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Annual Report 2006
Third Sector ProgramThe program was carried out by the Foundation in years 2003-2006. It constituted a larger project, 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, with an aim to support the process of developing and stabilizing the civil society in 7 Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Hungary. The aim of the program was to improve the overall operations of the non-profit sector in Poland by creating a favorable legal and fiscal environment for organizations' growth, providing assistance in building foundations of their financial stability, and enhancing cooperation among organizations as well as their cooperation with other sectors. The program was carried out in a framework of four modules, three of them were run in partnership with selected organizations, fourth module was organized in the formula of an open competition. Favorable Environment for Non-Governmental Organizations’ GrowthPartner organizations: Institute of Public Affairs, Klon/Jawor Association, Working Community of Associations of Social Organizations (WRZOS) Activities under this module were conducted by our partners during three years (November 2003 — October 2006) and served the following program objectives: create a mechanism of acquiring and disseminating knowledge concerning the third sector, analyze its condition and indicate directions for its development, increase the influence of organizations on legislation concerning their activity. During that time the Klon/Jawor Association conducted a series of research, including: two surveys on the quality of the third sector (2004 and 2004), three surveys on volunteering, individual philanthropy and the 1% income tax designation (2003, 2004 and 2005); twosurveys on relationships between national and regional government (2004 and 2006). The Klon/Jawor participated also in the Civil Society Indexinternational research program coordinated by CIVICUS and implemented in 50 countries (the CSI program, based on a single methodology is primarily designed to collect and compile data to facilitate global comparisons and reviews of the quality of civil society). Research findings were presented in a series of reports and thematic briefs, i.a. in It's Worth Knowing More series of brochures and in an NGO monthly gazeta.ngo.pl. There were also referred to in other studies and articles regarding the current status of the third sector and presented in NGO-related events. Moreover, a handbook ABC of the Third Sector was published, which offers basic theoretical and practical information about non-governmental organizations (2004), two special editions of gazeta.ngo.pl — resume (2005 and 2006) featuring a summary of major developments in the previous year and an anthology The Third Sector for Advanced Readers. The Institute of Public Affairs developed and deployed a system of monitoring legislation affecting NGOs (propositions of amendments to existing laws and new bills) and the practical implementation of laws and regulations. The monitoring information was distributed through e-bulletins to 258 subscribers. It also appeared on the Institute website and on NGO portal (www.ngo.pl) in the from of short news articles and analytical papers. Parallel to the monitoring system, a status report was developed on the legal and regulatory environment of the third sector; the report is regularly updated and the latest version reflects the legal status as of late July 2006. The broad scope of reviewed acts and legislative works gives a better insight into a legal environment for civil society activity as well as plays an „early warning” role and allows to react immediately to unfavorable changes. The Institute of Public Affairs made an attempt to litigate with the aim of changing the case law and law enforcement. The case regarded a foundation from Lower Silesia, which was refused the right to participate in the administrative court proceedings with a formal status of a social organization (a „social organization” is entitled to act as one of the trial's sides). The Supreme Administrative Court explicitly stated that foundations should be regarded as social organizations, and thus have right to participate in administrative court proceedings. The litigation conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs supports the line of future judicial decisions, set in the above mentioned resolution. Another task undertaken by Institute of Public Affairs was to identify issues of key importance for the development of the third sector and make them a subject of experts' opinion as well as public debate. This part of the project relied on the monitoring of legislation and on research conducted by Klon/Jawor. Relevant issues were studied in-depth and opinion was sought from academics, lawyers, experienced NGO leaders and competent national and local government officials. A total of 41 opinions were developed (of which 10 were developed by international experts). They analyzed such problems as: government policy towards the third sector and subsidiarity principle in social services, social economy, NGO relations with local government and different legal and tax issues. Opinions were discussed during 19 seminars attended by a total of 500 individuals and published on the website and in The Third Sector quarterly magazine. The seminars provided a meeting forum for NGO leaders, researchers and experts from Poland and abroad. They discussed and shared expertise on issues and recommendations based on above opinions, thus building an expert support framework for the third sector. The expert support framework for the non-governmental sector was also formed around The Third Sector quarterly magazine that discussed current status and future potential of civil society in Poland. Each issue of the quarterly had a monographic character focused on one selected theme. Seven issues of the magazine published during the project duration tackled the following topics: taxation, social economy, relations with public administration, employment in the third sector, perception of NGOs, advocacy and lobbying, NGO financial planning. The eighth issue came out in December 2006 and provided a summary of the whole project. Working Community of Social Welfare Organizations WRZOS, a third partner