01 · About

About Vision Network

A United Vision ry initiative helping NGOs strengthen their organisations, develop skills, connect with partners and find relevant opportunities. Here's how it works, what we check, and where it's heading.

The six-stage model

Verify, diagnose, develop, connect, fund, measure

Each stage feeds the next. Your profile helps partners find you, your assessment points to useful learning, and your project results inform what you work on next.

STAGE 01

Verify

V1

Show partners who you are. A trained reviewer checks the evidence you provide and records exactly what was confirmed.

Verification case

Verification case

Under review
  1. Evidence submittedRegistration extract, board decision
  2. Reviewer assignedTrained verification reviewer
  3. Review in progressRegistration and representation
  4. Decision and reasonYou can ask for a correction or appeal
Example
What you do

Provide your organisation's details and the evidence we ask for, such as proof of registration and that you can act for the organisation.

What you get

A review status showing what was checked, when the decision was made and when it needs renewing.

What it doesn't mean

It confirms specific checks only. It isn't a general trust rating, an accreditation or proof of grant eligibility.

How verification works
STAGE 02

Diagnose

V1

Understand where your organisation is strong and what to strengthen first, across eight areas of organisational capacity.

Assessment findings

Your findings

Example
Governance78
Safeguarding64
Project mgmt71
Finance41
Fundraising48
Communications69
Digital & AI55
Impact38
Private to your team2 questions unanswered in Fundraising
What you do

Answer the capacity assessment at your own pace. Save your progress and come back whenever you like.

What you get

Findings for each area, a list of unanswered items and the priority areas your answers point to.

What it doesn't mean

Results are self-reported and kept apart from reviewed evidence. They're private by default and never ranked publicly.

Try the assessment preview
STAGE 03

Develop

V1

Turn findings into action. Each recommendation links to a practical resource and tells you why it was suggested.

Recommendations

Recommended for Impact measurement

Example
Choosing indicatorsBecause you marked indicators as not yet defined
Course
Evidence quality levelsHelps you describe what your results are based on
Guide
Simple results logA starting point for recording outputs
Template
What you do

Follow recommendations, use templates and toolkits, and take Vision Academy courses that match your priorities.

What you get

Practical next steps linked to your findings. Recommendations in V1 follow simple, explainable rules, not AI.

What it doesn't mean

Finishing a course doesn't prove organisational capacity on its own. Development plans are proposed for a later release.

Browse Vision Academy
STAGE 04

Connect

Directory in V1

Find organisations with complementary strengths by country, theme, target group and programme experience.

Organisation directory
Youth work, digital skillsTheme: Youth
NY
Northshore Youth CollectiveFinland · Youth, Inclusion
Verified
CF
Coastal Futures Education TrustSomalia · Education, Youth
Not submitted
Example profiles
What you do

Search the directory and describe the kind of collaboration your organisation is looking for.

What you get

Relevant profiles and a way to get in touch. Partner matching and structured partner calls are proposed for V1.5.

What it doesn't mean

You control whether contact details are shown. Expressing interest isn't a confirmed partnership.

Open the directory
STAGE 05

Fund

Board in V1

Find calls that fit your work and prepare stronger applications, with every listing linked to its official source.

Opportunity board
GrantExample listing

Small grants for community capacity building

Funding for NGOs strengthening governance, finance or safeguarding practices.

DeadlineFrom the source
Who can applySet by the funder
Last checkedShown on each listing
What you do

Browse curated calls and use readiness resources to check your fit before applying through the official route.

What you get

Listings with the source, deadline, eligibility notes and the date our team last checked them.

What it doesn't mean

We don't award or distribute funding. Each funder decides eligibility, and no application outcome is guaranteed.

See opportunities
STAGE 06

Measure

Planned for V2

Record project results and the evidence behind them, together with your partners. This stage comes after the core platform works well for members.

Impact records

Impact records

Planned for V2
Not available yetProject and impact tools stay out of the member menu until they are tested and approved.
What you do

Record outputs and outcomes for shared projects, each with a reporting period, unit, method and evidence.

