The idea of 'civil society' has achieved prominence in political and developmental discourse over the past two decades. It is widely seen as a critical agent for reducing the socially atomizing and unsettling effects of market forces, enforcing political accountability, and improving the quality and inclusiveness of governance. Reconsideration of the limits of state action has also led to an increased awareness of the potential role of such organizations in service delivery, either separately or in a synergistic relationship with state institutions. The Trust has supported such groups through its Public Initiatives portfolio. As a cross cutting concern, it has emphasised organisation effectiveness and professionalism in the non profit sector.

The Trust seeks inspiration from the following basic principles in formulating its strategy in this thematic area: (a) Good quality human resources are critical for good work; (b) Systems, with respect to planning, cost effectiveness and impact assessment go together with a desire to bring about change; (c) Strengthening organisations is a meaningful contribution to the sector; (d) Looking beyond strengthening organisations as a practical means for grant making; and (e) Connecting citizens across levels with a sense of caring and fellowship to create a fair and humane society.

To consolidate these efforts the Trust focuses its grant making around the following:

• Encouraging youth action for development through the 'Youth and Civil Society Initiative'
  
  
• Professionalizing the non-profit sector through fellowships, besides building vibrant non-profits through the 'Human Resource and Organisation Development Initiative'.
  
  
• Strengthening Governance particularly through citizen engagement with public systems.