HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------2000 Grants: Central and Eastern Europe
Small Grants = Big Impact
Bosnian Youth Work for Democracy Across Ethnic Divide
With a grant of $43,000 from NED, the Helsinki Citizens Assemblies (HCAs) of Tuzla and Banja Luka are coordinating an impressive array of activities for a Democratic Youth Network that includes more than 70 youth organizations in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The goal of the HCAs is to build a strong civil society and to help youth overcome the ethnic partition and continued intolerance that is the aftermath of the brutal civil war Bosnia fought in the early 1990s. Through the Youth Network, the HCAs are working to strengthen the leadership capacity of Bosnian youth and to help instill an understanding of democratic values and practices. The Youth Network activities encourage debate among young people on fundamental issues affecting Bosnia's future, and help new youth groups develop leadership, organizational and conflict resolution skills. Communication between youth organizations in the two ethnically- based entities of Bosnia is very difficult, and one of the important roles the HCAs have played is to facilitate the exchange of information. Through an E-mail network, a quarterly magazine and monthly bulletins the HCAs spread the word about the recent activities of the network and its member groups, and the HCAs publish a directory with profiles and contact information for each network affiliate. The HCAs also act as an "NGO incubator" providing crucial advice, office space, and other resources to nascent youth organizations struggling to get started in a difficult environment. Other activities in 2000 included a seminar series on "Promoting Youth Activities Through the Media," that focused on practical skills like how to organize a press conference, produce TV and radio ads, create Web sites and E-mail "list-servs." A separate two-day nation-wide Youth Network Conference was the group's third annual meeting and focused on networking, regional cooperation, and improving relations with local officials.
Descriptions of 2000 Grants: Central and Eastern Europe Albania
Albanian Study Center on Parliamentary and Democratic Practices
$31,746*
To encourage public understanding and debate on key legislation being introduced by parliament. The Center will publish six issues of a new journal, Review of Parliamentary Law and Politics, which will document and analyze the work of the National Assembly.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$33,444
To enable the Albanian American Trade and Development Association to assess the entrepreneurial climate in Albania, focusing on overcoming barriers to investment, eradicating corruption and bureaucracy.
Institute for Policy and Legal Studies (IPLS)
$50,000*
To help local public administrators to better understand and effectively implement the new Code of Public Administration, and to raise the awareness of ordinary citizens about the importance of properly implementing the Code and to promote greater cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sectors on this issue.
"Women in Development" Association
$32,790*
To organize grassroots seminars to encourage women's participation in the local political process, promote greater awareness among local government officials of women's rights issues and assist Albanian women in their efforts to articulate policy options for their problems.
Bosnia - Herzegovina
The American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$66,376
To support the hiring of an attorney to provide legal counsel and educational services to local unions and workers in Brcko. The attorney will be a part of the Legal Network established in Bosnia-Herzegovina by the International Confederation of Trade Unions.
$75,000*
To monitor the country's October 2000 elections in cooperation with more than 250 NGOs from both entities of Bosnia-Herzegovina. CCI will recruit and train election monitors for about 2,600 polling stations throughout the country, and encourage citizen participation in the process.
Helsinki Citizens Assembly - Banja Luka / Helsinki Citizens Assembly - Tuzla
$43,000*
To promote the development of an independent civil society in Bosnia by strengthening emerging youth organizations at the grassroots level. The youth will be trained on how to defend their rights and how to develop their organizational, networking and leadership skills.
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Republika Srpska
$49,160*
To monitor the human rights situation in the Serb Republic, disseminate information on human rights abuses to local residents and the international community, and educate residents on their basic human rights. The committee will provide legal aid to those whose rights have been violated.
Tuzla Citizen's Forum
$44,980*
To promote an independent civil society in Bosnia by strengthening NGOs at the grassroots level, and to encourage participation in the upcoming nation-wide elections. The Forum will foster cooperation and information exchanges and strengthen the Citizens Alternative Parliament, which defends the interests of the non-governmental sector.
