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Annual Report 2004

Third Sector Program

The Third Sector Program was launched in January 2003. It constitutes a larger project aimed to support the process of developing and stabilising the civil society in 7 Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Hungary, initiated and funded by the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe established by a consortium of six American foundations that had been active in this region.

The aim of the Program is to improve the overall operations of the non-profit sector in Poland by creating a favourable legal and fiscal environment for organizations’ growth, providing assistance in building foundations of their financial stability, and enhancing cooperation between organizations as well as the development of partnership relations with other sectors. The Program, planned for four years, is run in cooperation with selected partner organizations, which received grants for their projects.

Favourable Environment for Non-Governmental Organizations’ Growth

Partner organisations: Institute of Public Affairs, Klon/Jawor Association

The Foundation finances research conducted by our partners on the third sector and phenomena important to the third sector’s development.

In 2004, the Klon/Jawor Association conducted nation-wide research of the state of civic organizations in Poland and 3 thematic investigations on cooperation between state administration and non-governmental organizations, the organizations‘ cooperation with local government, and research on volunteerism and philanthropy. Research results are published in the form of brochures and on the website www.badania.ngo.pl.

The Institute of Public Affairs organized two expert seminars: State tax policy with respect to non-governmental organizations and Non-governmental organizations and VAT. The first issue of the quarterly Third Sector was published by the Institute. The periodical presents analyses of the non-profit sector and suggests directions for its development. The quarterly aims to present information regarding the state of and prospects for development of the third sector by regularly publishing expert opinions and recommendations for the future. As part of the project, a system of monitoring legal regulations concerning civic organizations was also established. The information collection process takes advantage of all ongoing contacts with parties impacting legislative processes, analysis of source materials and constant communication with organizations. Monitoring results, expert texts and analyses are available at the project webpage at www.isp.org.pl/kompas/.

Partnership for the Third Sector

Partner organizations: Foundation in Support of Local Democracy and SPLOT Network of Information and Support for Non-Governmental Organizations

The project aims to reinforce cooperation between non-governmental organizations and local governments at the regional and local levels, assure organizational participation in setting the agenda and distribution of structural funds, increase practical knowledge regarding mechanisms for applying for EU funds, facilitate creation of NGO representations.

In 2004, project activities focused on dissemination and promotion of the Act on public benefit activity and volunteerism. In addition to organizing conferences and trainings, publishing (handbooks and brochures from the Better to know more) series, work was conducted in about 70 municipalities on cooperation programs among local governments and civic organizations. In over 30 towns, these efforts ended in local authorities adopting appropriate resolutions. Further, a series of meetings was continued with the purpose of establishing 10 representations of civic organizations active in different spheres of life in various regions of Poland.

Another realm of activity was related to assuring organizations access to structural funds. Numerous trainings and regional conferences were held, as was monitoring of the process of selecting organizations’ representatives to the regional committees that steer and monitor the use of EU structural funds.

Detailed information in this regard is available on the pages of our partner organizations: www.splot.ngo.pl and www.frdl.org.pl/spolecze/partnerstwo.htm.

New Models of Civic Initiatives Funding

Partner organizations: Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland and Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation

We provide funds to partner organizations, which carry out activities planned for a 3-year period aimed at disseminating of innovative models for philanthropic activity. We support fund-raising and local coalition building methodologies that benefit from the collaborative network of NGOs, local government, business and private donors to form a sustainable funding source for initiatives that respond to local community needs.

We support activities of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland which through training, consulting and financial assistance strives to reinforce the 12 existing and establish 10 new community foundations, i.e. local non-governmental organizations which receive local donations and redistribute funds in the form of grants awarded to local initiatives while building an endowment to ensure long term grant making capability. Activities conducted by the Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation are intended to support 15 Partnership Groups, i.e. coalitions for development of regions with common traditions, similar economic and social conditions, which consist of NGOs, public institutions (local governments, cultural centers, museums, nature parks, etc.) and local businesses. It is planned that as part of the project, thanks to consultations, training, subsidies and help in raising funds, over 3 years, 20 partnership groups will attain organizational stability enabling independent operation of programs on the local and regional levels, while also raising over 1 million EUR for their activities. More information on the project may be found at www.gp.epce.org.pl.

We support philanthropy and corporate social involvement by co-funding two key campaigns run by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland. In 2004, another edition of the Benefactor of the Year competition was held to promote attitudes of involvement and corporate social responsibility. Also a campaign aimed to encourage taxpayers to use the opportunity of allocating 1% of their tax due to support a public benefit organization has been prepared. The special page at www.jedenprocent.pl is an element of this campaign.

Institutional Development of Non-Governmental Organizations

We support the process of building the financial and institutional stability of civic organizations, the activity of which has a key impact for social and third sector development. As part of an open contest, we offered NGOs two types of grants: capital grants – designated for creating organization’s endowment and strategic grants – designated for organization’s institutional development (improving staff qualifications, development of material resources, preparation of the organization to undertake new program activities or activities intended to attain financial independence) and for creation of financial reserves. We awarded 18 subsidies (one of them will be paid in 2005) for the total amount of PLN 9,480,000; pursuant to concluded agreements, the majority of grants will be disbursed in tranches in 2004-2006.

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