Civil Society Foundation

What Civil Society Foundation does

Civil Society Foundation (CSF) is a Tbilisi-based non-profit foundation, founded in 1994 and operating for nearly 30 years, that serves as Georgia's largest civil society grant-making intermediary. CSF re-grants funds from international donors — primarily the European Union and Open Society Foundations — to Georgian NGOs, initiative groups, and individuals working in human rights, independent media, EU integration, national integration, and social policy. Its core programs include the EU Integration Program, Human Rights Program, Media Support Program, National Integration Program, Civil Society Support grants, and Academic Fellowships, supplemented by an online application portal (apply.csf.ge) and routine publication of research, statements, and analytical documents.

The organization derives its revenue almost entirely from international institutional donors through a competitive grant-application and partner-sub-grant model, with individual donor fundraising emerging as a minor secondary stream (e.g., a 2022 Ukrainian refugee housing effort raised 260,000 GEL from 300 donors). CSF leads a 12-CSO coalition monitoring Georgia's implementation of the EU's nine-step accession requirements and operates a direct-service asset — Georgia's first children's hospice, launched in 2017. CSF operates as the successor entity to Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF), having rebranded in 2024.

CSF currently faces significant regulatory pressure: in August 2025, the Georgian Anti-Corruption Bureau initiated inquiries against CSF and at least six other CSOs under the country's 'Law on Registration of Foreign Agents,' threatening criminal liability. CSF has publicly refused to register, framing the action as politically motivated enforcement against independent civil society. This regulatory backdrop materially affects the foundation's operating trajectory and donor relationships, even as its EU programmatic footprint continues to expand.

Name

Civil Society Foundation

Legal name

Civil Society Foundation

Website

https://csf.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Civil Society Foundation (CSF) is a Tbilisi-based non-profit grant-making foundation that channels funding from international donors (primarily the EU and Open Society Foundations) to Georgian NGOs, initiative groups, and individuals working on human rights, media, EU integration, and national cohesion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Society Development Grant-Making Foundation

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Civil society development
• Grant-making foundation
• Human rights advocacy
• Democratic governance support
• EU integration monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Tbilisi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. International Donor Funding: CSF receives funding from international donors and development partners (EU, Open Society Foundations, and others) to provide grants and programmatic support to Georgian civil society organizations, media, and individuals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Civil Society Foundation is a non-profit grant-making foundation that provides financial and programmatic support to Georgian NGOs, initiative groups, and individuals through multiple thematic programs. Its core offerings include grant competitions, technical assistance, advocacy, policy monitoring (particularly on EU integration), research publications, and capacity-building support for civil society organizations in areas of human rights, media freedom, EU integration, and national integration.

