Civil Society Policy Forum

A core component of the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is CSO-organized policy dialogue sessions that will run concurrently throughout the Forum.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and CSO networks who are interested in organizing sessions are invited to submit their applications during the Call for Proposals which ran until Friday, February 15, 2019.

THE CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS IS NOW CLOSED.

Session organizers will be notified if their session has been selected for inclusion in the CSPF, prior to posting the preliminary CSPF program schedule online by mid-March 2019.

Please note that we cannot guarantee that every proposal will be accepted. Due to the growing demand for sessions in recent years and space constraints, we ask that each organization sponsor only one session, although you may co-sponsor additional sessions that other organizations are leading on. Proposals jointly sponsored with other CSOs - especially from other regions of the world - are highly encouraged!

If you want to submit a joint proposal, and/or would like to work on your proposal offline, please follow these two steps:

All proposals, without exception, must be submitted electronically using the online form above. 

The deadline for submitting a session proposal is Friday, February 15, 2019.

REMINDERS

• Sessions will only be open only to those accredited to the 2019 Spring Meetings. No day passes will be issued for panelists or guests attending the sessions. All participants will have to be registered.  
• Registration and participation in the CSPF is free, but please be aware that participants -  including session organizers and speakers - are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation costs.  See the Registration tab for more details.

2019 Spring Meetings CSO Innovation Fair

The CSO Innovation Fair is an opportunity for CSOs to showcase innovative products, flagship reports, and ground-breaking campaigns that produce improved development outcomes and contribute to a continued dialogue in the field of Human Capital. The CSO Innovation Fair will take place at the MC Atrium on Wednesday, April 10 in the afternoon (TBC). This central location will allow for enhanced interaction, innovation, and networking with WB and IMF staff, CSO participants, and other Spring Meeting participants.

To see a list of last year's exhibitors, please click here. 

CALL FOR FAIR STAND PROPOSALS IS NOW OPEN AND WILL CLOSE ON MARCH 1, 2019.

***Please note that this call for proposals for a stand at the Civil Society Innovation Fair is separate from the call for proposals to organize a session at the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF).***

This year, the fair theme will be Human Capital.

We welcome CSO participation from around the world who can showcase innovative work focusing on Human Capital in a visually attractive and compelling manner. We are especially interested in CSOs who have a desire to engage more actively on the ground on human capital projects and the coordination capacity with other CSOs at the local, national or regional level.

What will be provided [TBC]

• Space of the stand: approximately 3 square meters (32 square feet)
• 1 table and 2 chairs
• A large screen on a stand connected to a laptop with access to the internet
• 450W power outlet

You will have to personalize and decorate your stand with your visual identity, communications materials (infographics, brochures, posters, reports, etc.) and bring one roll-up banner.

Selection criteria

We are looking for a diverse range of topics on display at the pilot CSO Innovation Fair. The following criteria will guide the selection process.

Costs

There is no cost to have a stand at the CSO Fair. However, each organization is responsible for the cost of all relevant communication products and bringing them to Washington, D.C. for the Fair.

Next steps and deadline

Complete the Stand Proposal form online by Friday, March 1, 2019.

Click on the box below to open the online submission form:

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The Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is open only to CSO representatives who have been accredited to the 2019 Spring Meetings through online registration. 

Costs

Registration and participation in the CSPF is free, but please be aware that participants are responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation, and costs. Participants are also responsible for applying for their entry visa to the USA. Unfortunately, we have come across some entities offering to register participants for a fee. If you come across any such entity, please report them to civilsociety@worldbank.org so we can take appropriate action.

Application Process

All CSO applications go through an initial review by the Civil Society Team of the World Bank Group to ensure that the applicants represent CSOs involved in international development policy operations and/or dialogue on issues relevant to the work of the Bank Group and IMF. (See "What are CSOs?" paragraph in the overview page)

Once this criteria is met, applications are reviewed by the relevant Executive Directors' offices (based on the country where the CSO is based or mainly operates and/or the nationality of the requester) for clearance. The Executive Directors have eight working days to review the requests for registration.

At the end of this process, the participants will be notified by email of the final decision. There is no limit on the number of applicants from a single organization, but each applicant must apply individually.

Since the applications approval process can take up to 21 days, we encourage CSOs to apply early, to allow for the relevant reviews and clearances, and to give themselves enough time to make travel and visa arrangements. 

Visas

If you need a visa to enter the United States, please request registration as soon as possible, noting that the approval of your registration request can take up to three weeks. The World Bank Group and IMF do not assist with the visa application process in United States Consulates as this is the responsibility of each traveler.

Following registration approval, you can use your confirmation email as evidence of the purpose of your visit to Washington during your visa interview. The Bank Group and IMF will not be responsible for delays in visa processing.