Enabling a Localized Aid Response in Syria: An Assessment of Syrian-led Organizations

Syria is a striking example of the failure of aid because this crisis is taking place in middle-income countries with high-skilled workers and established infrastructure. Before the war started in Syria it was an advanced economy. That talent still exists, and is now leading many Syrian CSOs, NGOs, and businesses.

There is no doubt that the Syrian crisis is extraordinarily complex – as is localizing aid. But Building Markets has found that challenges preventing further progress on the latter also stem from some basic barriers.

Like local small and medium-sized enterprises, a key obstacle preventing more donors and stakeholders from working with Syrian-led organizations is limited information on their capabilities – how they operate, what they need, and how best to support them.

Building Markets conducted an in-depth organizational capacity assessment of 402 Syrian-led CSOs based in Turkey and Syria to help fill this knowledge gap, and to inform a training and mentorship program that is working to increase their competitiveness for humanitarian and development contracts.