civil society groups, organizations, leaders, and movements mobilized in the actions | Porticus; Wellspring; IAF; Imaginable Futures; Alianza Fondos del Sur; The Global South House; Global Fund for Community Foundations; Connecting Communities in the Americas (CCA), HRFN, Stanford Social Innovation Review |
Dialogue with public policies
The project involves dialogue and advocacy in public and institutional spaces, especially through the strengthening of the Comuá Network’s Advocacy Program, coordination with local and international partners, and participation in strategic agendas such as the G20, F20 Climate Solutions Forum, and Climate Conferences. The main focus is to strengthen the collective action of independent philanthropy to influence philanthropic ecosystems, public agendas, and debates on socio-environmental justice, democracy, community philanthropy, and climate finance. In 2026, the Comuá Network inaugurated its advocacy department, whose objective includes influencing the creation of a more favorable legal and judicial environment for the operation of independent funds.