Tuzla Human Rights Office / Bijeljina Human Rights Office
$40,600*
To provide citizens of the Serb Republic entity of Bosnia a place where they can obtain information on international standards of human rights and report human rights abuses. The Offices will serve as important domestic non-governmental sources of information on human rights practices in the Serb Republic.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$56,000
To enable the Center for the Study of Democracy / Corporate Governance Initiative to support the development of advocacy programs to advance economic policy reform, legislation and regulatory development; provide training and technical assistance to companies primarily through business associations; and increase public awareness on corporate governance.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$220,367
To enhance parliamentary caucuses to effectively communicate with their respective constituencies. The Institute will also provide comparative information to relevant committees on political party finance and registration laws to improve Bulgaria's Parliamentary process.
Tolerance and Mutual Aid Foundation
$31,920*
To provide leadership training to young Roma in Bulgaria to enable them to influence decisions at the municipal level. The Foundation will establish regional Roma contact groups to act as liaisons between local government officials and the Roma community.
Croatia
Citizens Organized to Monitor Elections (GONG)
$25,000*
To conduct an independent parallel vote tabulation, the first of its kind in Croatia, during the country's January 2000 Parliamentary elections.
Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (CHC)
$41,700*
To conduct a media monitoring project, including the publication of a quarterly bulletin containing examples of news distortion, and carry out an advocacy campaign to encourage the Croatian government to amend the country's libel laws in accordance with international standards of freedom of media.
STINA News Agency
$30,000*
To improve its information-gathering capacity in "Herceg-Bosna" by expanding its strong network of correspondents in the statelet and Bosnia-Herzegovina as a whole.
Lithuania
U.S. Baltic Foundation Lithuania
$24,500
To promote civic activism in five rural regions of Lithuania. The Foundation will conduct twenty training seminars and a conference. Approximately 350 NGO activists, community leaders and local government officials will participate.
Macedonia
The American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$63,486
To support labor education in Macedonia, with the assistance of Bulgarian trade union educators and activists, and to facilitate changes to the Labor Code and help union leaders to formulate better strategies for social security systems.
International Republican Institute
$92,454
To help the new Macedonian government to complete a successful transition to power. IRI will conduct policy forums with new leaders on economic development and sponsor a national opinion poll for the new government.
Romania
The Association for the Protection for Human Rights in Romania - The Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH)
$55,438*
To encourage political leaders to create a legislative framework which respects civil liberties, provide legal advice to victims of human rights abuses, monitor and document violations, and to educate citizens on legal remedies. APADOR-CH will work to influence the drafting of legislation to protect human rights.
$30,000*
To expand the only NGO database in Romania to keep the public informed about the activities of NGOs. CSDF will organize a three-day civil society fair, to be attended by hundreds of Romanian NGOs in Bucharest, which will help counter popular misconceptions about NGOs in Romania.
International Republican Institute
$107,543
To promote political dialogue and motivate the public to vote. IRI will sponsor monthly tracking polls and focus groups in each of the five months preceding the November 2000 elections. The polls will encourage Romania's major political parties to focus on issues, target key demographic voter groups and articulate how they plan to address the nation's problems.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$81,384
To improve political skills of Romanian women party activists. NDI will focus on improving campaign planning and voter contact. NDI will counter the stereotypes that party leaders have about women party activists.
Pro Democracy Association (APD)
$100,000*
To carry out a nation-wide get-out-the-vote voter education campaign targeted at first-time and rural voters at the local level. Through these activities, APD hopes to combat widespread voter apathy and public mistrust in the electoral process, while encouraging greater youth and rural participation in the elections.
Pro Democracy Association (APD)
$64,945*
To train and place 45 university students in parliamentary committees, government ministries, the presidency as well as municipal and county offices for twelve-month internships. The program is aimed at preparing future leaders for Romania.
