Civil Society Organizations Network

What Civil Society Organizations Network does

Civil Society Organizations Network (CSO Network) is a registered Trust established in Kenya in 2003 and operating primarily in western Kenya through offices in Kisumu (headquarters) and Migori County. The organization functions as a civil society coalition host and advocacy coordinator rather than a product or technology company. Its work centers on six thematic pillars: Democracy and Governance; Human Rights, Rule of Law and Access to Justice; Women Rights and Economic Empowerment; Peace Building and Conflict Management; Research and Advocacy; and a Mentorship Program for youth. Target beneficiaries include marginalized women, youth, persons with disabilities, fisher folk, and survivors of gender-based violence and election-related violence across at least eight Kenyan counties (Kisumu, Kakamega, Vihiga, Homabay, Bungoma, Migori, Turkana, Kericho, Narok).

The organization delivers outcomes through grant-funded programs implemented in consortium with peer organizations such as KIOS, InformAction Kenya, Winam Grassroots, SUCAM, Echo Network Africa, UN Women, OHCHR, and county governments. Active programs as of 2025 include the four-year EU-funded Haki Ni Yetu (2023-2027), a two-year Embassy of Netherlands/UNDP gender equality and GBV access to justice project across four counties, a KOICA-funded Preventing Violence Extremism (PVE) project in Kisumu informal settlements, a UN Women/Government of Ireland Women Peace and Security project implementing UNSCR 1325 in Vihiga and Bungoma, an Act!-funded Timiza Ugatuzi public finance accountability pilot, and the Civic Caffé Podcast amplifying women's voices in local governance. Notable recent outputs include equipping the Vihiga SGBV office, supporting the launch of Kisumu's first SGBV Court, and engaging over 1,200 community members through constitutional awareness dialogues in Nyalenda and Manyatta informal settlements.

CSO Network has no commercial revenue stream; its business model is entirely grant-funded by international development partners and bilateral donors (European Union, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, UN Women, Irish Aid, KOICA, Embassy of Denmark, UNDP, and others). The organization employs 143 staff and operates with no proprietary technology, APIs, integrations, or AI/ML components. Its sole "media product" is The Civic Caffé Podcast, which serves awareness/advocacy rather than commercial purposes.

Name

Civil Society Organizations Network

Legal name

Civil Society Organizations Network (CSO Network)

Website

https://cso-network.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Civil Society Organizations Network (CSO Network) is a Kenyan non-profit Trust founded in 2003, operating across western Kenya to advance women's rights, governance, GBV response, peacebuilding, and youth mentorship through grant-funded advocacy and capacity-building programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Society Advocacy and Community Development Services

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

Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Civil society advocacy
• Gender equality programs
• Human rights protection
• Community capacity building
• Peacebuilding governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Kisumu

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: CSO Network operates as a non-profit civil society organization primarily funded through grants and donations from international development partners, government agencies, and foundations. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but receives funding to implement advocacy, capacity building, and community development programs.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSO Network is a non-profit civil society organization that delivers grant-funded advocacy, capacity-building, and community engagement programs in western Kenya. Its core work spans gender equality, GBV prevention and survivor access to justice, women's participation in peace and security (UNSCR 1325), human rights, democratic governance, and peacebuilding, delivered through projects, campaigns, mentorship, and research & advocacy services.

