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Grants >> Description of 2004 Grants: Central & Eastern Europe
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Albania Albanian Institute for International Studies $40,000* To advocate for greater transparency and accountability of local government institutions in Albania and to increase citizens' involvement in the decision-making process. Through a series of public opinion surveys, training sessions and town hall meetings, the Institute will promote greater cooperation between the governmental and nongovernmental sectors and attempt to improve the work of municipal councilors. Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) $77,000* To build trust between citizens and law enforcement officials. IDM will establish independent committees in three municipalities to serve as forums between citizens and police. IDM will also advocate for the implementation of new legislation to increase cooperation between local law enforcement agencies, local government institutions and the public. In addition, IDM will organize a conference in Tirana which will bring together district police directors to exchange information and experiences. Women in Development Association $40,000* To encourage the participation of women in the local political process. The Association will organize ten grassroots seminars and will publish civic education materials highlighting the role of women in Albania's political and economic transition. Bosnia-Herzegovina Alternativna Televizija (ATV) $45,000* To promote greater public understanding of critical political, economic, and social issues facing citizens in the Serb Republic. ATV will produce ten investigative documentaries entitled Dossier which will be aired on a biweekly basis. Center for Informational Decontamination (CID) $30,450* To produce fifteen television debates on current social, political and economic topics affecting citizens in the Serb Republic. Titled Buka (Noise), the shows will be broadcast weekly by the independent television station Alternativna Televizija. Panelists for the debates will include academics, lawyers, prominent local or national government representatives, civic activists, students, journalists and religious leaders. Civil Society Promotion Center $40,000* To encourage greater transparency and accountability of local government by increasing citizens' involvement in the decision making process. The Center will conduct seminars for local government representatives and community-based NGO leaders in the Bosnian Federation and Serb Republic entities on topics such as public relations skills for local government and NGO relations. Cultural and Educational Center Oniks $29,195* To encourage communication and cooperation between local government representatives and civic activists. The Center will conduct a series of training seminars for local officials to improve their public relations skills and encourage them to involve the nongovernmental sector more directly in their work. The Center will also organize a series of town hall meetings to help municipal officials explain the local decision making process to their constituents and to discuss new ideas for integrating citizens' input. Helsinki Citizens Assembly Banja Luka (HCA Banja Luka) $39,989* To increase the political participation of women at the local level in Bosnia. HCA will work to increase women's advocacy and political leadership by organizing regional network meetings, a training-of-trainers seminar, training sessions for women activists and town hall meetings with citizens, women candidates and newly elected women representatives. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Republika Srpska $45,000* To continue monitoring human rights in Republika Srpska. The Committee will continue disseminating information on human rights abuses through the print and electronic media and educate citizens on their basic human rights. In addition, the Committee will continue operating its legal aid office which provides citizens with information on international human rights standards, reports human rights abuses and offers assistance in countering these violations. Independent Radio Station N $35,400* To continue broadcasting unbiased news to the western Herzegovina region of Bosnia. Radio N will continue to break the monopoly of government dominated media by broadcasting objective information. Endowment support will allow the station to pay its dedicated staff, and cover part of its basic operating costs. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) $219,458 To increase the participation of women in the political sphere. NDI will work with local women activists to strengthen their ability to develop, coordinate and launch advocacy initiatives at the municipal level; introduce political parties to pro-active strategies that increase women's participation in party structures and incorporate gender specific policy agendas into party platforms and raise the public profile of women as serious and successful politicians. Studio 88 $35,000* To produce objective and unbiased information for all ethnic groups in Herzegovina region in the period leading up to the 2004 municipal elections. In cooperation with five other radio stations, Studio 88 will produce weekly radio programs entitled Herzegovina on Line. The programs will contain headline news from the Herzegovina; a regional report; an in-depth feature story; general news and a human interest story. Tuzla Citizens' Forum $40,000* To continue to promote greater transparency and accountability of local governments in Bosnia. The Forum will conduct public opinion polls measuring the quality of local public administration; publish monthly monitoring reports on the work of municipal officials; organize a series of roundtables and town hall meetings bringing together public officials and citizens and carry out public advocacy campaigns in three key cities. Tuzla Human Rights Office $34,740* To encourage greater respect for human rights. The Tuzla Human Rights Office will provide a forum for democratic thought and freedom of expression in Bosnia. The offices will also work to influence the legislative drafting and amendment process to ensure that laws protect basic human rights. Bulgaria Bulgarian Institute for Legal Development $30,000* To advance young Bulgarians' knowledge of the principles of political and economic reform and prepare young people to take a more active role in developing Bulgaria's nascent democracy. Activities will include seminars and youth forums, a website and a monthly bulletin for students and young professionals. Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) $68,644 To help the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) strengthen the newly established Sofia Economic Council, a public-private partnership that works toward increasing the transparency of economic decision-making in the city. CSD will conduct a capacity-building workshop for members of the Council, produce a white paper on Sofia's competitiveness and business environment and advocate for the implementation of recommendations outlined in the paper. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) $210,001 To work with political parties and NGOs at the municipal level to strengthen their connections with each other and with citizens by fostering issue-based advocacy efforts targeted at municipal governments. NDI will provide training on planning an advocacy campaign, influencing legislators, building a membership base, working effectively with NGOs, interacting with the media and grassroots fundraising. School of Politics $49,650* To develop a youth leadership school. The School of Politics will organize a series of courses to promote communication and dialogue among young politicians, journalists and lawyers from across the political spectrum. Topics of the courses will include conflict resolution, ethics and rule of law. "Tolerance and Mutual Aid" Foundation $28,500* To encourage the involvement of young Roma in Bulgaria's political process at the local level. The Foundation will maintain its nation-wide network of young Roma leaders who will act as liaisons between local government officials and the Roma community, work with local officials and legal professionals to reduce discrimination against Roma, monitor human rights abuses at the local level and provide legal aid to victims of abuse. Croatia Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) $70,154 To encourage the development of business associations in Croatia by using successful models from other East European countries. After evaluating their organizational capacity, CIPE will help business organizations improve communications, develop new membership services and raise the visibility of business associations. Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (CHC) $48,781* To improve journalistic practices through support for a media monitoring project, including the publication of a quarterly bulletin containing examples of news distortion. The Committee's Media Council will continue to defend individuals and groups against abuses by the media and will draft a new freedom of information law and campaign for its passage by parliament. International Republican Institute (IRI) $200,000 To conduct a political party development program for all major political parties in Croatia. The program will include campaign and communication training for party leaders and young activists. IRI will also conduct a nationwide public opinion poll and provide strategic advice on message development and campaign strategy to the parties. Judges' Web $50,000* To continue to develop an online database of judicial rulings for use by legal professionals in Croatia. NED assistance will help the Judges' Web become fully operational by increasing the number of court decisions in the database, extending its services to all courts in Croatia and covering technical support costs to maintain the expanding system. Kosovo Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) $69,024* To help the Women's Business Association (SHE-ERA) implement a training and advocacy program to improve economic access for women and minorities in the Prizren region. The project will include business development training programs focused on the development of business and marketing plans; focus groups to help assess the needs of women and minority entrepreneurs and an advocacy training component to teach entrepreneurs the most effective ways of becoming involved in the policy and legislative process. Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms $40,000* To continue the promotion of human rights in Kosovo. The Council will maintain its headquarters' operations, monitor human rights, disseminate information on human rights abuses to the international community, strengthen its network of branch offices, publish electronic information bulletins and conduct workshops on human rights for activists. Faik Konica Journalism Academy $30,000* To raise the professional and managerial competence of independent news organizations and promote the development of a free and democratic media sector. The Academy will conduct a series of courses on the principles of professional journalism and media management for 275 young journalists working in electronic and print media. KOHA Vision $75,000* To continue to provide unbiased information on political and economic developments. Endowment funding will be used to pay the salaries of KOHA's staff of producers and editors and cover basic operations costs including utilities, communications and supplies and equipment. Funding will ensure that the station's high quality and experienced staff does not leave the station for higher paying jobs with international organizations operating in Kosovo. Kosova Live News Agency $39,366* To continue producing high-quality, unbiased information on important political and economic developments in Kosovo and the surrounding