Where We Work
Aligning Cultures has active programming experience across six countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa - building deep relationships with local communities, governments, and civil society organizations in each context. Also active in Jordan through fiscal sponsorship support.
Our Footprint
Our work is shaped by the specific political, cultural, and humanitarian realities of each country we operate in, with programming across Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Mauritania, and Somalia, and fiscal sponsorship support in Jordan.
Iraq
CoreLongest-standing presence - programming since 2004
Iraq is the core of Aligning Cultures' programming. Our work spans the full spectrum of conflict prevention, democratic governance, gender equality, and youth employment - built on two decades of direct community engagement across all 18 provinces.
What We Do
- Designed and led community crisis committees in Anbar, Diyala, and Ninewa that resolved over 170 disputes and facilitated IDP family returns in communities affected by ISIS occupation
- Trained female candidates for elected office, supported female MPs in amending discriminatory laws, and contributed to Iraq's constitutional awareness programs and first Parliamentary Minority Caucus
- Delivered youth employment programming in Diyala through SkillHub, connecting 200+ young people with digital economy skills, employer matching, and MSME small grants
- Delivered rehabilitation training for social workers and prison staff engaged in CVE-related reintegration
- Currently supports 14 local civil society organizations with capacity building, proposal development, and donor alignment
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Local civil society organizations across Iraq
Yemen
ActiveStrategic communications, livelihoods, and community resilience
In Yemen, Aligning Cultures has worked in one of the world's most complex and dangerous conflict environments - directing programs that reached communities across the country's deeply divided media and political landscape.
What We Do
- Designed and implemented a strategic communications program that trained 24 community journalists as Messaging Champions
- Equipped Messaging Champions to counter Iranian disinformation, challenge discriminatory narratives, and advance women's role in governance
- Supported a competitive small grants mechanism reaching over 100 local media organizations
- Led livelihoods programming that enabled 1,100 female heads of household to achieve economic independence
- Supports Yemeni organizations with fiscal sponsorship so they can access international funding they would otherwise be unable to receive
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Yemeni civil society organizations
Sudan
ActiveCivil society survival, peacebuilding, and community resilience
Aligning Cultures has operated in Sudan's most conflict-affected regions - Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile - amid one of the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crises.
What We Do
- Conducted comprehensive needs assessments identifying urgent protection, food security, and civil society survival needs across Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile
- identified and vetted 13 local civil society organizations as potential sub-grant recipients - including women-led and youth-led organizations
- Developed a seven-domain capacity building framework for Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms
- Continues to support Sudanese civil society organizations through fiscal sponsorship during a period when many have lost offices, registration documents, and banking access
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Sudanese civil society organizations
Syria
ActiveCivil society support and community resilience programming
In Syria, Aligning Cultures supports local civil society organizations navigating one of the most complex humanitarian and political landscapes in the world. We provide organizational capacity building, proposal development support, and donor alignment assistance to Syrian NGOs operating across multiple conflict-affected contexts.
What We Do
- Engaged in programming design for resilience and community cohesion initiatives in active conflict and post-conflict settings
- Provides contextually grounded support informed by deep knowledge of Syria's political dynamics, civil society landscape, and community structures
- Supports local partners with organizational capacity building, proposal development, and donor alignment assistance
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Syrian civil society organizations
Mauritania
ActiveRadicalization drivers' assessment and conflict analysis
In Mauritania, Aligning Cultures designed and implemented a comprehensive assessment framework to identify the drivers of radicalization and sources of instability across five states.
What We Do
- Trained and deployed over 20 enumerators - men and women - who conducted surveys, key informant interviews, and focus groups with diverse community members across the country
- Produced a detailed, evidence-based picture of the social, economic, political, and religious factors contributing to vulnerability to radicalization in each state
- Built the foundation for targeted, contextually appropriate programming responses grounded in genuine community listening
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Local assessment partners across five states
Somalia
ExpandingExpanding - CVE and community resilience programming
Aligning Cultures is actively expanding into Somalia, where we have identified and engaged local partners for prevention and countering of violent extremism programming in Bay and Bakool, Southwest State.
What We Do
- Drawing on deep experience in CVE, community resilience, and local partner capacity building from across the MENA region
- Positioned to contribute meaningfully to Somalia's peacebuilding and stabilization ecosystem
- Engaging local partners with established community relationships in Bay and Bakool
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Partners identified for CVE programming in Bay and Bakool, Southwest State
Jordan
Also ActiveFiscal sponsorship for civil society organizations
Aligning Cultures provides fiscal sponsorship support to civil society organizations in Jordan - enabling local organizations to access international donor funding through our US-registered 501(c)(3) status.
What We Do
- Serves as US-based fiscal sponsor for Jordanian civil society organizations and community-led initiatives
- Provides the legal and financial infrastructure that enables local organizations to receive international donor funding, manage grants compliantly, and operate with greater credibility in the eyes of international partners
Areas of Focus
Partner Context
- Jordanian civil society organizations
Partner with Aligning Cultures on programming, capacity building, or consulting engagements across Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, and the MENA region.
Partner With UsOur Services
Aligning Cultures delivers nine specialized services across the Middle East, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa — from conflict prevention and CVE rehabilitation to fiscal sponsorship for local organizations.
Conflict Prevention & Stabilization
Locally led crisis committees, IDP reintegration, and social cohesion programming that interrupt cycles of violence in Iraq, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
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Strategic Communications & Narrative Change
Counter-narrative content, counter-disinformation programs, and community messaging champion training that interrupt extremist narratives and build resilience to false information across Iraq, Yemen, and MENA.
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Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment
Gender-transformative programs advancing women's political participation, economic independence, and GBV prevention — engaging men as accountable partners for change across Iraq, Yemen, and the MENA region.
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Youth Employment & Livelihoods
Market-driven youth livelihoods programs combining labor market research, digital skills training, employer engagement, and MSME support — reaching 8,000+ youth across Iraq with explicit inclusion targets.
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Local Partner Capacity Building
Tailored organizational development for civil society organizations — proposal writing, MEL frameworks, fundraising strategy, and donor compliance — supporting 25 local organizations across Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia.
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Fiscal Sponsorship for MENA Organizations
A US 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship umbrella enabling civil society organizations in Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, and Syria to access international donor funding, manage grants compliantly, and build donor credibility.
Learn MoreAlso offering: CVE & Rehabilitation, MEL, and Technology & GenAI for Development
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