Strengthening Internal Capacity: OFOP’s Assembly and Sejm Conference
On 16 June the Polish Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations (OFOP) co-hosted a pivotal conference in the Polish Parliament titled “Building Capacity and Social Resilience of NGOs.” Organized together with the Parliamentary Group on NGOs and Civil Society, the event formed part of OFOP’s General Assembly activities.
The aim was clear: present policymakers with an honest diagnosis of civil society’s condition and offer concrete policy recommendations. Participants included MPs, public officials, civil dialogue representatives, and civil society organizations.
OFOP’s President Karolina Dreszer-Smalec and Senate Deputy Marshal Magdalena Biejat opened the event. Key data presented by Klon/Jawor showed a concerning trend: shrinking membership in associations, growing burnout, ongoing financial instability, and continued fallout from recent crises like the pandemic. Presenters urged systemic support – not just project grants, but long-term structural investment. Piotr Frączak from OFOP’s Legal Monitoring Office emphasized that support should mean more than contracting services. It requires removing legal and financial barriers, ensuring fair legislation, and establishing an independent public institution to facilitate dialogue between the state and NGOs.
Parliamentarians, government representatives, and civil society leaders echoed the need for a comprehensive, strategic approach. They advocated using existing strategic roadmaps and improving dialogue with policymakers. Michał Braun from the National Institute for Freedom – Centre for Civil Society Development (NIW) announced an upcoming philanthropy awareness campaign.
Senator Biejat reinforced the current government’s mandate for democratization, committing to further action, including dedicated meetings on NGO fundraising and crisis response partnerships.
The takeaway: Polish civil society has the know-how, experience, and drive. Now it needs committed institutional partners. The same day during OFOP’s General Assembly a new Board of Directors was elected. New Board of OFOP (as of June 16 2025):
● Karolina Dreszer-Smalec – President,
● Weronika Czyżewska-Waglowska – Vice-President,
● Krzysztof Hołyński – Vice-President,
● Krzysztof Alcer – Board Member,
● Rafał Kowalski – Board Member,
● Mateusz Wojcieszak – Board Member.
Toward a European Civic Infrastructure: ECF, Stefan Batory Foundation, and OFOP’s Conference
On June 17, civil society gathered again in Warsaw for the international conference “Strengthening Democracy and Rule of Law in Europe amid Polycrisis” co-organized by European Civic Forum, Stefan Batory Foundation, and OFOP. The event connected the national insights with a broader European discussion on protecting democracy in challenging times.
With input from Polish and European stakeholders – including Karolina Dreszer-Smalec, Ewa Kulik-Bielińska, Raffaella Bolini, and representatives from the Hungarian Civic Presidency – the message was unified: democracy doesn’t defend itself. It requires active support, financial resources, and institutional recognition.
Minister Adriana Porowska underlined the shift needed: civil society must be treated not as contractors, but as equal partners. Poland’s lessons were presented as a model shaped by civic resistance, rapid legal response, and strategic coalition-building.
Key insights included:
● Long-term financing frameworks for civic organizations,
● Accessible watchdog tools for quick reaction to legal threats,
● Stronger advocacy roles across traditionally service-focused NGOs.
The conference transitioned into a forward-looking EU discussion about challenges faced in the context of civic backsliding observed in multiple EU member states.
Panel discussions called for:
● Robust civic space protections at the EU level,
● Stable, long-term funding mechanisms for CSOs,
● Recognition of civic groups as democracy’s core infrastructure.
Public sector representatives, EU officials, and civil society leaders emphasized partnership. European institutions were urged to create legal and financial frameworks that treat civic investment as essential to democratic resilience.
The conference’s strategic ambition was clear: empower civic society to resist erosion and shape Europe’s democratic renewal.
Conclusion: The Time for Civic Investment Is Now
From the Polish Sejm to the European stage – the message resonates. Civil society is not a side actor, it is democracy’s backbone. With good leadership, strong grassroots momentum, and support from international allies, the civic movement in Europe will endure.
Democracy under pressure and challenged by multiple crises demands action. And, as OFOP’s Karolina Dreszer Smalec emphasised, action begins with investment – in people, in institutions, and in trust.
OFOP and its partners will continue pushing this agenda forward, ensuring that civil society is at the heart of Europe’s next chapter.