THE GOAL OF THE FIVE-YEAR, $15 MILLION CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY IS TO INCREASE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC ACTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES. SPECIFICALLY, THE ACTIVITY WILL ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL CIVIC ENTITIES WORKING AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL TO ADDRESS CITIZEN IDENTIFIED ISSUES, THEREBY BUILDING THEIR LEGITIMACY AND INFLUENCE; FOSTER GREATER TRUST, CONNECTIVITY AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN NEWLY EMERGING GRASSROOTS GROUPS AND THEIR NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL COUNTERPARTS; AND ENHANCE THE LONG TERM SELF-RELIANCE OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY SECTOR BY DEVELOPING AN ECOSYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABILITY.