The Forum of Federations is concerned with the contribution that multi-level governments can make to democracy building and democratic consolidation.•We assist in democracy promotion in fragile states or regions in post-conflict situations. Democratic evolution does not happen overnight; our extensive experience in countries such as Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Yemen can be put to use quickly and effectively.•We provide innovative solutions to challenges posed by multi-level governance in federal, devolved, and decentralized countries. We bring a tested, comparative approach, a global network of experts and excellent access to key government officials around the world. We have worked in Germany on improving public service delivery, in Brazil on implementing a value added tax, in India on fiscal equalization, in Australia on metropolitan governance, in Switzerland on designing an immigration and integration policy.•We focus on the key issues of local empowerment. If you want to promote democracy in a way that gets real, on-the-ground results, our focus on the key issues of local empowerment – too often ignored – can add an essential dimension to your efforts.•We provide expertise that bridges the worlds of academic research and real-world practice.