About FCS

The idea to establish the Foundation was born out of a confluence of purpose between some leaders of the civil society movement and a group of development partners (DPs) in 2002.

This was motivated by, amongst others, a need to enhance CSOs' engagement in national poverty reduction programs, increase development aid harmonization, as well as to streamline DPs’ support to CSOs. FCS was thus conceived as an intermediary support mechanism for CSOs in Tanzania.

FCS was registered as a legal entity in September 2002 and started its operation in January 2003, and has over the years grown to be an independent Tanzanian not-for-profit development organization that is anchored in Tanzanian civil society.

Since its inception, FCS has significantly strengthened the capacity of Tanzania’s civil society sector, empowering CSOs and citizens to drive democratic governance and improve the quality of life.

From 2002, FCS has managed over $76 million in grants from an institutional budget of approximately $130 million, supporting more than 6,000 CSOs across all thirty-one regions of Tanzania, including both Mainland and Zanzibar. Through these efforts, we have reached an estimated thirty-one million Tanzanians, thereby contributing substantially to good governance processes.

External reviews commend FCS for fostering the proliferation of civil society organizations, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and for maintaining a leadership role in civil society despite the shrinking operational space post-2015. Throughout its journey, FCS has made substantial contributions to good governance, public accountability, and the protection of rights for marginalized groups.

The organization has worked with thousands of CSOs across Tanzania, supporting them in areas such as democratization, accountability, access to social justice, and election monitoring. FCS-supported CSOs have reached millions of people, significantly impacting governance processes and enhanced citizen participation.