Annex - Sida Supported Grants 2013

8/10/2019 Annex - Sida Supported Grants 2013

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the August 2008 War. Within the framework of the project, two dry-fruit producing enterprises areplanned to be established. Sound marketing strategy and proper advertising campaign is expected toadd to sustainability of the SEs and expand their activities in line with their social missions.Moreover, successful implementation of the project will contribute to creation of two additionalsuccess cases, which in itself will further promote social enterprise concept in Georgia.

Grantee Institution: Liberal Academy TbilisiProposal Title: Who is Who in Brussels on Georgia and the South

CaucasusGrant Amount: 40, 703 USDImplementation Dates: September 1, 2011- October 15, 2012

The project aims to enhance capacity of all concerned stakeholders (CSOs, media, government,political parties, students) in Georgia to better guide themselves in the political and expert scenery ofthe EU in Brussels through development of a comprehensive and user-friendly online analyticalmanual. As a result of the project, a valuable reference point for guidance on EU institutionalarrangement as relevant to Georgia will be produced, which will result to enhanced directcommunication of Georgian stakeholders with key institutions and policy centers in Brussels.

Grantee Institution: Tusheti PA Friends AssociationProposal Title: Friends of Tusheti Protected AreasGrant Amount: 4, 553 USDImplementation Dates: August 10, 2012 April 9, 2013

The project is awarded under the small-grants competition to support institutional capacitystrengthening of newly established regional CSOs. The project aims at strengthening the institutionalcapacity of Association of Friends of Tusheti Protected Areas as a sustainable membership-basedcivil society organization (CSO). Within the project, the Association plans to enlarge itsmembership base through recruiting and training volunteers to serve as young forest rangers to carefor the protected territories of Tusheti. At the same time, the grantee will work to raise the localcommunitys awareness of Tusheti environmental issues and to mobilize them for the efforts tofoster inclusive decision-making about Tusheti Protected Areas. The project will contribute to thedevelopment of volunteerism in the region, improve the Associations public image locally, andassist the grantee in building new partnerships with other CSOs.

Grantee Institution: Georgian School Students Unions AllianceProposal Title: Empowering Students for Democracy

Grant Amount: 4, 657 USDImplementation Dates: September 1, 2012 May 31, 2013

The project will contribute to the institutional strengthening of the newly established Alliance ofGeorgian School Students Unions (AGSSU), so that it is better able to represent the interests ofsecondary school students in Georgia. To do so, the project will contribute to equipping theAlliance staff and its members with the needed knowledge and skills to engage effectively in schoolaffairs by equipping them with the needed knowledge. In addition, the project will provide thegrantee with an opportunity to develop a two-year organizational development strategic plan and


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organize its first General Assembly to elect the governing board and the audit commission. Bycreating a website, translating and disseminating the Manual for School Students (developed by theOrganizing Bureau of European School Student Unions), and adopting a two-year strategic plantailored to the needs and goals of the AGSSU, the grantee will improve its institutional capacity andcontribute to democratic governance in the secondary schools of Georgia. The project isimplemented in partnership with the Georgian Ministry for Sports and Youth Affairs and theOrganizing Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU).

Grantee Institution: ParsaProposal Title: Nothing for Us without UsGrant Amount: 21, 823 USDImplementation Dates: November 1, 2012 September 30, 2013

The grantee will implement an eleven-month long project, to (1) promote the concepts of accessibletourism and universal design in Georgia and (2) encourage the development of tourisminfrastructure and customer service that are friendly to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Theproject will target two regions of Georgia: Adjara (Batumi and Kobuleti) and Samegrelo-ZemoSvaneti (Zugdidi and Anaklia). To achieve the project objectives, the grantee will assess theaccessibility of local infrastructure and create a database of companies (hotels, restaurants, etc.) thatare accessible for persons with disability. Following the assessment, the grantee will acknowledgewell-adapted buildings at an award ceremony, which will be organized in cooperation with theDepartment of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara. Furthermore, the grantee will partner with relevantEuropean and American networks to devise guidelines that reflect international standards and

practices on accessible tourism and universal design. The grantee will actively participate in thework of the Coalition for Independent living and take a lead on advocating for inclusion ofrecommendations on accessible tourism in the 2013-2016 National Strategy and Action Plan onSocial Integration of PWDs. In addition, the grantee will train its staff members and five personswith disability on what the concepts entail, so that they then inform various stakeholders (frompublic, private, and non-governmental sectors) about the utility of universal design and the need foraccessible tourism. Together with a targeted public outreach campaign, these efforts will lead toimproved stakeholder cooperation and enhanced public understanding of the concepts of accessibletourism and universal design. As these concepts become mainstreamed in tourism industry, thegrantee will be able to generate additional income from providing consultancy to interestedcompanies and individuals, which, in turn, will contribute to its long-term sustainability.