Product overview

Civil Society Organizations Network (CSO Network) is a registered Trust established in 2003, working in western Kenya with offices in Kisumu and Migori Counties. The organization does not offer a traditional technology product but rather operates as a civil society organization with multiple advocacy programs and projects. Its portfolio consists of: (1) Haki Ni Yetu - a four-year EU-funded governance and human rights project (2023-2027); (2) Preventing Violence Extremism (PVE) - community resilience project in Kisumu informal settlements; (3) Women Peace & Security - UNSCR 1325 implementation across Vihiga and Bungoma; (4) Promoting Gender Equality Through Access to Justice for Survivors of GBV - a two-year UNDP-funded program across four counties; (5) #EndGBV Campaign - comprehensive GBV prevention initiative featuring the Civic Caffé Podcast; (6) Advancing Women's Leadership for Sustainable Peace - UN Women/Ireland-funded project for survivors of election violence; (7) Supporting programs on Democracy & Governance, Human Rights & Access to Justice, Women Rights & Economic Empowerment, Peace Building, Mentorship, and Research & Advocacy. The organization functions as a network consortium host and advocacy coordinator rather than a product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Haki Ni Yetu Project A four-year EU-funded project (2023-2027) implemented by CSO Network, InformAction, and KIOS to strengthen the capacity of county-based and grassroots civil society groups for enhanced governance, accountability, and protection of human rights in Kenya, with focus on democracy, rule of law, gender equality, and environmental justice.
• Preventing Violence Extremism (PVE) Project Community-led project focused on strengthening peace, cohesion, and resilience in informal settlements in Kisumu County, applying dialogue, trust-building, early warning systems, and youth economic empowerment.
• Women Peace & Security Project UNSCR 1325 implementation project working in Vihiga and Bungoma Counties to promote women's participation and leadership in peacebuilding, including amplifying women's voices in VAWG prevention and consolidating women's leadership in local governance.
• Promoting Gender Equality Through Access to Justice for Survivors of GBV Two-year advocacy program across Kisumu, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Homabay counties, funded by Embassy of Netherlands through UNDP, aimed at strengthening access to justice for GBV survivors through legislative reforms, participatory engagement, and community-driven initiatives.
• #EndGBV Campaign Advocacy campaign promoting gender equality through access to justice for GBV survivors, featuring the Breaking the Silence initiative and coordinating efforts across government agencies, CSOs, and communities for GBV prevention and response.
• The Civic Caffé Podcast Podcast series featuring women's voices in local governance in Kisumu County, Kenya, amplifying perspectives on gender-based violence and women's participation in political processes as part of the #EndGBV campaign.
• Advancing Women's Leadership for Sustainable Peace and Inclusive Governance Project supporting survivors of election-related violence to heal, reclaim their voices, and take up leadership roles in peace-building and governance, implemented in partnership with UN Women, OHCHR, and Echo Network Africa Foundation.
• Strengthening Public Participation for Accountability (Timiza Ugatuzi) Act!-funded pilot project under the 'Timiza Ugatuzi' program implemented in Kisumu County through a consortium with Winam Grassroots and SUCAM as Budget Action Groups, targeting agriculture, blue economy, climate change sectors, and own source revenue issues with focus on marginalized groups.
• Mentorship Programme Youth mentorship program providing internship opportunities, training, and capacity building on life-skills development for girls and boys, with work on preventing teenage pregnancies, reproductive health rights awareness, and addressing barriers to women's decision-making.
• Research and Advocacy Services Research unit conducting baseline studies, rapid assessments, surveys, and impact evaluations on women's land rights, women and police engagement, citizen participation, and reparations, plus technical support for policy and legal framework formulation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 community members engaged through Katiba@14 constitutional awareness conversations in Kisumu informal settlements
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Act! (Action for Empowering Counties)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Implementing partner in Timiza Ugatuzi program supporting public participation and accountability in Kisumu County. CSO Network hosts consortium with Winam Grassroots and SUCAM as Budget Action Groups.
• Winam GrassrootsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Consortium partner in public participation and accountability programs, working with CSO Network on budget monitoring and citizen advocacy in Kisumu County.
• SUCAMmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Consortium partner in Budget Action Groups working on public participation and accountability in agriculture, blue economy, and climate change sectors.
• Echo Network Africa FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in women's leadership and peacebuilding project supporting survivors of violence to heal, reclaim voices, and take up leadership roles in community peace-building.