What you get

Progress records with clear definitions that feed back into your next assessment.

What it doesn't mean

Self-reported results are never presented as independently verified impact.

See the roadmap
Onboarding

Your first weeks in the pilot

Five steps take a new organisation from registration to its first recommendations. You can pause after any step and pick up where you left off.

  1. 1
    RegisterCreate your account and create or request access to your organisation. We only ask for essentials at this point.
  2. 2
    Build your profileAdd your mission, countries, themes and experience. Preview what's public before you publish.
  3. 3
    Submit for verificationUpload the evidence we request. Track the review and answer any questions from your reviewer.
  4. 4
    Take the assessmentAnswer questions across eight capacity areas. You can do this while verification is under review.
  5. 5
    Get recommendationsSee suggested courses, templates and guides, each with the reason it was suggested.
Steps 3 and 4 run side by sideVerification is reviewed by a person, so it takes longer than the rest. You don't need to wait for a decision before starting the assessment or using learning resources.
  • Save longer forms and return later on any device.
  • Invite colleagues to help, with roles that control what they can change.
  • Your dashboard always shows the next useful action.
Pilot details are being confirmedPilot countries, launch languages and the size of the first group haven't been set yet. We'll share them with organisations that register interest.
The feedback loop

Results inform what you work on next

The six stages aren't a one-way path. What you learn from your projects should shape your next assessment, so development builds on real experience rather than starting again each time.

  1. Measure

    Record what your projects achieved and what the evidence shows.

  2. Reassess

    Answer the assessment again with those results in mind.

  3. New priorities

    See which areas have moved and which now need attention.

  4. Develop

    Get updated recommendations for the areas that matter now.

Then the cycle continues with your next projects.

What's available whenIn V1 you can take the assessment and act on its findings. Impact records are planned for V2, and reassessment history with comparisons is proposed for a later release, once the method for comparing results has been approved.
Verification · V1

What we check, and what we don't

A trained reviewer looks at the evidence your organisation provides and records exactly which checks were confirmed, when, and until when. Nothing more is implied.

Scope

A specific set of checks

Verification answers a narrow question: did a reviewer see acceptable evidence for each listed item? The exact criteria will be set in the verification policy, which is in draft.

Proposed checks

What it confirms

  • The organisation is legally registered, based on an official extract or equivalent document.
  • The person who submitted the case is authorised to act for the organisation.
  • The name, country and registered address on the profile match the evidence.
  • Which checks were done, the date of the decision and when it should be renewed.

What it doesn't mean

  • It isn't a rating of how trustworthy, effective or well run an organisation is.
  • It isn't an accreditation, a quality label or an endorsement by United Vision ry.
  • It doesn't make anyone eligible for a grant. Each funder sets and decides its own eligibility.
  • It doesn't cover assessment answers, project results or claims made elsewhere on the profile.
People decide, not softwareEvery decision in V1 is made by a trained reviewer, with a written reason and a route to ask for a correction or appeal.
Review lifecycle

From submission to decision

Your case always has one status, and your dashboard tells you what it means and whether anything is needed from you.

  1. Not submitted

    You've started a case but haven't sent it yet. Save and return at any time.

    Action: you
  2. Submitted

    Your evidence is received and waiting for a reviewer to be assigned.

    Action: our team
  3. Under review

    A reviewer is checking each item against the criteria.

    Action: reviewer
  4. More information needed

    The reviewer explains what's missing. Once you reply, the case returns to review.

    Action: you
  5. Verified

    The confirmed checks, decision date and next review date appear on your profile.

    Visible to partners

Other outcomes

Declined

The evidence didn't meet the criteria. You receive the reason and can ask for a correction, appeal, or submit again later.

Expired

The renewal date has passed without a new review. The badge is removed from your profile until you renew.

Suspended

Paused while a concern is looked into. You're told why, and the case history is kept rather than deleted.