Grantee Institution: Association of the Greens Movement ofGeorgia/Friends of the Earth-Georgia

Proposal Title: Supporting Civil Monitoring To Establish Drie Grant Amount: 20,281 USDImplementation Dates: December 1, 2012 - September 30, 2013

The project aims at promoting participatory civic monitoring and advocacy in Racha region so as todevise environmentally friendly solutions to the countrys energy needs. To do so, the grantee andits partner organizations will mobilize the local communities and monitor the construction ofhydropower stations on the river Rioni, namely in Oni and Sori areas. The monitoring sites wereselected following the preliminary environmental assessments, according to which the construction


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of hydropower plants there may have irreversible environmental and social impact. The projectteam will provide Oni, Utsera, and Sori residents information about the planned projects, so thatthey are better informed about the planned activities and are able to advocate for their rights andlegitimate interests. The grantee will mobilize Rachas local communities to undertake participatorycivic monitoring and advocacy activities, ensuring that these communities are involved in thedecision-making process and are able to get their voices heard. The projects expected outcomesinclude improved capacity of the grantee to conduct participatory civic monitoring and advocacy,better awareness and engagement of citizens in local and national decision-making, and increased

responsiveness of public authorities to civic monitoring and advocacy campaigns.

Grantee Institution: Association for People in Need of Special Care(APNSC)

Proposal Title: 2010-2012 Government Action Plan for Social Integration of

Disabled PeopleTo Establish Drie

Grant Amount: 19, 145 USDImplementation Dates: December 1, 2012 - October 20, 2013

The project aims at contributing to improved inclusion of persons with mental disabilities in allaspects of public life, thus, fostering democratic development in the country. To do so, the granteewill assess the content and the implementation of the 2010-2012 Action Plan on the SocialIntegration of Persons with Disabilities, to ascertain the extent to which it addresses the specificneeds of mentally disabled persons. In addition, the grantee will create monitoring groups

(consisting of members with mental disability) to conduct monitoring of health and educationalinstitutions in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Batumi, Sighnaghi, Zugdidi, and Gori to inform the assessmentof the 2010-2012 Action Plan and the recommendations developed for future considerations by theGovernment. The grantee will also conduct public outreach and advocacy campaign to ensure thatthe 2013-2015 Action Plan on the Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities is more responsiveto the special needs of the mentally disabled citizens of Georgia, so as to contribute to theirimproved social, political, and economic inclusion in public life.

Grantee Institution: Peaceful and Business CaucasusProposal Title: Deepening the process of Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-

Ossetian Integration in the Civil Sector through the support

of coalition and network cooperationTo Establish Drie

Grant Amount: 65, 193 USDImplementation Dates: December 1, 2012 - September 30, 2013

The grantee aims to build on the earlier projects supported by Eurasia Partnership Foundation(EPF) by implementing confidence building activities involving Georgians, Abkhazians, and SouthOssetians, in order to maintain and enhance the achieved results. Additionally, the grantee will takesteps for enhancement of its institutional capacities following the program management and boardgovernance capacity reporting prepared by EPF after diagnostic of the grantees level oforganizational development by Capacity Mapping Initiative tool.