organization, which joined the program in 2005, was implementing two advocacy projects that helped to test a mechanism of consulting NGOs sector position towards legal regulations that affected their activity, and then advocating for necessary changes. First project focused on selected problems related to VAT regulations and allowed to identify five concrete amendments, which were presented to the Ministry of Finance and to the Council of Public Benefit Activity. Second project focused on consulting and advocating for changes that should be introduced to the Law on Public Benefit Activity and Voluntarism. A list of propositions of 8 amendments to the law was prepared and consulted within NGO community. Some of the problems identified in the consultation process were clarified in the amendments to the Law on Public Benefit Activity and Voluntarism prepared in 2006. In 2006 Klon/Jawor received a grant for organizing the data accumulated during the research and setting up a system of knowledge and information management that would allow more open access to all these resources. The Institute of Public Affairs was awarded a grant for continuation of monitoring of legal regulations affecting third sector functioning. Partnership for the Third SectorPartner organizations: Foundation in Support of Local Democracy and SPLOT Network of Information and Support for Non-Governmental Organizations The activities undertaken within this module were conducted during two years (in October 2003 — September 2005). They were aimed at making the NGO community more conscious of opportunities and challenges connected with EU accession and mobilizing NGO community to joint actions targeted at reinforcing cooperation among NGOs and establishing partnership-based relations between the civil society and public sectors. Within this module we cooperated with two network organizations which have branches in all regions of Poland: Foundation in Support of Local Democracy (FSLD), which deals mainly with support of local governments, and SPLOT, one of the oldest NGO support organizations. Activities carried out by our partners were primarily centered around provisions of the Law on Public Benefit Activity, as well as opportunities and challenges connected with EU accession and structural funds. Thanks to simultaneous and coordinated wide scale activities, conducted by both of our partners, we were able to reach over 12 000 people who participated in different events, and further at least 30 000 people who benefited from information and consultations provided through direct contacts, websites and publications. Both partner organizations provided regular trainings, information and consultation services on the Law on Public Benefit Activity and Voluntarism and structural funds to NGOs practically in all regions of Poland. 16 Regional Conferences, 16 Regional Fora of Non-governmental Initiatives and 88 specialized workshops and seminars were organized with participation of 7 000 people (one of the workshops, aimed at strengthening NGOs skill in scrutinizing public institutions, was conducted by Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights). Information and consultation were available in all SPLOT locations and FSLD opened special consultation centers in 5 locations (in total 26 600 information and consultations were imparted). In addition, 13 regional NGO portals were launched with more than 1 300 news published during project's implementation and 240 000 portals' visitors registered. FSLD published and distributed 2 editions of guide books explaining the provisions of the new Law on Public Benefit Activity (one designed for local government, the other for NGOs) in total circulation of 3 000 copies. SPLOT published and distributed 5 brochures in total circulation of 22 000. Publications and brochures were also available on Internet. Both partners using different approaches and methodologies moderated processes of developing programs of cooperation between local authorities and NGOs. The reason was that although the Law on Public Benefit Activity obliges local government sets formal regulations of cooperation with NGOs, it does not specify any detailed guidelines for this document. Such processes were initiated in 101 locations in 15 regions with participation of more than 4 500 representatives of local authorities and NGOs who attended 292 meetings and workshops. As a result 84 resolutions on program of cooperation were developed, out of which 74 were passed by local authorities. Both partners were involved in monitoring processes of setting up Regional Steering and Monitoring Committees responsible for allocating and monitoring structural funds. In 15 regions there were set NGO coalitions responsible for contacts with NGO members of the Committees (in 1 region — SubCarpathian — no coalition was set up due to the lack of interest among NGOs). Moreover, FSLD organized meetings of NGOs representatives at the Committees with an aim to improve their operations and facilitate sharing of information and experience. The meetings demonstrated that the members were unclear as to the role and scope of their responsibility and the committees worked according to very different standards. For this reason, in 2006, FSLD continued organization of the meetings and prepared a draft proposition of procedures of appointing NGO representatives to committees for a new programming period. The new procedures were consulted with committee members and other representatives of NGO sector. The result of consultations was submitted to the Ministry of Regional Development responsible for the overall management of structural funds. SPLOT undertook a task to initiate and facilitate processes of founding new regional and local NGO representations. Development of regional representations was organized around a cascade process of forming NGO councils on different levels (from municipal councils — through county councils — to district/regional representation). The process of building local representations targeted organizations dealing with different social issues such as unemployment, education, local development, women issues, social welfare, addictions, palliative care etc. To avoid risk of stimulating false cooperation each representation had to undertake a concrete task — develop common standards of services