• Kisumu County GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on GBV response, gender policy development, and service delivery enhancement. Governor Nyong'o pledged collaboration with CSOs for improved service delivery.
• Vihiga County GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in GBV eradication efforts and SGBV office equipment, working on strengthening gender-based violence response systems.
• National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Contributes to legal obligations discussions on protecting GBV survivors and institutional accountability in justice coordination.
• KIOS (Kenyan Human Rights Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Lead implementing partner in the 4-year EU-funded Haki Ni Yetu project focused on strengthening civil society capacity for governance, accountability, and human rights protection. KIOS leads the consortium implementing small grants, capacity building, and institutional strengthening for CSOs and CBOs across Kenya.
• InformAction KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Consortium partner in Haki Ni Yetu project providing capacity building and grants management to grassroots organizations working on human rights and governance issues.
• Women Volunteers For Peace (WOVOP)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-organizer of Meet, Greet and Inspire Summit 2024 bringing together women leaders, mentors, and young women for empowerment and advocacy.
• Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) KenyamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in women's empowerment summits and mentorship programs promoting leadership and safe spaces for advocacy.
• Winam GrassrootsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in women's summits and community empowerment initiatives, contributing to collective efforts for women's rights and leadership.
• OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in Advancing Women's Leadership for Sustainable Peace and Inclusive Governance project, providing technical support and human rights frameworks for women's participation in peace processes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AMKENI WaKenya: AMKENI WaKenya is a UNDP implementing partner that co-funds CSO Network's Gender Equality/Access to Justice program. Both organizations operate as governance and rights-focused CSOs in Kenya with shared donor relationships (UNDP, Embassy of Netherlands) and overlapping programmatic focus on GBV response and citizen participation.
• WOVOP (Women Volunteers for Peace): WOVOP is a co-organizer with CSO Network on the Meet, Greet and Inspire Summit 2024 and works on women's leadership and peacebuilding in Kenya. Both organizations target women's empowerment, mentorship, and peace participation in overlapping geographies with similar donor ecosystems.
• Winam Grassroots: Winam Grassroots is a Kisumu-based grassroots CSO that CSO Network partners with directly under the Timiza Ugatuzi program and Budget Action Groups. Both target public participation, budget accountability, and women's empowerment in Kisumu County, serving overlapping community bases.
• Action for Empowering Counties (Act!): Act! is a direct program partner under the Timiza Ugatuzi initiative, working on public participation and accountability in Kisumu County. Both organizations target similar citizen engagement, budget monitoring, and devolution-related programming with comparable funding models.
• InformAction Kenya: InformAction Kenya is a direct peer and named consortium partner in Haki Ni Yetu, working on human rights, democratic governance, and small-grants management for grassroots CSOs. It operates with similar funding models (EU, bilateral) and overlapping program focus areas to CSO Network.
• YWCA Kenya: YWCA Kenya is a named partner in CSO Network's women's empowerment summits and mentorship programs. Both organizations target women's rights, leadership development, and safe-space advocacy, with comparable programming models and shared involvement in gender-focused initiatives in Kenya.
• Echo Network Africa Foundation: Echo Network Africa is a named partner on the Women Peace & Security project focused on women's leadership and survivor empowerment, working with overlapping donor support (Irish Aid via UN Women). Both operate in the same thematic space of women's peacebuilding and survivor advocacy in western Kenya.
• KIOS (Kenyan Human Rights Commission): Kenyan Human Rights Commission is a direct peer and consortium partner in Haki Ni Yetu, operating as a similarly sized Kenyan human rights organization focused on civic space, governance, and accountability. Both organizations share funding sources, geographic footprint, and program mandates on rights protection and civil society strengthening.

Broad incumbents

• Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC): KHRC is a broader incumbent Kenyan human rights organization with a wider national scope and longer history than CSO Network. It is comparable in mission, donor base, and advocacy focus on governance, rule of law, and civil society strengthening, though it operates at a larger national scale.
• KELIN (Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network): KELIN is a Kenyan civil society organization working on human rights, legal aid, and access to justice — comparable to CSO Network's focus areas on rule of law, SGBV response, and constitutional rights. It operates nationally with a broader legal mandate but similar funding sources and target population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSONetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/civil-society-organizations-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Civil Society Organizations Network