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Responding to the needs of the beneficiaries participating in the previous confidence-buildingproject, the grantee will be conducting trainings to mobilize Georgian, Abkhaz and Ossetiancommunities in the conflict zone to relieve restrictions on freedom of movement through thedemarcation line. the project will work with Abkhaz, Ossetian, and Georgian entrepreneurs todevelop business plans for joint ventures, which will then be submitted to various micro-financeinstitutions and donor organizations to secure funding on business plan development and smallbusiness management, so that the participants are able to produce joint micro-business projects toseek funding from microfinance organizations. Specifically, The functionality and the demand-

driven nature of this assistance will likely lead to increased interest from other members of thesecommunities and contribute to the peace building process currently under way in Georgia. Theproject will strengthen capacity of the resource centers in Khurcha and Perevi and the communitycenters on the Abkhaz-controlled territories in Gali, Ochamchire, and Tkvarcheli (Abkhazia) and inKardzmani (Tskhinvali region) created within the previous project by equipping them withrespective facilities (computers and office supplies) and training of the centers members. Thecommunity centers will serve as means for Georgian-Abkhaz rapprochement through implementingjoint activities in the areas of mutual interest and for dissemination of information among theAbkhaz and Ossetian communities. The project is the next step for increasing the scope and profileof the grantees activities in the area of two-track diplomacy and for achieving the lasting effect inthe confidence building process.

Grantee Institution: Social-Educational Association Hereti

Proposal Title: Discover Your Kakheti's Interior and ExteriorTo Establish Drie

Grant Amount: 18, 331 USDImplementation Dates: January 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013

The proposed project aims at conducting journalistic investigations aided by citizens monitoring toassess the extent to which the results achieved through rehabilitation works are commensurate withthe funds spent or whether the planned works are in line with community needs and priorities. Thepriority will be given to assessing those rehabilitation projects that are historical in nature, such asGremi complex, downtown Telavi and Sighnaghi, Telavi Museum, Telavi Theater, Lagodekhi centralgarden, which have drawn high public attention. To do so, the grantee will create three investigativegroups (aided by relevant experts) to assess the programs implementation. Kakhetians will be ableto voice their concerns and priorities during public meetings and journalistic investigations to beundertaken by the project team, as well as through the website (www.heretifm.com) and facebookpage of Radio Hereti (www.facebook.com/radiohereti). It is hoped that Kakheti residents willcontinue to be active in monitoring the work of public authorities and ensure that their needs aretaken into account when planning or implementing various public works projects. The storiesprepared during the project will be disseminated in Kutaisi, Poti, and Zugdidi through the GeorgianRegional Radio Network (GRRN), which should foster replicability of good practices throughoutthe country.

Grantee Institution: Helping HandProposal Title: Developing Volunteerism for Civil ChangesGrant Amount: 4, 023 USDImplementation Dates: January 29, 2013 July 31, 2013


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The project aims at contributing to youth volunteering and community engagement, throughsupporting organizational capacity-building of the grantee CSO to attract and manage volunteers ina sustainable and professional manner. The project envisions mobilizing around 50 volunteers tosurvey students enrolled at Georgian universities about their knowledge of and interest involunteering opportunities. In addition, the grantee will survey its own volunteers (current and past)to learn about their experiences and the ways in which the organization could improve its volunteermanagement practices. In addition to conducting these surveys, the grantee will produce a Georgianlanguage reader on best practices of volunteer management and conduct training on this subject for

interested CSOs and individuals and counsel them afterwards. In these tasks, the grantee will beaided by Peace Corps volunteers and the Slovak Centre for Communication and Development.Once trained, the volunteers will serve as a resource for the grantee organization to streamlinevolunteer activities and will increase the grantees capacity in volunteer management.

Grantee Institution: Foundation for Economic Education in GeorgiaProposal Title: Tourism Development NetworkGrant Amount: 3, 873 USDImplementation Dates: January 30, 2013 July 31, 2013

The project aims at contributing to volunteering and improved hospitality management in ruralGeorgia, through supporting organizational capacity-building of the grantee CSO to attract andmanage volunteers in a sustainable and professional manner. The project envisions a partnershipbetween the grantee CSO and two partner organizations, REGNET and the European College forTourism, Regional Development and Informational Technologies (EURcc). To achieve the

projects objectives, the grantee will mobilize and train around 65 volunteers (30 of whom aremembers of the REGNET) to survey the residents of Kakheti, Imereti, Mtkheta-Mtianeti, ShidaKartli, and Guria regions and ascertain their need for information relevant to becoming engaged inthe hospitality sector. In addition, these volunteers will conduct an informational campaign on howto set up a guesthouse, attract more visitors, improve the quality of hospitality services rendered tothe visitors, and generate more income. In addition to these activities, the grantee will design andimplement institutional capacity-building action plan in volunteer management, so as to moresuccessfully mobilize and manage volunteers the organizations long-term objectives. As a result ofthe project, the partner organizations will set up a volunteer network TURINET, to unite individualsand businesses interested in developing sustainable tourism opportunities in Georgia.