Pro Democracy Association (APD)
(Civic Eye)
$35,000*
To monitor, analyze, advocate for and disseminate information on legislative reform issues important to young people and Slovakia's democratic transition. Civic Eye will conduct two public opinion polls on youth issues and a media campaign on pending legislation.
Association of Regional Press Publishers
$30,000*
To promote civil society in rural Slovakia by producing and distributing Obcianske listy (Civic Letters), a four-page newspaper supplement which reports on topics related to the country's democratic transition. Twelve issues of the supplement will be distributed as an insert in fifteen regional newspapers throughout the country.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$54,000
To enable the Center for Economic Development to conduct research, education and advocacy programs focused on harmonizing corporate governance in Slovakia with current international standards and best practices. The program will help to facilitate fairness, accountability, transparency, and responsibility.
Foundation for a Civil Society (FCS)
$40,000*
To promote Slovakia's democratic transition through meetings, networking and partnerships with US donors and Slovak NGOs. FCS will also publish a Slovak News Update newsletter to facilitate its work.
Freedom House
$45,000*
To assist Slovakia's democratic transition by training key reformers in the new government and strengthening relations between them and their American counterparts. Freedom House will organize a two-week study tour in the US for four senior government spokespersons and a 10-week training program for two young Slovak leaders.
$30,000*
To publish 2,000 copies of a survey on Slovakia's democratic and free market transition, the Global Report of the State of Society, which will be disseminated at press conferences and seminars.
Milan Simecka Foundation (MSF)
$40,000*
To conduct human rights and citizenship education in Slovak schools. MSF will conduct 12 workshops, each of which will train 20 to 30 local teachers, and promote tolerance and minority rights.
Jan Hus Educational Foundation
$49,360*
To expand its small grants program, which supports local grassroots initiatives of rural NGOs in Slovakia. Three rounds of a grants competition will be organized and at least 25 small grants of approximately $1,000 will be made. The Foundation will also conduct training seminars for activists from local NGOs.
MEMO '98
$40,000*
To promote reform in Slovakia's media by monitoring and assessing media coverage of Slovakia's most pressing political issues and by working with Parliament to reform Slovakia's Media Law.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$254,608
To increase youth participation in politics. NDI will work with party youth organizations in Slovakia to develop leadership, party organizing and communication skills to attract new members, expand contacts with voters and strengthen ties with political parties.
$35,000*
To continue the work of its network of civic clubs located throughout Slovakia. Activities will include conducting some 100 town meetings, 12 discussion fora with government officials, 12 regional democracy seminars, three media discussions and 68 student meetings.
Presov Civic Forum
$19,260*
To promote citizen activism in the eastern region of Slovakia. The Forum will educate and mobilize citizens in rural areas, conduct post-election accountability fora in towns and villages, carry out public surveys on local issues, hold public hearings on the surveys and train local activists.
Presov Community Foundation
$14,951*
To foster civic activism in rural areas in eastern Slovakia. Six to ten small grants, averaging from $500 to $1,500, will be awarded to local NGOs that will carry out civic education and citizen participation projects.
Turkey
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$63,000
To support the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) to examine household perceptions of corruption, through the development of a focus group discussion and a household survey to define corruption in Turkey. TESEV will also build a coalition of non-governmental organizations in Turkey to develop an anti-corruption action plan that will introduce and advocate for reforms.
European Center for Common Ground
$42,000
To work with the Foundation for the Research of Societal Problems (TOSAM) to produce and broadcast Democracy Radio, an interactive radio program and call-in show which covers democracy, pluralism, governance and minority issues, particularly between Turks and Kurds. Twenty-four radio programs will be produced and will discuss democracy, tolerance, and women's rights.
$25,000
To work with the Foundation for the Research of Societal Problems (TOSAM) to develop a test manual and curriculum for leadership training of multi-ethnic and multi-religious groups of youth and local community leaders and elected representatives. The manual will help Turkish leaders to create a democratic environment.
