OSISA uses a combination of the following approaches in its work:

Under each of these key result areas, OSISA has identified a number of objectives.

Public advocacy on and promotion of Open Society ideals

To provide African leadership in the definition and development, within the specificities of southern African realities, of the concept and ideals of an open society.
To develop platforms on which to promote the discussion and institutionalisation of open society principles.
To monitor key policies, legislation, institutional design and practice to ensure that they are compliant with open society ideals.
To influence the alignment of key policy, legislation and practice towards open society ideals.
To advocate on key and specific policy issues that contribute towards the achievement of democracy and open society ideals and practices.

Facilitation, partnership building and networking

To seed ideas, and provide intellectual leadership and organising space, for cutting edge initiatives aimed at promoting open societies.
To identify and collaborate with organisations that share OSISA values and principles.
To identify key policy makers, establish and improve links with them or target them for advocacy, as relevant.
To identify and collaborate with like-minded donor organisations.
To provide leadership, and create an enabling environment for people, social movements, groups, etc., all for the purpose of espousing and achieving open societies.

To financially support, in a responsive and responsible way, the work of other actors in civil society and the State, towards the attainment of open societies in southern Africa.
To ensure ongoing programme development of the highest standards, as well as effective and efficient processing of funding requests and management of grants.
To develop a portfolio of proactive grant making for the realization of the strategic objectives of OSISA, balancing this with the reactive grantmaking portfolio, which latter portfolio tends to depend on the proposals raised by prospective grantees.
To review and update funding principles and programme guidelines.
To put in place mechanisms for grantee sustainability in the long term, for instance beyond 2010.

To ensure quality delivery by OSISA grantees and partners.
To develop the competencies and programme delivery capacities of key players in the region, who are relevant for the advancement of OSISA’s work.
To enable, among OSISA’s partners, effective linkages and networking for capacity building, and solidarity – among themselves and with international actors.
To establish an information network within OSISA to guide crisis and long term responses.
To develop new programmes for OSISA on an on-going basis according to need.
To develop and design sound internal and external appraisal, monitoring and evaluation systems.
To identify and support sustainable growth and development of strategic partners and grantees to ensure lasting promotion of Open Society values in the long term, for instance beyond 2010.
To increase the performance and effectiveness of the OSISA Board, and enhance the quality of services offered by OSISA staff.

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