The localization of aid has gained prominence since the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, calling for a shift towards more localized aid interventions and increased decision-making power for local actors. Local NGOs, as the quintessential local actors in the aid sector, have been placed on a pedestal since the rise of neoliberal policies in the 1990s. The World Humanitarian Summit orchestrated this shift through changes in funding schemes, which play a crucial role in the dynamics of the aid sector and serve as the primary income source for local actors. However, the availability of international funding is intertwined with complex relationships, constraints, and norms.

This thesis explores how the localization of aid is implemented by examining how local NGOs in Jordan navigate the funding process and how it enables them to exercise agency and decision-making power. If local NGOs are among the ‘big winners’ of the Grand Bargain, how can their financial mechanisms provide them with the necessary means to take on more decision-making power? Drawing on a theoretical framework informed by the sociology of organizations and Science and Technology Studies (STS), I compare the strategies and practices of two local NGOs in their interactions with external actors and their day-to-day operations. Through participant observation, interviews, and document analysis, I investigate the techniques employed by these NGOs in developing project proposals and budgets, as well as the challenges they face in securing financial sustainability.