provided. As a result 3 regional representations (in Varmia and Mazury, Pomerenia and Lower Silesia) and 12 branch coalitions with 740 member organizations were set up. The regional representation established in Varmia and Mazury region succeeded in the development of a document regulating cooperation between three sectors (based on the British Compact model). The agreement signed by representatives of regional authorities, NGOs and businesses is a unique initiative, worth duplicating in other regions. Moreover SPLOT published two handbooks on forming regional three-sectors agreements and developing common standards of services provided by NGOs. New Models of Funding Civic InitiativesPartner organizations: Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland and Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation Both of our partner organizations during three years (May 2003 — July 2006) carried out activities targeted at developing and strengthening two models of funding civic initiatives: community foundations — local non-governmental organizations which raise money in their communities to fund local initiatives while building an endowment to ensure their long term grant making capability; and partnership groups — coalitions of NGOs, local enterprises and public institutions (local governments, cultural centers, museums, nature reserves, etc.) for development of regions with common traditions, similar economic and social conditions. The support offered by our partners included: grants, trainings, consultancy and various forms of experience sharing. In the effect, the number of community foundations expanded from 12 to 20 and partnership groups from 12 to 17. Both community foundations and partnership groups developed network structures that enable them to learn from each other's experience, undertake joint actions and maintain high standards of grant making and partnership. And both groups proved their efficiency in engaging different actors into local community life. This was reflected i.a. in the amounts of funds they raised: Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland supported community foundations with grants of a total value PLN 3,8 million (including PLN 0,8 million from the Third Sector Program), community foundations raised from other source PLN 10 million distributing in their communities 1059 grants and 2536 scholarships. Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation made grants of PLN 1 million value (PLN 0,8 million from the Third Sector Program) and partnership groups raised PLN 27 million from other sources and implemented dozens projects for sustainable development. Both organizations summarized the experience gained during the project in comprehensive resource materials. Academy published four manuals on the functioning of local organizations and the Trainer Guide. Environmental Partnership Foundation developed 6 training modules on theoretical and practical aspects of Partner Groups' development and operation and published two editions of a manual Partnership Groups, From Idea to Collaboration. Additionally, Academy was engaged in promotion of individual and corporate philanthropy. There were two national campaigns aimed at promoting individual philanthropy and three editions of the Philanthropist of the Year contest aimed at promoting the concept of corporate social responsibility. Moreover, 19 meetings were held to present the concept of corporate social responsibility. They were attended by a total of 995 individuals from business circles. Two publications were issued: 500 Managers and Responsible Business. Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice and Corporate Relations with NGOs — Legal Forms. Institutional Development of Non-Governmental OrganizationsThis module was the only one organized in the formula of an open competition addressed to organizations which play an important role in Polish civil society and are ready to work toward long-term operating strategies for the future. Apart from grants we offered our grantees additional support in form of organizational audits and participation in the joint investment initiative. An open call for proposals was announced in 2003. Organizations — upon having fulfilled certain formal criteria — could apply either for a seed endowment grant (up to PLN 1,2 million) or for an institutional development grant (up to PLN 0,4 million) designated for such long-term investment in organizational development like e.g. human resource development, purchase of equipment and premises, fundraising campaign, preparation of PR strategy, establishment of a reserve fund etc. In total 86 organizations applied and 18 were awarded with grants: six of them received seed endowment grant and twelve — institutional development grants. In 2006, organizations which used the grants to set up endowment or reserve funds and proved their skills in strategic planning and implementation were invited to apply for supplementary grants. In addition, the newly established Partnership Fund Foundation, the grant-making arm of the Partnership for Environment Foundation was also invited to apply. Consequently, 10 organizations received supplementary grants. All grantees were offered an opportunity to get a micro-grant for organizational audit based on Non-profit Index methodology, developed by a consulting firm Consulting Society Ryszard Stocki. Non-profit Index covers 4 main areas: human resource development, management (strategic, marketing, project management), fundraising and financial management, social outreach. In 2005, 16 organizations received micro-grants for audits, and 13 of them received micro-grants for second round of audit in 2006. In 2006, a group of organizations interested in pooling resources for joint investment decided to choose an offer by the Fund Management Corporation Opera TFI which designed a special investment tool for NGOs — the Opera NGO Special Open-Ended Investment Fund. The NGO Fund was registered in February 2006 with18 organizations joining it with total amount of PLN 13,46. In 2006, the income on investment was 28,41%. Program was financed from a grant by the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe and Stefan Batory Foundation's sources. Program costsGrants: PLN 3 665 500
Grants
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