Grantee Institution: Biological Farming Association ElkanaProposal Title: Monitor impact of central and local government politics

on agriculture and country development on the example

of Gori municipalityGrant Amount: 27, 830 USDImplementation Dates: February 1, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project aims at contributing to participatory and needs-based policy making in Georgia throughstrengthening civil societys capacity to mobilize constituency and engage in policy dialogue. To thiseffect the grantee will conduct comprehensive assessment of the 2012-2016 National RuralDevelopment Strategy and its implementation. The assessment, which will focus on the situation inOzurgeti and Akhaltsikhe municipalities, will be conducted following the Participatory Learning


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Action (PLA) methodology, which the grantee has been using for the past several years. In addition,with support from a gender expert, who will also be engaged as one of the project working groupmembers, Elkana will ensure that the assessment looks into gender aspects of rural policy making.The assessment will allow the project partners to develop recommendations for futureimprovements, which they will advocate through various means, including media programming andstakeholder meetings both in the regions and Tbilisi. These efforts, together with the creation ofcivic platform Georgian Village, will foster wide citizen participation in the grantees advocacyefforts and contribute to participatory decision-making in this policy area.

Grantee Institution: Media PortalProposal Title: With my EyesGrant Amount: 21, 467 USDImplementation Dates: March 12, 2013 July 31, 2013

The project aims at developing the practice of citizen journalism in Georgia, where communitymembers are actively engaged in collecting, analyzing, reporting, and disseminating news andinformation about the various events affecting their lives. To do so, the grantee will identify andtrain Batumi, Gori, and Kutaisi residents interested in becoming citizen journalists and engaging intheir communities lives. During the training, the selected citizen journalists will be exposed to theobjectives and ideals of citizen journalism, learn how to use the new media tools, and gain traditionaljournalistic skills of identifying and interviewing sources, researching issues, etc. The trainees will beable to utilize these skills throughout the project, with the grantee ensuring that their stories aredisseminated partner print, online, and electronic media outlets. An impartial jury will identify best

performing citizen journalists, who will be awarded equipment to prepare professional reports wellafter the end of the EPF-funded project. Citizen journalism is one of the modern methods ofcommunity mobilization and citizen engagement in local socio-economic and political processes,which is not well developed in Georgia and has a potential of being replicated throughout thecountry.

Grantee Institution: C and B Hepatitis Patients GroupProposal Title: Education Program for C Hepatitis PatientsGrant Amount: 39,595 USDImplementation Dates: March 29, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project will contribute to improved healthcare policies and public attitudes toward patients withHepatitis C. To achieve this goal, the grantee will work with Hepatitis C patients (1) to advocate forbetter public policies and (2) to teach them how to overcome stigma and manage their disease. The

project team will build capacity of 240 patients by providing trainings on how to manage theirdisease, as well as raising their awareness about their rights and their own perceptions that deterthem from waging effective advocacy campaigns. The grantee will use mainstream and new mediatools (from PSAs to blogging) to mobilize the patients and inform the larger public about the diseaseand its treatment/prevention. To ensure sustainability of project results, the grantee will train up tofour local trainers to lead disease management and awareness raising workshops, so that they areable to continue patient mobilization after the end of the project. The grantees advocacy effortswill contribute to the adoption of national guidelines on Hepatitis C, as well as to earmarking fundsfor the treatment of the disease in the 2014 state budget.

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Grantee Institution: Ltd. TV Radio Company RioniProposal Title: Informed Citizen - Protected ConsumerGrant Amount: 7, 818 USDImplementation Dates: April 1, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project aims at increasing public awareness about food related threats, food related consumerrights, and ongoing or planned reforms in the food safety field. To achieve these objectives, the

grantee will produce in-depths reports, interactive TV talk-shows, and informational programs onmost salient for the time food safety issues. As a result of the project, grantee will prepare 24 mediaproducts to enhance the knowledge of Imereti residents about food safety issues, which, in turn, willcontribute to increased public participation in food safety reforms in Georgia. The project is fundedin the framework of the grant competition Information and Advocacy Campaigns on Food SafetyIssues aimed at mobilizing consumers throughout the country and enabling them to protect theirinterests.

