At Rise Up Together, we know that transformative advocacy doesn’t happen through training alone. Leaders need comprehensive support – training, funding, global connection, and technical assistance (TA) that turns vision into action. That’s why our model is holistic: this bundle of support equips leaders with the tools they need to succeed at every stage of their advocacy journey. 

This year, as part of our ongoing learning agenda, we researched the central question: In what ways has Rise Up Together’s technical assistance strengthened leaders’ organizational capacity and how effective was our support in meeting their needs as they implemented advocacy projects? “Our learning agenda is an example of how we can listen more deeply, look more closely, and challenge our assumptions about how our programs work,” said Josie Ramos, Rise Up Together’s Co-founder and Director of Learning. “Learning is not an add-on to our work, but rather the work of staying responsive and grounded in what leaders and their organizations tell us. Let’s continue to be curious, ask bold questions, stay open to what we discover, and build the kind of organization that learns and rises together.” 

A virtual technical assistance evaluation released to 133 recent grantees helped us understand how this support strengthens leaders’ impact. The findings – reinforced by our external evaluation from Dalberg Advisors – are both affirming and energizing: our model works, and now we have even clearer insight into how to refine and scale it. 

Rise Up Leaders across nine countries shared overwhelmingly positive feedback:  

• 96% rated their TA experience as Good or Excellent, with 72% of those rating it as Excellent 
• 91% agreed that TA positively impacted their advocacy projects, with 70% of those strongly agreeing 

In other words, leaders consistently highlighted how our support sharpened strategies, clarified goals, and enabled tangible results. One leader explained, “Rise Up Together is among the few organizations that walk the talk – building the capacities of potential grantees and supporting them through proposal development and project implementation. The capacity development and support form Rise Up Together has added a lot of value to my organization both in capacity enhancement and creating visibility.” And another reflected, “Rise Up Together’s technical assistance strengthened our organizational capacity, advocacy strategies, and stakeholder engagement. Without Rise Up’s support, our impact would not have been as significant.” 

Post-evaluation, we have taken leaders’ feedback to heart, making intentional changes to ensure technical assistance is even more leader-centered and trust-based. Recognizing the complex power dynamics of the funder-funded relationship, we have streamlined reporting so that leaders now submit only a written interim and final report, eliminating additional requirements. Monthly technical assistance calls are available, but not mandatory, ensuring support is flexible and responsive to leaders’ needs. We have also developed standardized TA guidelines that provide structure while remaining adaptable to local contexts, helping our team deliver consistent, high-quality support across countries. 

Leaders have emphasized that what makes our approach so impactful is not just the resources or information we provide, but the relational, responsive, and action-oriented nature of our support. Our global team is recognized for being thoughtful, supportive, and accessible, helping leaders troubleshoot challenges, clarify strategy, and achieve measurable results. Many have connected this support directly to stronger implementation and measurable policy outcomes, underscoring the real-world difference our holistic model makes. 

This evaluation confirms what we’ve always known: integrated, trust-based support works. It also provides a roadmap for growth. We are committed to deepening action-oriented, trust-centered support, expanding opportunities for peer learning and resource sharing, and tailoring guidance to meet the local contexts of our grantees around the world. By walking alongside leaders at every stage of their advocacy journey, Rise Up Together supports them to create lasting, meaningful change.