Alliances and coalitions
Open Briefing is part of a wider ecosystem where collaboration and complementarity matter. We play an active role in civil society networks and multilateral bodies that support defenders and protect civic space, alongside relevant professional associations and private sector initiatives.
| Civil society networks | Multilateral bodies | Private sector |
|---|---|---|
| CIVICUS | EU Temporary Relocation Platform (EUTRP) | Social Enterprise UK |
| Building Responses Together | Association of Mental Health Providers | |
| Alliance for Land, Indigenous and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED) | Cloudflare – Project Galileo | |
| Vuka! | People and Planet First | |
| NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC) | 1% for the Planet | |
| Global Mental Health Action Network | ||
| Mental Health Innovation Network | ||
| Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) |
In 2025, we partnered with ALLIED and KERI to strengthen the mental health and psychosocial support ecosystem for Indigenous, land, and environmental defenders in the Philippines. We also partnered with two regional protection hubs in Southeast Asia – Exile Hub and Tifa Foundation – supporting them through capacity-sharing and mentoring, while learning from their local knowledge and experience.
We are also part of the security working group of the Defenders in Development campaign.
Referral network
A community of over 60 partners refer at-risk defenders and organisations to our rapid response mechanism for holistic security support. This includes a wide range of nonprofits, foundations, and protection organisations, including both high-profile and grassroots organisations around the world.
We in turn are a referral partner for Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, Amnesty Security Lab, and Cloudflare’s Project Galileo.
Funding partnerships
We work with funders as a grantee, service provider, and strategic partner.
Foundations trust us to deliver sustained impact alongside responsible stewardship of resources. Current and recent funding partners include Waverley Street Foundation, Luminate, the National Endowment for Democracy, Packard Foundation, Oak Foundation, Mott Foundation, Equation Campaign, Waterloo Foundation, Christensen Fund, and Bernina Initiative.
As a provider, we support foundations seeking to strengthen protection for at-risk grantees and improve their own approaches to risk management, data protection, and staff care.
Working across these roles gives us a clear view of emerging risks, practical constraints, and what effective protection and philanthropy require. We use that perspective to contribute to more resilient and responsible funding practice.
Conferences and events
We build alliances, share practice, and help shape the spaces where defenders, funders, and movements come together.
In 2025, we delivered workshops and clinics at the People’s COP in Brazil, the East Africa Philanthropy Network Conference in Kenya, Strengthening Our Security with Proética and Rainforest Foundation Norway in Peru, the Hearth Summit in Slovenia, Global Gathering in Portugal, ActionAid’s People Power Conference in Denmark, and the #SaferToBeMe Summit in the United Kingdom. We also joined colleagues from around the world at RightsCon in Taiwan.
Accreditations and commitments
Beyond our direct partnerships, we also contribute to sector-wide norms through public pledges and accreditation schemes that promote fair work, inclusion, and climate responsibility.