Bretton Woods Project

About this grant

Since its establishment in 1995, the Bretton Woods Project of ActionAid has been a leader in international financial institution reform. Working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), researchers and officials, it analyzes the activities of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and recommends areas for reform. The project serves as a network coordinator and clearinghouse manager for information and research; an adviser to the NGO networks in the United Kingdom and other countries working on World Bank and IMF issues; and a catalyst for strategy development and policy discussions among NGOs, between NGOs and researchers, and with the World Bank and IMF.Multiyear funding will enable the project to pursue activities that include highlighting policy developments at the World Bank and IMF; identifying opportunities for collective NGO policy work; encouraging international financial institution reform policies with relevant U.K. ministry officials and the institutions themselves; maintaining and enhancing information vehicles and their distribution, including the Web site; and responding to requests for information, strategic advice or contacts working on similar issues.Recent achievements included working with NGOs in other countries, as well as coordinating a global effort with NGOs in developing countries, to encourage greater parliamentary scrutiny of international financial institution loan agreements; analyzing the policy coherence discussions between the World Bank, IMF and the World Trade Organization; and helping to launch a European NGO network to share information and discuss joint strategies on reform.