Services of NREC
5.5 Grant Programs
Goals
The goals are to help NGOs achieve institutional stability, participate in environmental decision making, foster regional cooperation and build capacity.
Two types of grant programs are suggested: Small Grants and Earmarked Grants.
5.5.1 Small Grants
Description
The National Offices will award grants up to $4,000 for (1) operational expenses such as office rent, salaries and equipment; (2) institutional building activities; (3) activities contributing towards public participation or awareness. A noteworthy difference between this small grants program and REC-Budapest's small grants program is that this grants program seeks to include local communities as grant recipients. The National Offices will administer the programs and applications will be accepted in the local language.
Advisory Boards, established in each country where the NREC maintains a National Office, will evaluate the applications. They will ensure a fair and impartial grant decision-making process, and advise the NREC on local NGO needs. Such input will enable the NREC to develop more responsive programs. An integral part of the program is the training and advisory support that the National Offices will offer NGOs in preparing proposals and implementing projects.
Each of the three National Offices would have one grants staffer. The financial officer in each National Office would work with the grants staffer.
Objectives
- In the second year, award grants totaling $600,000 in the three countries. In subsequent years, the amount of grants awarded will increase to $1,000,000 in the fourth and fifth years.
Potential Partners
REC-Budapest, ISAR (R, U, M), Counterpart Foundation (R, U, M), Soros foundations (operate under different names in R, U, M), Eurasia Foundation (R), Tides Foundation (USA), USAID Rule of Law Project managed by Associates in Rural Development\Checci (R, U, M), Global Environment Facility (R, U), Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation (USA), Rockefeller Brothers Fund (USA), Ford Foundation (USA), John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (R), Weeden Foundation (USA), W. Alton Jones Foundation (USA), Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (USA).
5.5.2 Earmarked Grants
Goals
The goals are to promote regional cooperation and support environmental projects that could be replicable for other regions in the CIS.
Description
Grants of up to $18,000 will be awarded to NGOs that work on projects that foster regional cooperation. Partnership arrangements between NGOs and regional and local governments will be encouraged, as well as joint proposals submitted by organizations from different countries in the CIS. Each year specific environmental categories will be identified through a survey.
A NREC will solicit proposals for the earmarked grants and the decision for a grant award will be made on a competitive basis.
Two people in the Head Office will administer this service. This should remain the maximum number that delivers this service from the Head Office. As the National Offices gain experience from managing the local grants program, they will receive additional responsibilities administering this service.
Objectives
- In the third year award grants totaling $360,000 in the three countries. In the fourth and fifth years the amount will increase to $600,000 yearly.
- Increase in number of projects which involve collaboration between two or more NGOs - particularly NGOs from different countries.
- While the number of grants awarded will increase, the number of people administering this project in the Head Office will never increase. Responsibility for this program will shift to the National Offices.
Potential Partners
REC-Budapest, ISAR (R, U, M), Counterpart Foundation (R, U, M), Soros foundations (operate under different names in R, U, M), Eurasia Foundation (R), USAID Rule of Law Project managed by Associates in Rural Development\Checci (R, U, M), Global Environment Facility (R, U), Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation (USA), Rockefeller Brothers Fund (USA), Ford Foundation (USA), John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (R), Weeden Foundation (USA), W. Alton Jones Foundation (USA), Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (USA).
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