About Us

“It is our dream to achieve real change for exploited children, for the poor, for people deprived of their human rights and for the protection of the environment by helping leading civil society organisations to be more effective in the work they do.”

Peter Eigen and Burkhard Gnärig, the co-founders of the Berlin Civil Society Center

Having worked in and with civil society organisations (CSOs) for many years, Peter Eigen and Burkhard Gnärig felt that there was a serious gap in advisory and support services for international CSOs. There was evidence of professional advisers who offered services on current market terms, university-based civil society centers with their own research agenda, large international consulting firms providing pro bono support to some of the CSOs, as well as various networks focusing on specific aspects of CSO work. But there was no place where Board Chairs, CEOs and senior managers of international CSOs could come together with their own agenda and learn from each other.

With the establishment of the Berlin Civil Society Center, Peter Eigen and Burkhard Gnärig wanted to close this gap. Their wish was to provide international CSOs with a resource center where the core philosophy is to be at the service of the CSOs, focus on their needs and offer help with convening and capacity building.

Read more about our work.