Action for Sustainable Development

What Action for Sustainable Development does

Action for Sustainable Development (A4SD) is a global civil society platform founded in April 2016 to drive progress on the UN 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement through coordinated civil society engagement. The platform serves 3,000+ member organizations and activists across 155+ countries, with over 80% of membership based in the Global South. Its primary activities are organized around four pillars: policy and advocacy (including participation in the UN High Level Political Forum), monitoring and accountability (through People's Scorecard reports and the SDG Assessment Map), public mobilization (annual Global Week of Action campaigns such as #TurnItAround, which reached 42 million people in 2020), and innovative solutions and capacity development (webinars, workshops, and the Zovu Digital Storytelling Fellowships program for frontline activists).

The platform's core technology consists of a WordPress-based multilingual website (action4sd.org) available in six languages, an interactive SDG Assessment Map for visualizing People's Scorecard data, and social media channels used for campaign mobilization. It has no proprietary software product, API, or commercial technology offering. Governance is provided by an elected Facilitation Group of up to 25 members and a small Coordination Team of approximately 7 core staff plus 5 part-time Regional Coordinators hosted by regional partner networks across Africa, MENA, Asia, Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean, and Europe. Founding global networks (Climate Action Network, CIVICUS, Forus, GCAP) provide ongoing strategic support.

A4SD operates as a non-profit civil society platform with no commercial revenue model. Its funding comes from grant support and voluntary contributions from member organizations, though specific funders, budget figures, and revenue amounts are not disclosed in available data. Membership and participation are free for civil society organizations and activists.

Name

Action for Sustainable Development

Legal name

Action for Sustainable Development

Website

https://action4sd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Action for Sustainable Development is a global civil society platform, founded in 2016, that mobilizes 3,000+ organizations across 155+ countries to engage with UN sustainable development processes through advocacy, monitoring, and public campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Society Advocacy and Sustainable Development

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Sustainable development advocacy
• SDG monitoring tools
• Global activism mobilization
• UN policy engagement
• Civil society platform

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and member organization support: As a civil society platform, Action for Sustainable Development operates primarily through grant funding and the voluntary contributions of member organizations. No commercial revenue model is disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Action for Sustainable Development is a global civil society platform that convenes more than 3,000 member organizations and activists across 155 countries to support engagement with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Its core offerings are free programs and tools that enable civil society to influence policy (Policy & Advocacy), independently monitor SDG progress (People's Scorecards/SDG Assessment Map), mobilize citizens (Global Week of Action campaigns such as #TurnItAround and #Act4SDGs), and build capacity through the Zovu Digital Storytelling Fellowships, webinars, and workshops. Participation is free for civil society organizations and activists, with funding derived from grants and member organization contributions.

