International Donors Assist Increasing Capacity of Local Communities
Search for funding is an important step in implementation of the projects being developed within the framework of Zaporizhzhia Regional Development Strategy till 2015. The round table held in Zaporizhzhia on February 26, 2009 within the framework of Regional Governance and Development (RGD) Project was devoted to sharing experience and best practices on attracting international donor funding for public initiatives support.
According to the priorities and operational goals of Zaporizhzhia Regional Development Strategy till 2015 approved in June 2008 more than 30 small projects are being developed to date. Project teams have been already participating in the Project Management Training Program (PMT) for 5 months and now they approached the stage of searching for funds to implement their projects. Thus, the round table devoted to project funding issues was held within the framework of the regular PMT module. In addition to the project teams and RGD experts meeting participants also included representatives of financial institutions and international technical assistance projects implemented in the oblast that can provide financial support for small-scale projects. Taking into account tough situation in the oblast caused by financial crisis, budget financing even of the first-priority tasks (projects) became an acute problem.
Volodymyr Nazarenko, RGD Regional Planning Expert, delivered the presentation on international donors, their procedures and major cooperation traits. After receiving information on potential investors, such as national, oblast and rayon budgets, banks, credit unions, international and national foundations, PMT participants had an opportunity to communicate with managers of some international technical assistance projects implemented in Zaporizhzhia oblast and Zaporizhzhia Credit Unions Association representatives to learn about the possible areas of cooperation and their funding requirements. According to Steven Wright, MEDA Project Manager, taking into account the fact, that MEDA and CBA projects are interested in the ideas in the field of agricultural and community development, they could find cross-points with the small-scale projects on supporting local manufacturers, bee-farming development, Mennonites farms, horticulture farming and watered vegetable growing.
After direct communication with international donor representatives project teams came to understanding that notwithstanding financial crisis projects could and should be implemented. Moreover, PMT participants received information regarding whom they can apply to get additional, non-budgetary funding. There are sources, and lots of them, one should only know where to look for.
In the end of the round table discussion participants became aware of the need to carry out such meetings on regular basis to give project teams an opportunity to discuss the next steps for their projects implementation. It was agreed that next time a special attention should be paid to submission of funding applications. Hopefully, these steps will promote further implementation of Zaporizhzhia Regional Development Strategy even in the context of financial crisis.
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