region. Kosova Live will use NED funding to cover the subscription costs of its Albanian-language daily news service for 15 local independent radio stations and to translate its news service into Serbian/Bosnian for use by ethnic minority media. Radio-TV 21 $75,000* To continue to provide timely and objective information on political, cultural and economic developments. NED funding will enable the station to maintain its high quality and experienced staff in Kosovo by paying the salaries of its staff of producers, journalists, presenters, technicians and stringers. Zeri i Dites (The Daily Voice) $20,000* To provide newsprint to Zeri so that the newspaper can continue publishing on a regular basis. During the coming year, Zeri plans to increase its coverage of political developments, including the plight of minority groups in Kosovo, most importantly the Serbs, who are fleeing continuing violence in the province. Macedonia Association for Democratic Initiatives (ADI) $44,330* To continue a monitoring and advocacy project aimed at ensuring that the Macedonian government properly implements the minority rights and decentralization provisions contained within the Framework Agreement. ADI will monitor local and central government institutions in four municipalities; organize five town hall meetings with citizens from Albanian and Macedonian ethnic groups and local and central government officials and publish monthly reports analyzing the progress made by the government in implementing the Agreement's provisions. Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) $93,430 To work with Macedonia's only shareholder rights groups, the Akcioner Shareholder's Association, to educate shareholders on their rights and improve their ability to advocate for their interests. Akcioner will organize a series of seminars, workshops and will host six public discussion events for shareholders to share their experiences and lessons learned. MOST Citizens' Association $40,000* To encourage youth voting. The Association will launch a civic education program to teach high school students about their role as citizens in a democracy and the importance of participating in elections. Topics will include an overview of Macedonia's political and electoral system; the country's electoral laws at the national and local level; efforts to amend and improve these laws; voter rights and information about how citizens can get involved in civic life and the political process. Moldova Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT) $29,800 To increase transparency and accountability of governmental institutions. ADEPT will produce two online publications which will track and analyze the activities of key government institutions. The publications will be available to the general public on ADEPT's website and via email to government offices, key media, political parties and NGOs. Eco-TIRAS International Association of River Keepers $30,000 To conduct a technical assistance program to expand the civic sector in Transdniestria. The program will include training seminars on organizational and computer skills for civic leaders; a study visit to Poland for NGO leaders and an international conference for civic groups in Transdniestria and their counterparts in Central Europe. Independent Society for Education and Human Rights (SIEDO) $30,000 To conduct a civic education program in Moldova's secondary schools aimed at increasing youth participation in local affairs. SIEDO will train teachers in four high schools to encourage secondary school students to engage in civic activism in their communities and assist students in developing and implementing action plans to solve local problems. Investigative Journalism Center $28,542 To improve investigative reporting in the Moldovan media by providing training and informational resources to young journalists and students working on investigative reports. The Center will develop, research and write pieces of investigative journalism, which will be published by independent newspapers and news agencies throughout Moldova. The Center will also produce a quarterly newsletter focusing on corruption and organized crime cases and provide free assistance to investigative journalists harassed or intimidated by the government. Media Agency IMPACT $40,000 To promote greater public understanding of critical political, economic and social issues facing Moldova prior to the March 2005 parliamentary elections and to encourage greater transparency and accountability of parliamentarians who are elected to office. The Agency will produce, in cooperation with a network of local independent TV stations, 336 one-hour debate programs before and after the elections. Moldovan Helsinki Committee for Human Rights $30,000 To monitor the human rights situation in Moldova proper and the breakaway region of Transdniestria; to disseminate information on human rights abuses and to educate citizens about their basic human rights. In addition, the Committee will continue the operations of its legal aid office, which provides citizens of Moldova and Transdniestria with information on international human rights standards, records human rights abuses and offers assistance in countering these violations. Montenegro Association of Young Journalists $33,130* To conduct a comprehensive media monitoring project, including the publication of monthly reports containing examples of political bias in the media and to improve journalistic practices in Montenegro. The Association will also monitor the passage and implementation of reforms in media legislation, in particular the freedom of information law. Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM) $40,000* To monitor the transition process and provide practical recommendations to policymakers regarding political and economic reforms. CEDEM will analyze the policy agenda generated by government ministries and the president and publish the results in quarterly reports to be distributed to key governmental and nongovernmental actors. Center for Development of Nongovernmental Organizations (CRNVO) $39,410* To help Montenegrin NGO activists develop the skills needed to organize and conduct their activities in the current difficult political and economic environment. The program will consist of legal counseling, public relations and advocacy training, maintenance of an NGO database and a series of leadership development seminars for young civic activists. Romania Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Romania-Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH) $55,000* To continue to monitor the legislation drafting process to ensure that laws passed by the Romanian parliament adhere to international human rights standards. APADOR-CH will monitor the implementation of key legislation having a direct impact on citizens' civil liberties. The Association will also provide legal advice to victims of human rights abuses, monitor and document human rights violations and educate citizens on human rights. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ) $34,000* To continue a training program for reporters, editors and managers in print and electronic media at the local level. The project will consist of a series of training seminars conducted in three regions of Romania. The seminars will be led by well-known media and legal experts, and will focus on investigative journalism techniques, reporting during the election campaign period and utilizing the new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) $171,279 To work with the Coalition of Women Business Associations to strengthen women's participation and to help them become decision-makers through the development of grassroots advocacy campaigns, trainings, conferences and communications programs. Center for Legal Resources $42,228* To promote transparency and accountability in Romania's local government system. The Center will monitor the work of newly-elected government officials at the local level to ensure enforcement of anti-corruption legislation and advocate for improving anti-corruption laws by clarifying and promoting the enforcement of provisions that prohibit conflict of interest. Civil Society Foundation $32,000* To continue and expand the publication of Romania's only monthly public policy review journal, Sfera Politicii (The Political Sphere). The journal will feature articles on political, economic and social developments in Romania and the Balkan region. NED funding will upgrade the Foundation's computer equipment, maintain the Foundation's website where journal articles are published and increase the journal's circulation. Community Foundation Sibiu $41,827* To increase citizens' involvement in the decision-making process on municipal budgets. Activities will include establishing and strengthening local working groups and conducting town hall meetings to engage the local citizenry. Foundation for Pluralism $40,000* To promote communication and dialogue among young activists at the local level. The Foundation will organize a School for Young Political and Civic Leaders. School activities will consist of training seminars for leaders and activists in regions where democratic reform has been slow and political communication is underdeveloped. Media Monitoring Agency $29,724* To conduct a media monitoring program to analyze coverage by national and local media of the November 2004 parliamentary elections. The Agency will produce monthly reports from counties where bias in media reporting and infringements against journalists' rights are most prevalent. The reports will cite specific examples of misinformation and extremism displayed in print and electronic media and report on any abuse of media freedoms which occurs during the election campaign. Pro Democracy Association (APD) $80,000* To conduct a nation-wide election monitoring project for the 2004 municipal, presidential and parliamentary elections. APD will train volunteers to monitor the voting process during the two rounds of municipal elections in June and the presidential and parliamentary elections in December. Pro Democracy Association, Cluj (APD-Cluj) $40,000* To increase civic participation among Romanian youth. The Association will provide future leaders with an opportunity to gain practical experience in government affairs by continuing an internship program that trains and places university students in parliamentary committees and government ministries, as well as in municipal and county councils. Revista 22 $36,000* To continue to publish news, information and analysis of current Romanian political and economic developments on a regular basis. Endowment funding will enable the magazine to upgrade its computer equipment, maintain its website and purchase newsprint so that it can continue to act as a unique source of political and economic policy analysis in preparation of the upcoming election. Romanian Institute for Recent History (IRIR) $25,670* To implement a pilot project for teaching recent history in Romanian high schools. IRIR will train high school teachers and graduate students of history (i.e. future teachers) in innovative debate-style teaching methods; develop a new high school history textbook and teacher guides; conduct interactive pilot classes with high school students and advocate for the incorporation of these methodologies and materials into existing curricula. Serbia BETA News Agency $50,000* To continue to produce high-quality, unbiased information on important developments in the former Yugoslavia. BETA will cover the subscription costs of its service for six nascent independent radio stations in the Bosnian Serb Republic and the Local Press Association of Serbia to help them operate in a difficult political and economic environment. Center for Anti-War Action $32,590* To encourage civic activism at the local level. The Center will facilitate cooperation and information exchange among civic groups in Serbia by fostering a network of nongovernmental organizations throughout the country. The Center will organize town meetings and educational seminars for local authorities, political party representatives, business and union leaders, journalists and civic activists to discuss issues of concern to citizens. Center for Inter-ethnic Reconciliation, School for Investigative Journalism $65,000* To continue to provide young reporters, editors and media managers with journalism training. The Center will conduct a series of training seminars on the principles of professional journalism, basics of media management and media technology. Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) $70,000* To create the first online searchable database of the complete transcripts of the Milosevic trial in the Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian language. HLC will compile transcripts of the trial for one year, launch a database on its website that will contain the complete transcripts of the trial and regularly update the site with new information. Medienhilfe $174,920* To ensure the survival of local independent electronic media. Endowment funding will be used to cover the basic operating costs for a six month period for nine of the most important independent electronic media in the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) network, including seven local radio stations and two local television stations. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) $31,684 To improve the ability of Serbia's democratic political parties to conduct effective voter outreach programs. NDI will conduct the first nationwide demographic analysis of voting patterns using results from elections in 2000 through 2004. NDI will develop a training manual and conduct seminars for democratic political parties to demonstrate techniques for using the data for constituency outreach and representation. Student Union of Serbia (SUS) $50,000* To encourage greater student involvement in the country's political and economic reform. SUS will build its capacity to represent student interests in Serbia's four main universities through the formation of new SUS chapters, the organization of a campaign for university reform, the publication of informational materials and the training of student leaders in organizational and leadership skills. Eastern and Central Europe Regional The American Center for International Labor Solidarity $111,748 To strengthen the voice of Balkan trade unions in economic policy. ACILS will work to improve the economic literacy of trade union leaders and activists in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia and increase their ability to involve themselves in economic policy making. Center for Liberal Strategies (CLS) $51,150 To promote cross-border cooperation. CLS will work with the Tbilisi-based Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD) to transfer lessons learned from the transition in the Balkans to Georgian decision makers, leading journalists and civic activists to help ensure the success of political and economic reforms in Georgia. The results will be published in a joint policy paper outlining recommendations for political and economic reforms in Georgia and priorities for democracy assistance based on fifteen years of Balkan experience. International Republican Institute (IRI) $799,994 To continue a regional training program to improve policy coordination and networking among political leaders in central and eastern Europe and to develop greater accountability and grass-roots civic activism. IRI will conduct workshops throughout the region to train political and civic leaders on political communication, agenda definition, coalition building, advocacy and policy development. The program will focus on young activists and party organizations at the regional and local levels. IRI will also include activists from several Eurasian countries who can benefit from closer ties to their counterparts in CEE. Malopolska Educational Society (MTO) $48,000* To expand its program of promoting civic education and activism at the grassroots level in the Balkans. MTO will launch a new civic education program, Public Achievement, through its network of sixty schools and parent teacher associations in the Balkans. Approximately 90 teachers will be trained and ten small grants awarded to schools to implement the civic program. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) $199,000 Summary To launch a multi-year regional Roma effort that seeks to develop the political skills of Roma leaders in Slovakia and Bulgaria, improve their ability to advocate for changes in their communities and establish a network of Roma political activists in the region. This program will be one of the first efforts to promote the political empowerment of Roma political parties on a regional basis. The project will consist of public opinion research on Roma political attitudes; activist training on communications, negotiations, ethics and other key political skills; a regional advanced leadership academy for Roma to share experiences across borders; project-based technical assistance and a training-of-trainers component. Partners Poland Foundation $29,945* To promote women's political participation in Kosovo. The Partners Poland Foundation will conduct a program to foster leadership skills among young women in rural Kosovo that will consist of training workshops, a study tour to Poland and a small grants program to support local civic activism. STINA News Agency $23,000* To maintain the Croatia-based news agency's information gathering capacity in western Herzegovina by supporting a network of correspondents in the region and throughout Bosnia. By continuing to produce quality and in-depth reporting on this critical region, STINA seeks to break the information monopoly of the ruling nationalist party and ensure the free flow of independent news and opinion. * Indicates Department of State funding beyond NED's annual appropriation |
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