On November 3, during her remarks at the Forum for the Future in Morocco, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the Civil Society 2.0 Initiative. The Initiative is designed to help grassroots organizations learn about and then leverage Web 2.0 technologies to help build up their memberships and connect to a larger community of organizations around the world.
 
The initiative intends to train grassroots organizations to become self-sustaining in areas that have traditionally been supported by Western NGOs and governments.
 
As a part of this initiative, a team of experienced technologists will be sent to work with civil society organizations around the world to help teach grassroots organizations how to perform certain tasks like build a website, create and manage a blog, launch a text messaging campaign, build an online community, and leverage social networks for a cause. This team will also be equipped to assist local civil society organizations and governments to develop and implement technology-based solutions to local problems.
 
The initiative also calls for the creation of online "how to" programs and curriculums to help organizations that do not have access to the team of technologists.
 
One of the most interesting aspects of Civil Society 2.0 is the call for a curated open platform that will allow for any citizen or company to develop, share, or suggest content for the curriculums posted online.
 
$5 million in grant funds has been allocated for pilot programs in the Middle East and North Africa.  These programs will work to bolster the new media and networking capabilities of civil society organizations and promote online learning in the region.
 
The Forum for the Future is a joint civil society initiative of the countries of the Broader Middle East and North Africa region (BMENA) and the Group of Eight (G8). It brings together leaders from government, civil society and the private sector to exchange ideas and form partnerships to support progress, reform, and expanded opportunities for the people of the region.