Grantee Institution: Youth Center ProgressProposal Title: Be Informed -Stay Protected!Grant Amount: 7, 272 USDImplementation Dates: April 1, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project aims at increasing public awareness of Chokhatauri residents about food related threats,food related consumer rights, and ongoing or planned reforms in the food safety field. To achieve

these objectives, the grantee will train local trainers and target Chokhatauri schools, kindergartens,and cafes to provide local students, parents, teachers, and cooks basic information about food safetyand consumer rights. In addition, the grantee will wage a broader information campaign throughpublishing newspaper articles and organizing public information actions. The grantee, with supportfrom project partners, will also provide on-demand consultations on food safety and consumerrights issues. The project will enhance Chokhatauri residents knowledge of food safety issues,which, in turn, will contribute to increased public participation in food safety reforms in Georgia.The project is funded in the framework of the grant competition Information and AdvocacyCampaigns on Food Safety Issues aimed at mobilizing consumers throughout the country andenabling them to protect their interests.

Grantee Institution: Georgian Association Regional BroadcastersProposal Title: Information and Advocacy Campaigns on Food

Safety Issues though Regional TV and Radio

Grant Amount: 7, 712 USDImplementation Dates: April 1, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project aims at increasing public awareness about food related threats, food related consumerrights, and ongoing or planned reforms in food safety field. To achieve these objectives, the granteewill produce in-depths reports, TV talk shows, and a public service announcement on most salientfor the time food safety issues. Majority of these media products will be broadcast during theweekly information-analytical program Polygon developed by the Georgian Association of RegionalBroadcasters (GARB) and broadcasted on 20 regional TV and 5 regional radio channels (majority of


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which are members of the Association), as well as on Palitra TV. As a result of these broadcasts, theGeorgian populations knowledge of food safety issues will be enhanced, which, in turn, willcontribute to increased public participation in food safety reforms in Georgia.

Grantee Institution: Penal Reform InternationalProposal Title: Increasing Civil Society Engagement in Penal

Organizations for PreventionGrant Amount: 12, 992 USD

Implementation Dates: May 28, 2013 October 31, 2013

The project will contribute to better human rights protection in Georgia, through advocacy toimprove the treatment prisoners. To achieve this goal the grantee will partner five local CSOs tosurvey the prisoners and conduct monitoring of 12 prisons in eastern Georgia, including onewomens prison. The report of these monitoring activities will be discussed with relevant publicagencies (the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance, the Ombudsmans Office, etc.) andprovided to all stakeholders, in order publicize the findings and advocate for further penal reform.The need for penal reform will be explained to the wider public through publication of articles, radiobroadcast, TV PSA on prisoners rights, and public lectures at local institutions of higher education.It is envisioned, that the advocacy waged by the grantee and five other experienced CSOs will leadto penal reforms designed to improve the treatment of prisoners, contribute to improved awarenessand engagement of civic sector in the reform process, and enhance accountability and transparencyof public authorities to monitoring and advocacy campaigns.

Grantee Institution: Association of Small Group Homes Service ProvidersProposal Title: Strategic Development of the OrganizationGrant Amount: 3, 882 USDImplementation Dates: May 31, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project will strengthen the institutional capacity of the newly established Association of SmallGroup Homes Service Providers and support its development as a strong membership based civilsociety organization, capable of improving the lives of the vulnerable children. As a result of theproject, the Association will identify those health insurance related issues that require attention frompublic authorities and insurance companies and wage an advocacy campaign to improve the lives ofthe vulnerable children in foster care. To do so, the grantee will (1) conduct training of trainers,who will then transfer their knowledge to the group home caregivers, (2) develop strategic advocacyplan, and (3) wage advocacy to effect change. The project is awarded within the small grantscompetition, which aims at institutional capacity strengthening of newly established regional CSOs.