These are the proposed internal statuses. Labels shown publicly may be simpler, but will always stay accurate.

Two different views

What partners see, and what only you see

Directory · Organisation profile
NY

Northshore Youth Collective

Helsinki, Finland · Youth, Inclusion
Example
VerifiedRegistration, representation, addressPublic
Decision date and next review datePublic
Link: what verification meansPublic
Never shown hereUploaded documents, reviewer notes, correspondence and assessment answers.
Evidence privacy

Your documents stay private

Evidence is stored separately from your public profile, in protected storage with controlled access. It never appears in the directory or in search results.

  • Only your organisation's admins and the reviewers assigned to your case can open uploaded files.
  • Reviewer access is limited to their duties. It isn't general access to the platform.
  • Every decision is logged with who made it and when, so it can be checked later.
  • How long evidence is kept, and how you can ask for it to be removed, will be set out in the privacy policy.
Privacy and verification policies: In draft
Who can see what
Verification status and scopePublic
Decision and review datesPublic
Reason for a decisionYour team
Uploaded documentsAdmins & reviewer
Reviewer notesReview team
Correction & appeal

If you think we got it wrong

Every decision comes with a reason. If something is wrong or unclear, there's a defined route to fix it.

Ask for a correction

If a fact is wrong, such as a misspelt name or an outdated address, send the correct information from your case page.

Appeal a decision

If you disagree with a decline or suspension, explain why. We propose that appeals go to someone who wasn't involved in the first decision.

Report a concern

If you believe another organisation's verification is inaccurate, report it. Reports are handled confidentially.

Timings aren't set yetHow quickly corrections and appeals are handled will be defined in the verification policy before the pilot opens. We won't promise response times we haven't agreed.
Renewal

Verification has an end date

Organisations change. Each verification shows when it should next be reviewed, so partners know the information is current. We'll remind your admins before the date and tell you what to update.

If a renewal isn't completed, the status changes to Expired and the badge is removed from your profile. Your history is kept, and you can renew at any time.

The renewal period is being set in the verification policy.

Dashboard · Verification

Verification

Verified
Renewal coming upCheck your address and representative are still correct
Example
Questions

Verification FAQ

Do we have to be verified to use Vision Network?

No. You can build your profile, take the assessment and use learning resources while your case is pending. Some actions may require verification; we'll say which ones before the pilot opens.

Does verification cost anything?

No. Verification is free during the pilot, like the rest of Vision Network.

Is verification the same as United Vision ry membership or accreditation?

No. It isn't membership of the association, and it isn't an accreditation. It records that specific checks were completed.

Will being verified help us win funding?

It can help partners understand what was checked about your organisation. It doesn't create eligibility for any grant, and funders make their own decisions.

What documents will we need?

Typically proof of registration and proof that the person submitting can act for the organisation. The exact list depends on your country and will be confirmed in the verification policy.

How long does a review take?

We haven't set a target yet. Reviews are done by people, and timings will depend on the size of the pilot group and our reviewer capacity. You'll always see your current status and whether anything is needed from you.

Roadmap

Start focused. Grow with evidence.

V1 is a small, complete core that has to work well for real organisations. Everything after it is a proposal, and each step only goes ahead once the one before has proved its value.

Four milestones

From core pilot to international network

Each milestone has an intended outcome for members, a proposed scope and a release gate. No module moves forward just because the next version number has been reached.

In preparation V1.0

Core network pilot

An NGO can join, build a profile, receive a verification decision, understand its development needs, and find learning, partners and opportunities.

  • Registration and organisation roles
  • Organisation profiles
  • Manual verification
  • Capacity assessment and recommendations
  • Member dashboard
  • Curated Academy and resources
  • Opportunity board and directory
  • AI & digital learning area

Release gateApproved policies, all core journeys tested, private data access checked, content in place, named reviewers and support, and pilot acceptance.

Proposed V1.5

Development and connection

Members get more relevant next steps and can start useful cooperation.

