Transparency and Accountability

Transparency and Accountability
The Revenue Watch Institute works to improve government accountability in resource-rich regions, like Sierra Leone.

Research shows that public oversight of government budgets promotes good governance. In 2006, the Foundation emerged as a vanguard supporter of efforts to increase transparency and accountability in developing countries by:

  • Strengthening budget analysis and expenditure tracking. In developing countries, Foundation grantees helped civil society advocates access government budget information, acquire the skills to analyze it, and build coalitions to improve development-related services for the poor.
  • Expanding the use of Mexico’s freedom of information laws and regulations. With our support, organizations in Mexico successfully increased the number of requests and appeals for basic budget information at the state and federal levels.
  • Reducing corruption in extractive industries. Due in part to the absence of citizen oversight, corruption and mismanagement of public finances are rampant in resource-rich developing countries. Working with the Open Society Institute and the Norwegian government, we launched initiatives to make states that depend on oil and mineral revenues more open, responsive, and accountable to their citizens.
Transparency and Accountability Grants Authorized in 2006
 
2006 Highlights

In 2006, the Foundation supported the creation of the Transparency and Accountability Project, which will establish best practices for budget analysis and expenditure tracking in developing countries. We have also provided general operating support to the International Budget Project, which works with in-country organizations to collect and analyze data on budget transparency and will support promising groups doing innovative budget work worldwide.

Fundar, a key grantee in Mexico, made over 200 freedom of information requests to government agencies to track and analyze federal HIV/AIDS spending in that country. Based on this data, the organization developed an advocacy strategy to boost HIV/AIDS allocations in the 2006 budget. Fundar’s work resulted in a 20 percent increase in those funds and a tenfold increase in public funding for HIV/AIDS prevention.

Backed by the Foundation, the Revenue Watch Institute began work to encourage developing countries to adopt and implement the provisions of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The Research Watch Institute also provided technical assistance to governments of resource-rich countries and trained activists and journalists in techniques for monitoring the extractive sector.
2007 Goals
 
  • Train and mentor emerging budget groups worldwide through the International Budget Project
  • Increase the quality and quantity of Mexico’s state-level freedom of information laws
  • Expand the use of, and compliance with, Mexico’s federal Freedom of Information Act
  • Strengthen the International Center for Transparency and Accountability Studies
  • Initiate research partnerships and draft an analytical framework for the Transparency and Accountability Project’s global report
  • Expand the work of the Research Watch Institute into new countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa

For more information, please visit the Foundation Web site.