Product overview

Action for Sustainable Development is a civil society platform that does not offer a unified technology product but operates multiple interconnected programs and tools. The core offerings include Zovu (digital storytelling fellowships for frontline activists), the SDG Assessment Map/People's Scorecards (monitoring tool), Policy & Advocacy support, Monitoring & Accountability services, Public Mobilisation campaigns, and Innovative Solutions & Capacity Development through webinars and workshops. These offerings work together to support civil society engagement with the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zovu Digital Storytelling Fellowships A fellowship program that supports frontline activists to tell their stories, deliver advocacy, and share insights on transformative change through digital storytelling. Participants receive mentorship, small grants up to USD 600, and assistance capturing audiovisual content. Targeted at frontline community activists in the Global South.
• SDG Assessment Map (People's Scorecard) An interactive global map providing civil society perspectives on SDG progress, climate change, and civic space through People's Scorecards. National coalitions assess different dimensions of SDG implementation on a 1–5 scale. The underlying methodology is used to support 15–20 national coalitions annually and forms the basis of civil society reports spanning 100+ countries from 2016 to 2025.
• Policy & Advocacy Support Supporting civil society groups from every region to influence policy decisions on sustainable development and carry out advocacy at national, regional, and global levels through participation in UN forums including the High Level Political Forum. Targeted at civil society organizations and coalitions engaged with the 2030 Agenda.
• Monitoring & Accountability Program Building the capacity of civil society to monitor progress on sustainable development through citizen-generated data, enabling civil society to contribute to and provide oversight of government reporting on the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement through People's Scorecards. Targeted at national coalitions producing shadow/spotlight reports alongside Voluntary National Reviews.
• Public Mobilisation Campaigns (Global Week of Action) Annual mobilisation campaigns (Global Week of Action around September 25, the anniversary of the 2030 Agenda's adoption) including #TimeIsNow, #TurnItAround, #StandTogetherNow, and #Act4SDGs, targeting at least 1 million active citizens annually. The 2020 #TurnItAround campaign mobilized over 42 million people. Targeted at civil society supporters, activists, and the broader public.
• Innovative Solutions & Capacity Development Sharing lessons learned and good practices in innovation through webinars, workshops, and an online interactive map to help civil society and citizens deliver the sustainable development agenda from national to global level. Includes support for VNR reporting and SDG 16 implementation. Targeted at civil society organizations and activists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 386 movements/organizations signed 2019 #StandTogetherNow statement
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UNLEASHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Partner for the inaugural UNLEASH: SDG Innovation Lab in August 2018, which brought together 1,000 individuals for nine days to create solutions to the SDGs. Also partnered for nomination of the 2019 cohort.
• Climate Action Network (CAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding global network partner. CAN is one of four core global networks that provide ongoing support to the platform, contributing expertise on climate policy and civil society engagement in climate processes.
• CIVICUScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding global network partner. CIVICUS provides support as a major global civil society alliance, contributing to governance and strategic direction of the platform.
• ForuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding global network partner. Forus contributes expertise on civil society engagement and development policy, including collaboration on webinars and VNR reporting support.
• GCAP (Global Call to Action against Poverty)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding global network partner. GCAP provides support as part of the core governance structure, contributing to mobilization and advocacy efforts.
• Africa CSO Working Group on Sustainable Development (AWG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for Africa, facilitating national coalition engagement and civil society coordination across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa, supporting civil society engagement in the Arab region.
• Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development (APSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for Asia, coordinating civil society engagement across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Mesa de Articulación (Latin America and Caribbean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitating civil society coordination across the region.
• Pacific Islands Association of Non-governmental Organisations (PIANGO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for the Pacific, supporting civil society engagement across Pacific Island nations.
• SDG Watch EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network that hosts the Regional Coordinator for Europe (though currently unfunded), coordinating European civil society engagement on SDGs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CIVICUS: CIVICUS is a global civil society alliance advocating for civic space and citizen participation. As a founding network partner of Action for Sustainable Development with overlapping membership and complementary advocacy focus, it is the closest direct peer in scope and operating model.
• Climate Action Network (CAN): CAN is a worldwide network of over 1,500 civil society organizations coordinating climate advocacy. It is a founding partner of A4SD, shares climate advocacy and UN engagement focus, and operates a comparable network-based mobilization model targeting the same constituencies.
• Forus: Forus is an international network of NGO platforms facilitating civil society engagement in development policy. As a founding partner of A4SD with parallel platform-based advocacy on SDGs and civil society participation, it is a structurally similar peer.
• GCAP (Global Call to Action against Poverty): GCAP is a global civil society alliance campaigning against poverty and inequality. As a founding partner of A4SD with overlapping mobilization campaigns and SDG focus, it is a directly comparable network peer.
• SDG Watch Europe: SDG Watch Europe is a civil society coalition monitoring SDG implementation across Europe. It hosts A4SD's European Regional Coordinator and operates a directly parallel mission of civil society-led SDG monitoring and policy engagement.
• Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development (APSD): APSD is a regional civil society partnership coordinating SDG engagement across Asia-Pacific. It hosts A4SD's Regional Coordinator for Asia and operates a structurally identical platform model at the regional level, making it a directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• Coalition for the Sustainable Development Goals: An emerging civil society coalition promoting SDG awareness and engagement. Comparable to A4SD in mission (SDG civil society mobilization) though typically more regionally focused, it represents a potential overlapping peer in the SDG advocacy space.
• 350.org: 350.org is a global climate movement organization building grassroots action on the climate crisis. Comparable to A4SD in climate advocacy and movement building, though with a more focused climate mandate and larger mobilization infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Avaaz: Avaaz is a global civic mobilization platform with over 60 million members running campaigns on climate, human rights, and development. It is a broader incumbent operating at much larger scale with sophisticated digital infrastructure, competing for the same activist attention and donor relationships.
• Global Citizen: Global Citizen is a large-scale mobilization platform focused on ending extreme poverty through citizen action. It overlaps with A4SD in SDG advocacy and public mobilization but operates at significantly greater scale with corporate partnerships and revenue streams A4SD lacks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/action4sd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Action for Sustainable Development