Introduction
This report provides actionable best practices for funders seeking to support local leadership in tangible, equitable ways. Commissioned by the IKEA Foundation, the report synthesizes global literature and over 50 interviews with funders, regranters, and Global South NGOs and ecosystem actors to explore what localisation looks like in practice — how it is defined, what approaches are being pursued, and what lessons might guide more equitable grantmaking and partnership.
The study finds that localisation is not a single model but a spectrum, shaped by context and actor perspectives. It surfaces concrete examples of best practices related to localising grantmaking (including partner scoping and application processes, funding modalities and flows, risk management and organisational development); reporting; monitoring, evaluation and learning; and strengthening local agency.