Grantee Institution: Zestafoni Civic AssemblyProposal Title: Civil Society Monitoring in Local Self-Governance

ActivitiesGrant Amount: 3, 703 USDImplementation Dates: June 24, 2013 September 24, 2013

The project will contribute to the institutional strengthening of the newly established Civic Assemblyof Zestaponi and support its development as a strong civil society organization, capable of


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mobilizing local communities and advocating for participatory policy-making. With EPFs support,the Assembly will be able to gain experience in running donor-funded projects, improve the capacityof its staff and members in designing and waging advocacy campaigns, and contribute to positivechanges in 18 communities of Zestaponi municipality. It will do so, in part by taking up local causesand informing the communities on the planned self-governance reform. In addition, the Assemblywill work with its members to develop and adopt a strategic action plan, to be followed after the endof the project, in order to continue on the path of organizational development and in this processfoster civic engagement in Zestaponi municipality.

Grantee Institution: Association AtinatiProposal Title: Public Engagement in Democratic Self-GovernmentGrant Amount: 58, 888 USDImplementation Dates: July 1, 2013 May 31, 2014

The project aims at strengthening the institutional capacity of the Association Atinati, in order toincrease public awareness about the pending local self-governance reforms and contribute toinformed citizen participation in public policy making. To do so, the Association will partner withTbilisi- and Zugdidi-based civil society organizations, to benefit from their experience and advice onhow best to foster citizen participation and to create a coalition of local organizations dedicated toimproving civic engagement in local decision making, through weekly radio program on local self-governance issues, public lectures and competitions among students enrolled at Zugdidi institutionsof higher education, seminars on civic participation and advocacy, and community mobilization tomonitor the work of Zugdidi municipality, the grantee will increase public awareness about civic

engagement and local government reforms. In addition, the grantee will receive the much neededinstitutional capacity strengthening assistance through EPFs organizational development initiativeand will acquire new equipment to improve its social media platform and create multimedia/videolive stream to reach broader audience and foster informed citizen participation in public decisionmaking.

Grantee Institution: Social Defense LeagueProposal Title: Georgia without Boarders, Map for Disabled PersonsGrant Amount: 23, 924 USDImplementation Dates: July 16, 2013 December 23, 2013

The project aims at contributing to improved social and economic integration of persons withdisabilities (PWDs) by creating a sustainable open-source online platform to collect and locate userreports on a map, which will identify facilities (both public and private) equipped with handicapped

access. The project will cover four cities in Georgia: Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, and Tbilisi. Toachieve its objective, the grantee will mobilize volunteers to identify and document buildings withproper wheel chair ramps, so as to include them in a project database and upload information aboutthese buildings on the online map. For this purpose, the project will create a map interface usingOpen Layers tool. The map created by the project will be an analogue of Google Map andsynchronized with World Map, so that the new information charted on Google Map will beautomatically reflected on the on the map created as part of the project. The grantee will conductactive public information and outreach campaign to ensure better citizen involvement in the projectand create a comprehensive database and online platform informing the stakeholders both about the


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map and the obstacles faced by PWDS and their families. It is hoped that the map will help thebeneficiaries in accessing public spaces throughout the four targeted cities, thus, contributing toimproved integration of PWDs in the Georgian society.

Grantee Institution: Human Rights CenterProposal Title: Expanding Ombudsmans Office in Kakheti region

through appointment of Ombudsmans Contact PersonGrant Amount: 12, 191 USD

Implementation Dates: July 16, 2013 January 7, 2014

The project aims at contributing to equal access to justice and better human rights protection for theresidents of Kakheti, through improving information flow about possible human rights violations tothe Ombudsmans Office. With support from EPF and in coordination with the Ombudsman, theHuman Rights Center will select qualified legal professionals to staff its Gurjaani office, so that theylink local population to the Ombudsmans office. The selected staff will be trained by theOmbudsman representatives on human rights monitoring and documentation, they will canvas theregion through weekly site visits and hotline operation to gather the information about human rightssituation in Kakheti and develop analytic reports, which will feed into the annual OmbudsmansParliamentary and special reporting. To increase the projects effectiveness, the grantee will ensureregular interaction with local CSOs, media outlets, and public authorities, as well as well implementpublic awareness raising activities. The grant was awarded as a result of the competition to increaserepresentation of Ombudsmans Office in Kakheti and Guria announced in consultation with theOmbudsman.

