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Annual Report 2005

Citizens in Action Program

The Program, planned for 2003–2009, aims to support democratic changes and the development of civil society in Belarus and Ukraine. We cooperate with non-governmental organizations from Belarus and Ukraine that support grass-root initiatives, engage in building partnership between non-governmental organizations and public administration sectors and in civic education activities.

The Program involves grantmaking to Belarusian and Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, selected on the basis of open competitions or individually invited to apply for grants. Our grantees are also invited to participate in study visits, meetings and trainings organized in Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and other countries.

Regional partners competition

In 2004, by way of open competition, we selected an initial group of 14 organizations from Belarus and Ukraine for Program’s regional partners. Selected organizations received grants for institutional development and program activity including support to grass-root initiatives. In 2005, four of the partner organizations received supplementary grants to organize trainings and regional partner meetings devoted to: experience sharing and developing good practice in organizing small grant competitions (Chernihiv, February 2005), finance management and cooperation with local government, public administration and business (Donetsk, May 2005), operation of citizens advice bureaus (Donetsk, October 2005) and working with small informal groups (Zhmerinka, planned for 2006). In December 2005, this group of partner organizations received another set of core support grants for 2006–2007.

In 2005, we launched a second edition of the regional partners competition for organizations operating in 5 Belarusian regions (Grodna, Gomel, Minsk, Mogilev, Vitebsk) and 13 Ukrainian regions (Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnitskiy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovograd, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zakarpattya, Zaporizhya). In July 2005, 35 organizations selected out of 79 applicants, came to Warsaw for a consultation and information meeting combined with financial and accountancy trainings and a conference devoted to various aspects of functioning of Polish third sector: the new social economy and the role of NGOs, the Law on Public Benefit Activity and Volunteerism, cooperation with local government and business. Each organization was then visited by experts who assessed its financial management and book-keeping standards. On the basis of grant applications’ assessments and the results of financial monitoring, the grant committee made up of representatives of grant making organizations operating in Belarus and Ukraine selected 19 organizations to become Program’s partners. All of them received grants for program activity and institutional development. With the program activity grants partner organizations will implement projects that concern: education and legal information for citizens, protection and execution of individual rights, civic education of youth, development of local civic activity centers, transparent accountable governance, access to information, development of philanthropy, and support to grass-root initiatives. Funds for institutional development will be used to improve staff, board and volunteers’ skills, streamline organization’s management and operations.

Credibility and Partnership – NGOs in Local Communities competition

In 2005, we offered Belarusian and Ukrainian organizations an opportunity to apply for grants for promotion of their activity in the local communities and among their potential partners. The competition was welcomed with great interest – 117 organizations sent in their applications. 19 of them (7 from Belarus and 12 from Ukraine) received grants for third sector promotional activities they will carry out in 2006. The purpose of this grant competition was to prepare the organizations for undertaking advocacy efforts aimed to resolve local problems and protect the rights of individuals and social groups.

Civic education

In 2005, we invited 5 organizations from Ukraine and Belarus to apply for grants to carry out projects aimed to support civic and European education for youth, develop methodology for third sector research in Belarus and provide legal aid and education for NGOs.

The Program was financed from Ford Foundation’s grant.

Program costs

Grants

*due to the political situation in Belarus we do not identify our grantees in this country

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