Diversity of funding and cooperation structures in foreign cultural and education policy

Foreign cultural and educational policy aims to enable access to culture and education across geographical, social, and political boundaries. This applies both internationally and domestically. In order to successfully and sustainably implement this mandate—participation and access—the structures and processes of foreign cultural and educational policy should reflect the reality of social plurality.

The aim of the planned project was to examine the diversity of existing funding and cooperation structures (including the direct funding area of the Federal Foreign Office and the indirect funding area of so-called intermediary organizations) using the example of foreign cultural and educational policy. The decision-making processes during the tendering, evaluation, and award phases of funding were also analyzed. On this basis, (perceived) mechanisms of exclusion of funding recipients with regard to diversity were identified, and a corresponding medium-term, person- and organization-related diversity strategy was developed.

The multi-method design used different empirical approaches to gain a better understanding of the perception and practice of direct and medium-based funding institutions by civil society organizations with varying degrees of diversity, the structural networking between public funding institutions and civil society organizations, and the perception of diversity management by employees in funding institutions.

The aim of the research project was to develop guidelines for a medium-term, people-oriented diversity strategy that includes specific recommendations for action for the Federal Foreign Office and its intermediary organizations. 
This includes starting points for (a) increasing the direct and intermediary-based funding attractiveness for civil society organizations with a diversity focus, (b) diversifying the provision of financial and cooperative support by the Federal Foreign Office, (c) making the implementation of funded projects more diversity-sensitive, and (d) improving the diversity-related attitudes and skills of all employees.

In a multi-methodological design, organizational surveys were triangulated with social network analyses, implicit testing procedures, and semi-structured interviews. Building on these basic scientific work packages, a tailored implicit bias training program was conducted at the Federal Foreign Office.

• The establishment of formalized diversity measures in civil society is still in its infancy and is partly dependent on resources
• Diversity is primarily perceived as diversity in practice
• Civil society organizations with a focus on diversity are not underrepresented in public funding – nevertheless, there are barriers to access and exclusion mechanisms that disadvantage small civil society organizations (with a focus on diversity) in particular
• Civil society organizations need support in shaping diversity and have ideas on how the state can help them
• Diversity is already anchored in the foreign cultural and educational policy – but with much potential for development
• Access to funding is mainly through informal channels and networks
• There are already approaches to diversity-sensitive funding practices – but so far, these are not very formalized