Announcing Global Integrity’s Wind Down

Dear Global Integrity Friends,

It is both with sadness and gratitude that we share the news that Global Integrity is closing after more than 18 years of dedicated service to the open governance movement. We have initiated a wind down process that will conclude by the end of this year. 

For nearly two decades, Global Integrity has been committed to the fight against corruption, continuously striving to enhance public service delivery outcomes by producing cutting-edge research, strengthening local responses, and building an extensive global network of governance reformers. We’ve worked on projects around the world, and in 2012, we co-founded the Open Gov Hub in Washington, D.C., as the world’s first innovation hub for governance reform. None of what we have accomplished would have been possible without our partners.

We find immense pride in our efforts to meet this challenging moment with a transformation strategy, and we remain deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and collaboration from our incredible partners and allies. In the end, we were unable to secure the revenue needed to sustain operations. We will be sharing more about our experiences and insights in the coming weeks in the hope that our hard-learned lessons will help the anti-corruption and open governance field.

More immediately, our focus is on ensuring that the process of winding down pays tribute to Global Integrity’s significant work and legacy, and that our remarkable team transitions smoothly into new endeavors. 

We want to assure the Global Integrity community that the Open Gov Hub is as vibrant as ever, thanks to the continued dedication of its members. While Global Integrity can no longer continue as co-operator, Development Gateway: An IREX Venture will assume full management responsibilities and continue to provide a dynamic coworking and event space.

Global Integrity was established on the belief that transformative change required deep local expertise and bringing those voices and knowledge to the global level. Today, we celebrate the evolving landscape of locally-led development, embracing diverse forms and methods. Staying true to our founding vision, we are actively engaging partners and allies to transfer other programs and assets to organizations that share our mission and values, and who are equally committed to #shiftingpower in a way that centers local governance reformers and demonstrates global solidarity. For example, we are working with the Opening Central Africa coalition to ensure the gains made through the Fighting Kleptocracy in Central Africa project are sustained, and the Public Service Accountability Monitor to coordinate the Kuyenda Collective so that partners may continue to improve education outcomes for young people.

We are also supporting our incredible team to find their next challenge. These colleagues embody Global Integrity’s values – they’re problem-driven, humble, collaborative, innovative, and open. If you value working with high-performing people who make loving your job easy, please check out their profiles here. 

As we are learning, a meaningful wind-down process takes time and resources. So we turn to our partners for ideas and support to ensure our work and knowledge continue to serve the anti-corruption and open governance movement. If you have ideas about that process, or can play a role by helping sustain tools and methodologies, or by making a donation to support the transfer of programs and archiving of our institutional memory, please let us know. 

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for those of you who inspired, worked with and supported Global Integrity throughout its 18 years of service. We have felt your solidarity; your allyship gives us comfort. Global Integrity may cease to exist in its current form, but we know that our work will live on through you. 

 

In solidarity, 

Ania Calderon, Chair, Global Integrity Board of Directors

Amy Miller-Taylor, Executive Director, Global Integrity

For more insights, read Amy’s reflection blog about Global Integrity’s closure.

Header image credit: Samuel Ferrara, Unsplash