This session will explore how Public Development Banks (PDBs)  and civil society can co-create finance strategies that are rooted in local knowledge and democratic participation. With PDBs managing over $23 trillion in assets globally, their potential impact on the SDGs is enormous, but only if their strategies are aligned with the priorities and lived realities of communities. Building on the findings of Forus’ new mapping study and insights from global civil society leaders, this session will highlight successful models of civil society engagement, and present PDB initiatives such as CIVIC, the World Bank’s new facility for embedding citizen voice into development systems. The event will call for PDBs to reimagine their operational models by centering transparency, local ownership, and sustainable transformation, reinforcing civil society as a strategic partner in development finance.