Product overview

Civil Society Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit civil society foundation (formerly Open Society Georgia Foundation) operating as a multi-program grant-making organization. The foundation's core offering consists of grant programs supporting civil society development, EU integration, human rights protection, media freedom, and national integration in Georgia. Key programs include the EU Integration Program, Human Rights Program, Media Support Program, National Integration Program, Academic Fellowships, and Civil Society Support. The foundation also provides an online application system for grant submissions and publishes research and analytical publications on democratic governance and social policy issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU Integration Program A program focused on supporting Georgia's European integration process, monitoring EU's nine-step recommendations, and facilitating the country's EU accession negotiations. It is targeted at civil society stakeholders and policymakers engaged in EU approximation efforts.
• Human Rights Program A program dedicated to protecting and promoting human rights in Georgia, including work on civil liberties, anti-discrimination, and justice sector reform. Targeted at human rights advocates, civil society organizations, and vulnerable populations in Georgia.
• Media Support Program A program providing support to independent media outlets, journalists, and media organizations to strengthen free and pluralistic media in Georgia. Targeted at independent media organizations, journalists, and media freedom advocates.
• National Integration Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of civil society projects supported over 30 years of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UN Association of Georgia (UNAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSF partners with UNAG in implementing the LINKS project (Knowledge and Skills Development Networks and Platforms), funded by the EU and co-implemented by OSGF, focused on employment facilitation and skills development platforms.
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSF collaborates with KAS on the 'United for Georgia's European Way' project, which aims to advance Georgia's EU approximation through broad societal engagement and cooperation, with a budget exceeding 3 million euros.
• Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSF partners with EPRC on the 'United for Georgia's European Way' project to support EU approximation and strengthen democracy through civil society participation.
• Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IJH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSF partners with IJH within the 'United for Georgia's European Way' project to strengthen independent journalism and media freedom in Georgia.
• Alternativa GeorgiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternativa Georgia is one of six partner organizations in the CPR (Care, Prevention, Rights) project focused on psychoactively substance use challenges, implemented together with CSF over 3 years.
• Social Justice CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the CPR project focused on systemic changes in treatment and care systems for persons affected by psychoactive substance use.
• European ParliamentminorOthersCSF representatives testified at the European Parliament during discussions on Georgia's annual human rights report. The foundation engages with MEPs and EU committees on matters related to Georgia's EU integration and democratic backsliding.
• US Helsinki CommissionminorOthersCSF representative Vano Chkhikvadze testified at the US Helsinki Commission hearing, discussing Georgia's democratic challenges and civil society concerns.
• Council of EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSF and Georgian civil society representatives engaged with the Council of Europe Secretary General Alan Hanea during visits and meetings in Strasbourg, discussing systemic human rights violations in Georgia.
• 11-CSO Coalition for EU Candidacy MonitoringminorOthersCSF leads a coalition of 12 civil society organizations that monitors Georgia's implementation of the EU's 9 steps for candidate status and publishes the 'Candidacy Check' report series.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Open Society Foundations: The global network of which CSF was historically a national foundation (as OSGF). Operates the same grant-making model for civil society and democratic governance, and remains a funder/partner of CSF, making it the most directly comparable organization in mission and structure.
• European Endowment for Democracy: EU-backed grant-making body supporting civil society, independent media, and democratic movements in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans. Highly comparable to CSF's grant-making role and EU-funding model, with overlapping beneficiary geographies.
• Friedrich Ebert Foundation: German political foundation affiliated with the Social Democrats, active across the Eastern Partnership on democracy, social justice, and EU integration — closely matching CSF's programmatic areas and Georgian footprint.
• National Endowment for Democracy (NED): US-funded grant-making foundation supporting civil society, independent media, and democratic governance worldwide, including in Georgia. Directly comparable grant-making model, beneficiary ecosystem, and donor backer profile.
• Heinrich Böll Foundation: German Green-affiliated political foundation operating in Georgia on democracy, human rights, and EU integration. Comparable grant-making foundation with overlapping thematic scope and donor ecosystem.
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS): German political foundation operating in Georgia and co-implementing the 'United for Georgia's European Way' project with CSF. Comparable as a peer grant-maker and democracy-promotion foundation with the same thematic agenda.

Direct peers

• Pact: International development NGO that implements donor-funded civil-society capacity-building and governance programs across the former Soviet Union, with active operations in Georgia. Closely comparable delivery model and donor mix to CSF.
• Eurasia Foundation: US-based development foundation that has historically operated civil-society and governance programs in the South Caucasus and post-Soviet space, making it a directly comparable operator in CSF's market.
• European Partnership for Democracy: Brussels-based network of European democracy-support organizations that channels EU funding and coordinates civil-society support in the Eastern Partnership, including Georgia — a directly comparable convener and grant-flow intermediary.

Emerging players

• International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL): Global organization supporting enabling legal environments for civil society, with active engagement on Georgia's foreign-agents law. Comparable as a peer working at the intersection of civic-space protection and CSF's regulatory exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSFGeorgia
• Facebookfacebook.com/CivilSocietyFoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Civil Society Foundation