  • Partner matching and structured partner calls
  • Personalised opportunities
  • Organisation development plans
  • Expanded Academy
  • Learning records and approved badges or certificates

Release gateV1 use shows real demand, content quality is acceptable, matching is explainable, and moderation capacity is in place.

Proposed V2.0

Collaboration and intelligence

Members move from discovery into supported project work and reporting.

  • Project collaboration pilot
  • Impact measurement
  • AI recommendations, after evaluation
  • Funding intelligence pilot
  • Advanced analytics

Release gateReliable data, a tested permission model, source quality, AI evaluation, agreed reporting definitions, a budget and an owner for each module.

Long-term V3.0

International ecosystem

A larger international network that sustains development and cooperation at scale.

  • More languages and regions
  • Broader integrations
  • More mature AI services
  • Wider ecosystem participation

Release gateProven retention and value, sustainable operations, cost evidence, and governance and support capacity for international work.

No dates published until delivery is confirmedWe'd rather tell you a release is ready than promise a date we might miss. When a module is confirmed for delivery, we'll update this page and tell organisations who registered interest.
Status labels we use

Every label means something specific

These labels describe what we intend, not what's finished. We use the same five everywhere: on this site, in our backlog and in our designs.

Build now

Being built within the current, approved development scope.

Needs an owner, requirements, an estimate and acceptance criteria.

Launch in V1

Intended to be available to organisations in the V1 pilot.

Needs end-to-end testing, support in place and release approval.

Prepare infrastructure

We set up the foundations now so the feature fits later. Nothing is live.

Needs a documented boundary and a limited preparation scope.

Activate later

A planned later capability, not available at launch. It may still need to be built.

Needs a target milestone, prerequisites and an activation decision.

Future concept

An idea worth exploring, with no commitment to build it.

Needs a clear problem and evidence before any resources are committed.

Feature by feature

What's planned, and when

Releases after V1 are proposals. Features stay out of the member menu until they're tested and approved.

Planning status of each module. Status labels describe intent, not delivery.
ModuleWhat it coversStatusRelease
Core pilot
Organisation profilesMission, countries, themes, experience and contact details, with field-level visibility.Launch in V1V1.0
VerificationEvidence submission, human review, decision with reason, correction and appeal.Launch in V1V1.0Manual review
Capacity assessmentEight capacity areas, save and resume, findings and rule-based recommendations.Launch in V1V1.0
Vision AcademyA curated set of courses, templates and toolkits mapped to assessment areas.Launch in V1V1.0Limited catalogue; expanded in V1.5
OpportunitiesModerated grants, partner calls and trainings, each with source and last-checked date.Launch in V1V1.0Curated board
DirectorySearch approved public profiles by country, theme, target group and experience.Launch in V1V1.0
AI & digital learningEditorial content and learning on AI literacy, responsible use and digital readiness.Launch in V1V1.0Learning only; AI tools only after evaluation
Later releases
Partner matchingSuggested partners with explanations, plus structured partner calls.Activate laterV1.5Proposed
Development plansOrganisation plans built from assessment findings, with milestones.Activate laterV1.5Proposed
Project collaborationShared project spaces with responsibilities, milestones and records.Prepare infrastructureV2.0Proposed pilot
Impact trackingIndicator records with period, unit, method, evidence and visibility.Prepare infrastructureV2.0Proposed pilot
Funding intelligenceSource-based discovery and explanation of funding calls, always linked to the funder.Prepare infrastructureV2.0Controlled pilot; broader in V3.0 only after evaluation
Direct funding marketplaceAn idea raised during planning. There is no plan or commitment to build it.Future conceptNo commitment
How we decide

What moves a feature forward

Real demand

Pilot organisations tell us what's useful. Features advance when use and feedback show they're needed.

Safe to run

Permissions tested, private data protected, and people in place to support and moderate it.

Honest to present

We only describe something as available once it is. Hiding a menu item is never our only access control.

Help decide what comes next

Pilot organisations shape the roadmap. Tell us what would make the biggest difference to your work.