Helsinki Citizens' Assembly
$45,000
To conduct workshops in Istanbul, Mirsin and Van to develop a network of NGOs and activists, advocating the removal of legal barriers against the freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
International Republican Institute
$235,747
To train youth on integration techniques and boost their participation in Turkish civil and political issues. Volunteer Turkish celebrities will be involved in IRI efforts, which will also include the creation of a Web site to help unite Turkey's youth NGOs. IRI will also co-host an anti-corruption conference to highlight the social costs of corruption.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$236,175
To support Turkish initiatives to enact a code of conduct for public officials. NDI will conduct a two-day seminar, followed by smaller meetings for legislators, journalists and respected academics to discuss ethics legislation, parliamentary immunity and constitutional reform. NDI will continue joint programs with NGOs in Turkey.
Yugoslavia (Kosovo)
American Center for International Labor Solidarity
(1998 reprogramming)
$75,979
To work with the Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo and the Union of Science, Culture and Teachers to increase the participation of workers in the electoral process. ACILS will prepare union leaders for a post-war democratic system, and will help trade unions to design voter education programs to facilitate the election process.
$49,500
To work with the Riinvest Institute for Development and Research to conduct a research and advocacy program to assess the impact of the Yugoslav conflict on ethnic Albanian businesses. CIPE will initiate a dialogue with the international community on reconstruction and promote Kosovar participation in new governance structures.
Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms
$50,000*
To monitor the human and minority rights situation in the province and inform the international community. The Council will publish information bulletins and organize lectures and workshops on human rights for local activists.
People in Need Foundation
$23,240*
To raise professional and managerial competence of independent news organizations in the province and to promote a free and democratic media.
Zeri I Dites (The Daily Voice)
$50,000*
To provide readers with timely, regular and objective information on political, cultural and economic developments. Zeri will increase its coverage of political developments and the international community's efforts to bring peace to the province.
Radio TV 21
$75,000*
To provide timely and objective information on political, cultural and economic developments for listeners in Kosovo.
Center for Democracy and Human Rights
$49,630*
To monitor and analyze the legislative transition, the independent media, and privatization in Montenegro. The analysis will be published quarterly and distributed to key governmental and non-governmental representatives in Montenegro and in the international community.
Center for Development of Non-governmental Organizations (CRNVO)
$30,250*
To strengthen NGOs in Montenegro by improving their leadership and fund-raising skills. CRNVO will expand the only NGO database in Montenegro, which will facilitate better information exchange among civic groups and promote cooperation between the government and NGOs in country.
Yugoslavia (Serbia)
The American Center for International Labor Solidarity
$196,994
To help UGS Nezavisnost cover nine months of basic operating expenses at the national and regional levels. UGS Nezavisnost will acquire computer and communication equipment for three new regional offices, offer legal and technical assistance, produce union publications, and conduct policy analysis and civic activities.
Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)
$150,000*
To organize an extensive "get-out-the-vote" campaign, titled "Rock for Change, Rock the Vote." The campaign will consist of 48 concerts featuring Serbia's most popular rock bands organized in 24 cities and towns throughout the country in the two to three months prior to the local and federal elections.
Association of Free and Independent Trade Unions (AFITU)
$62,154*
To conduct a broad-based civic education program and "get-out-the-vote" campaign to increase workers' involvement in the 2000 local and federal elections. The union will increase the number of its branch offices; conduct meetings throughout Serbia and publish a union newspaper focused on increasing support for the political opposition.
$33,000*
To encourage Serb academics, journalists and civic activists to participate directly in the formation of policy for the democratic political opposition in Serbia; and to prepare the citizens of Serbia to take a more active role in promoting their country's democratic transformation.
BETA News Agency
$48,000*
To provide free subscriptions to BETA's news services to six struggling independent radio stations in the Bosnian Serb Republic, the Local Press Association of Serbia and the Belgrade-based independent daily newspaper, Danas.
Center for Anti-War Action
$66,600*
To encourage disparate civic groups to form a more cohesive pro-democratic civil society movement at the local level and to maintain the momentum for democracy in the post-election period.
Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID)
$75,000*
To sensitize citizens, especially young people, to the importance of volunteering as monitors for the September 2000 elections. The campaign will consist of TV and radio spots, newspaper and magazine advertisements, billboards, posters and leaflets.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$73,263*
To work with the Belgrade-based Economics Institute and the Serbian Economist Magazine to hold roundtable discussions, highlighting reform issues and policy recommendations. The discussions will enable politicians and the general public to better understand the nature of economic reform and democratic transition.
$78,200
To enable the Alliance for Local Communities and Sustainable Development to increase cooperation among business organizations, local governments and civil society, and to educate representatives of each sector on public advocacy, coalition and business plan development and the role of each sector.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$65,000
To enable the Center for Liberal Democratic Studies to undertake education, policy and advocacy campaigns, highlighting the negative impact of corruption in Serbia.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$34,284*
To assist the Organization for Private Enterprise (OPEN Chamber) to educate the Pancevo business community on the Chamber's advocacy and service role. CIPE will provide the chamber with technical assistance in strategic planning and program development.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$9,486
To assist the Center for Entrepreneurship to assemble Serbian language publications on economic and democratic reform into one large publication, entitled Economic Freedom Reader, a thousand copies of which will be distributed to Serb-speaking people throughout the Balkan.
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
$45,000*
To continue the operation of its Legal Aid Office in Belgrade, where individuals can report human rights abuses and seek assistance.
$56,400*
To support the Student Union of Serbia to encourage greater student involvement in the nationwide movement for democratic reform, and to unite student organizations, pro-democratic civic groups, independent trade unions, and opposition political parties.
Narodne Novine (People's News)
$47,000*
To provide timely and objective information on political, cultural and economic developments in the region; and to provide a forum for Kosovar Serb refugees in southern Serbia to exchange information and views.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$11,585*
To provide emergency assistance to Serbia's Alliance for Change to facilitate public coverage of Alliance activities with the publication of its free daily newspaper, Promene (Changes).
Open University - Subotica
$22,725*
To cooperate with the area's vibrant NGOs to conduct a "get out the vote" campaign in Subotica. The University will use leaflets, newsletters, youth magazines and newspaper advertisement, focusing on voters, particularly young people, in the 33 districts comprising Subotica municipality.
Otpor (Resistance) Student Movement
$189,600*
To expand its network of offices and to communities throughout Serbia, thereby promoting pro-democratic civic activism at the local level, and to give the student movement a base on which to mount a major get-out-the-vote campaign.
47,790*
To educate and encourage citizens to take an active role in the political process in Serbia. Otpor will use famous actors, musicians, scholars and other artists to educate the voters about the importance of the September 24, 2000 elections, and provide information about their choices.
Radio Index
$36,430*
To continue providing unbiased news and information to the inhabitants of Belgrade. The assistance will allow the station to pay its staff and acquire much-needed equipment.
RTV Pancevo
$24,960*
To continue broadcasting unbiased news and information to the inhabitants of Pancevo and the nearby capital of Belgrade.
TV 5 (Nis)
$39,690*
To offer objective information to the citizens of southern Serbia. The station will expand and strengthen its programming and help to break the stranglehold of government-dominated media in Serbia.
VK Radio
$23,820*
To continue offering unbiased news and information to the inhabitants of the Vojvodina region of northern Serbia. The assistance will partially cover operating expenses and staff salaries.
$22,000*
To provide timely and objective information on political, cultural and economic developments in southern Serbia.
Central and Eastern Europe Regional
Center for Civic Education
Poland - Belarus
$40,000
To enable the Center for Human Rights "Spring '96" to support a network of human rights offices, publish a report on the status of human rights in Belarus, and to train local activists to run the branches offices.
Center for International Private Enterprise
$142,461
To support the civil society and the business community in promoting and advocating corporate governance principles in the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. CIPE, working with a local co-host and long-term partner, the Center for the Study of Democracy, will sponsor a regional conference on corporate governance.
