Our mission
Enhancing knowledge about the civil society sector is challenging yet paramount to comprehend the specificities of CSOs, promote their contribution to society and democracy and navigate transformations within their ecosystem.
To address this challenge, we are dedicated to embarking on the mission of supporting the development of academic research relevant to civil society by focusing on three primary activities:
Identifying knowledge needs
By identifying the knowledge needs of CSOs, we offer new avenues to enhance the skills of CSO leaders, inform advocacy strategies, strengthen dialogue with stakeholders, and guide public and private funders’ strategies and their support of CSOs.
Supporting new research
We launch and implement research programmes to support new research addressing the knowledge needs of CSOs. Our grantees research projects are chosen for their scientific rigor and their tangible value to civil society organisations.
Disseminating knowledge
We provide opportunities to showcase research findings to a broad audience through our national and local events, along with an ambitious editorial policy. We centralise knowledge about civil society and make it accessible through our website resource section and open collaborative digital libraries. All publications and other resources from our grantees can be found in the publications section.
Our activity reports (in French)
Beginnings of the Institute
The role of civil society organisations in society
The French Institute for Civil Society Organisations was established in Lyon under the initiative of Simone André, a prominent figure who dedicated her life to the development and promotion of CSOs.
The initiative stems from the recognition of the significant place of CSOs in French society: while the overall French population is 68 million inhabitants, the country counts with a dense network of 1.4 million associations in 2020. These represent 1.8 million employees (i.e. 6% of the active population), and 23 million volunteering contributions. French associations have a cumulated budget of €125 billion, amounting to 5% of the GDP. CSOs are responsible for various aspects of the common good, complementing and working alongside public authorities. They demonstrate a considerable ability to navigate ongoing societal shifts, addressing areas such as social and territorial cohesion, culture and education, support for vulnerable individuals, sustainable development, and collaborative economics. They actively contribute to democratic vitality through their participatory decision-making processes and their collective contributions to society as intermediary bodies.
Better understanding to better acknowledge
However, the civil society sector remains inadequately informed by research. Efforts related to understanding the CSO landscape, its developments, as well as local, European, and international comparative analyses remain limited. The engagement of the academic community can be further expanded on these matters. Also, the means and methods for leveraging open data still need to be structured.
Based on this observation, a strong conviction underpins the Institute’s inception: supporting the understanding of civil society enables its greater recognition and strengthens its resilience.
In January 2019, the French Institute for Civil Society Organisations was established under the auspices of the public utility Foundation for the University of Lyon (FPUL). After two years of incubation by the FPUL, the Institute was established as a fully-fledged association. Based in Lyon, it pursues national and European ambitions, with eventual international reach.
The French Institute for Civil Society Organisations
1 Rue Dr Fleury Pierre Papillon, 69100 Villeurbanne