InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Jejaring Lokadaya, a network of civil society organizations (CSOs), officially launched LOKADANA, a participatory grantmaking platform described as simple, flexible, and deeply rooted in community needs. The launch, which included the opening of the Micro Grant Call Cycle-1 and a public discussion, was attended virtually by 240 CSO representatives from 38 provinces.
The initiative emerges against a backdrop of shrinking democratic space and a severe funding crisis for grassroots organizations in Indonesia. Analysts note a serious decline in the quality of democracy, citing weak civil liberties, restrictive regulations, and an increase in arrests following mass actions.
Speakers highlighted the funding challenge, where international donors increasingly channel funds through large international contractors, often marginalizing smaller, critical, community-based CSOs. A 2025 survey even indicated that 75% of CSOs struggle to access overhead funding, while 57% are hampered by excessive administrative requirements, stripping grassroots groups of the autonomy to define their own strategies.
An ‘Arisan’ for Social Movements
LOKADANA is introduced as a political instrument for civil society to ensure movements remain sovereign, relevant, and sustainable. Tino Yosepyn from Lokadaya described the platform as an “arisan for civil society,” referencing the Indonesian tradition of rotating savings and mutual support.
The model puts communities at the heart of decision-making—from planning to evaluation. In its initial launch, the platform successfully raised Rp 36 million for emergency grants.
“LOKADANA is a new hope. Civil society organizations can carry out their own agendas without having to be tied to mechanisms from outside Papua,” said Ilham Majid of Sophia Nusantara, South Papua.
By offering direct support through its Micro Grant Call Cycle-1, LOKADANA aims to bypass complex bureaucracy, ensuring funds directly empower local communities, women’s groups, youth, and grassroots initiatives.
LOKADANA, supported by the EU's CO-EVOLVE 2 program, is a domestic resource mobilization effort aimed at securing the long-term contribution of CSOs. Its founders emphasize that every rupiah collected and every grant distributed is a step toward strengthening democracy from below and building self-sufficiency. (T2)
