29 minutes agoBOCONGO shifts strategy after Gov’t funding cut

The Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) has entered a critical phase of restructuring after the government announced it would withdraw funding to civil society organizations. In response, the umbrella body has relocated its offices, reduced its permanent staff, and shifted to a project-based funding model. BOCONGO’s Executive Director, Kutlwano Pelontle, told this publication that the funding cut forced the organization to make “difficult but decisive decisions” to ensure it remains operational and continues to serve its members.

“We will be candid: the complete withdrawal of government subvention required us to make difficult but decisive decisions, and we made them quickly. BOCONGO’s immediate response has been one of structural adaptation, not paralysis,” Pelontle said. The first step in BOCONGO’s response was to cut operational costs while safeguarding its core mission.

The council moved into a more affordable office space, sharing facilities with the Botswana Council of Churches. “Shared space, shared costs, shared purpose,” Pelontle said, highlighting the collaboration as a vital strategy within civil society. BOCONGO also restructured its staffing, reducing permanent employees, merging departmental roles, and relying more on targeted consultancy contracts.

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“These were not easy decisions, and we acknowledge the human weight of them. But they were necessary to ensure that BOCONGO remains functional and that we continue to serve our members without compromise,” Pelontle emphasized. Under the new model, BOCONGO operates on project-based funding, relying on coordination fees rather than a standing operational grant.

Pelontle acknowledged that this approach presents challenges, especially as BOCONGO competes for funding in the same environment as its member organizations. “We are transparent about the fact that this is not an ideal long-term arrangement. We are mindful of the optics of an umbrella body competing in the same funding environment as its own members, and we do not take that tension lightly,” he said.

Looking ahead, BOCONGO is exploring alternative income sources to secure its future. At its 2026 Annual General Meeting, the organization discussed various diversification options that could be implemented if the funding situation persists beyond the current financial year. “Beyond projectisation, BOCONGO’s Annual General Meeting of 2026 explored a range of income diversification mechanisms,” Pelontle said.

“We remain hopeful that engagement with the government will yield a path forward before that point is reached.” Despite financial constraints, Pelontle said BOCONGO is leaning on its membership network for resource sharing, skills exchange, and collaboration among affiliated groups. He conveyed a message of solidarity and resilience amid a challenging environment. “We will not pretend this season is easy.

It is not. Civil society across the world is navigating shrinking fiscal space, shifting donor priorities, and the compounding pressures of economic strain,” Pelontle said. The government’s funding withdrawal has raised concerns among civil society organizations about the sustainability of advocacy, development, and community-based programs that have long depended on public support.

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