This is an analysis of 150 social movements in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico, conducted in partnership with Pulsante. Through mapping and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The project addressed the following guiding questions:

• Power Strategies: What tactics and tools do they use to build power?

• Innovation: How are they innovating in their narratives and their models of collective action?

• Identity: Who are these movements and what do they demand?

The analysis reveals common patterns in their needs, good practices to overcome challenges, a taxonomy of actions that can be financed by international philanthropy, and a grammar of action by those driving democratization and systemic change in the region.

Social movements are the main drivers of democratization and systemic change in Latin America, challenging the structures that generate inequality, exclusion, and violence. However, they face a narrowing of civic space and the difficulty of translating discontent into real change.

To accelerate the transition towards more just democracies, it is essential that the philanthropic sector and allies understand and strategically evaluate how their funding architecture affects the ability of these actors to fully recognize their rights and achieve their own goals.

The main objective is for this analysis to be a strategic tool that strengthens the civic ecosystem:

• For Funders: Generate arguments, inputs, and reflections for the discussion on funding objectives and the scope of philanthropy in the region.

• For Movements and Allies: Highlight the power and creativity of collective action, promoting strategic reflection and the identification of good support practices.

The direct result is a comprehensive analysis document and reflection workshops to optimize investment on the front line of the fight for social justice in Latin America.

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