The Center for International Private Enterprise
$142,461
To support civil society and the business community in promoting and advocating effective corporate governance principles in the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. CIPE will also foster the exchange of experience between the more advanced economic democracies and their neighbors to the east.
East European Democratic Center-IDEE
$50,000
To support the development of NGOs and the independent press in Belarus. The Center will conduct small grant competitions, training seminars for NGO activists and independent journalists.
$120,000
To expand its regional civic education-training program which will conduct 39 workshops for democratic activists in Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, the Baltic States, Central Asia and "To expand its regional civic education-training program which will conduct 39 workshops for democratic activists in Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, the Baltic States, Central Asia and the Caucasus."
Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe
$300,000
To continue its unique Centers for Pluralism (CfP) program. The Institute will support up to 10 centers in the region with small grants, publish four issues of the Centers for Pluralism Newsletter; maintain a database and information clearinghouse for NGOs in Eastern Europe and the NIS, and conduct NGO training in Poland.
Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe / Warsaw
$60,000
To enable the Rebirth of Crimea Foundation and the Ukrainian Home Foundation to promote civil society in Crimea and Ukraine, and provide institutional support to key NGOs, conduct training and consultative visits and provide infrastructure and operating support to democracy-building NGOs.
Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe / Warsaw
$75,000
To support the development of the independent local press in Belarus by supporting local newspapers and information bulletins. The Institute will also organize regional training workshops for unregistered local newspapers.
Institute for Southeastern Studies
$20,000
To address the problem of Polish-Ukrainian relations in the border region of Przemysl through civic education programs which promote ethnic, religious, national and cultural tolerance and understanding. The Institute will host public lectures by experts and conduct seminars for secondary school students.
$899,288
To support IRI's regional office which is working to consolidate the new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe through programs designed to enhance political party and parliamentary infrastructures and encourage young people to participate in the political process.
KARTA Center Foundation
$80,000
To continue its "Common Ground" civic education program, conducted in cooperation with partners in 19 countries in Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. The Foundation will chart the history of democratic movements in the region, document the crimes of totalitarianism, and educate citizens about these two topics.
Lithuania Foundation for the Protection of Citizens
$20,000
To create an information outreach and networking program for members of parliament and NGOs from nine countries to promote human and civil rights in Belarus.
Municipal Training Center of Kaunas Technical University
$25,652
To continue its cross-border program to strengthen civic activism, NGOs and local government in Kaliningrad, Russia. The Center will conduct two pilot programs to increase civic participation in the municipalities of Sovetsk and Slavsk.
Nadacia pre Obciansku Spolocnost (NOS Foundation)
$30,000*
To provide training in planning, designing and implementing voter education and mobilization programs. NOS will work with Otpor, the leading pro-democratic student movement in Serbia, and will also cooperate with other organizations in Serbia involved in increasing citizen participation in the 2000 elections.
$282,475
To cooperate with the European Institute for Democracy to conduct political party and coalition building training programs in Poland for participants from the former Soviet Union, focusing on addressing the needs of democratic political parties in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine.
Partners for Democratic Change
$40,000
To support a regional network of indigenous training centers in Eastern Europe and the NIS. Partial funding will also cover the cost of training for women NGO leaders, young women activists, and anti-corruption initiatives in the Balkans.
People in Need Foundation (PINF)
$50,000
To build on the training, material support and networking activities with democracy groups in Belarus, which was begun in 1998. PINF will organize training for Belarusian economists; study tours for Belarusian law, economics and political science students; and working visits for Belarusian and Czech journalists, opposition leaders and former dissidents.
People in Need Foundation (PINF)
$47,400
To support human rights, humanitarian assistance and freedom of the media in the Northern Caucasus. The PINF will collect and disseminate information on human rights violations, humanitarian needs and media access in the region.
Polish-Czech-Slovak Solidarity Foundation
$25,000
To conduct internships in Poland for repre
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