Grantee Institution: Young Scientists Union "Intellect"Proposal Title: Monitoring of Accommodation Process of Eco-migrants

and Vulnerable Groups in Adjara RegionGrant Amount: 11, 983 USDImplementation Dates: August 1, 2013 January 31, 2014

The project aims at contributing to developing a culture of participatory decision making in Adjara,by waging an advocacy campaign for improving the living conditions of eco-migrants and sociallyvulnerable groups residing in Khelvachauris Dream Town. To do so, the grantee will undertake analternative assessment of the housing situation of the Dream Town residents and analyze thedifferences with the earlier conducted government assessment. In this process, the grantee will beassisted by representatives of eco-migrants and socially vulnerable people, trained by the project insupporting the envisioned alternative assessment efforts. The results of the assessment will be made

public through four public discussions and the media coverage, which will also involve the affectedpopulation. The recommendations elaborated as a result of the monitoring efforts will be submittedto the Government of Adjara and Khelvachauri municipality and advocated for both during andafter the end of the project.

ENGAGE AND MONITOR FOR CHANGE

Grantee Institution: Gori Community Development UnionProposal Title: Strengthen Gori Community Development


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Union for Better Protection of Community InterestsGrant Amount: 5,151 USDImplementation Dates: October 15, 2011 July 31, 2012

The project will strengthen the institutional capacity of Gori Community Development Union andsupport its development as a strong civil society organization, capable of raising public awarenessabout various pressing issues and galvanizing local communities to take civic actions to improvetheir lives. The grantee, together with local youth and in partnership with three experienced CSOs,

will identify concrete problems facing 12 villages of Gori municipality and engage all stakeholders toadvocate for their solution. The project is awarded within the small grants competition, which aimsat institutional capacity strengthening of newly established regional CSOs.

Grantee Institution: International Society for Fair Elections andDemocracy

Proposal Title: Civic Involvement in the Decision MakingProcess

Grant Amount: 21, 109 USDImplementation Dates: January 20, 2012 December 31, 2012

The project aims at promoting democratic governance and inclusive decision-making at a local levelthrough supporting organizational and professional development of local CSOs and media outlets inparticipatory monitoring and advocacy. The grantee will build on the results of its previous work(funded by the European Union) to work with local communities and public authorities in

Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi, Gardabani, Khashuri, Tetritskaro, and Tsalka, to foster democratic decisionmaking in these municipalities. To do so, the grantee will train at least 100 CSO, media, and localcommunity representatives from the targeted six municipalities to conduct professional participatorymonitoring and advocacy. Then it will support six initiative groups to implement concrete actionsthat will result in improved public service delivery and more transparent decision making. At thesame time, the project will lead to further capacity building of the grantee organization.

Grantee Institution: Movement for Accessible EnvironmentProposal Title: Persons with disabilities Advocating for

Positive ChangesGrant Amount: 18,412 USDImplementation Dates: January 25, 2012 January 24, 2013

The grantee aims at contributing to improved inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all

aspects of public life, thus, fostering democratic development in the country. To do so, the granteewill identify leaders among the persons with disabilities residing in Tbilisi and work with them toincrease their capacity in participatory civic monitoring and advocacy, so that they are better able toprotect their rights and participate in decision-making processes. Once trained, these individuals willtake part in a comprehensive monitoring and advocacy campaign designed and implemented by thegrantee to assess the implementation of the 2010-2012 National Strategy for Social Integration ofPersons with Disabilities. By conducting a baseline assessment of the situation with respect to theinclusion of PWDs in various spheres of public life, by engaging media outlets to improve publicawareness of the problems faced by the disabled, and by working with public authorities on


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addressing the identified problems, the grantee will contribute to improved social, political, andeconomic inclusion of the disabled in public life.

Grantee Institution: Welfare FoundationProposal Title: Promoting Civic Engagement in Health ReformGrant Amount: 19,426 USDImplementation Dates: February 1, 2012 November 30, 2012

The project aims at enhancing public oversight of the components of the healthcare system,including the protection of healthcare rights, the provision of medical insurance and theimplementation of healthcare policy reforms on the local level. The project will achieve this aim bypromoting knowledge of recent changes and fostering cooperation among civil society organizations(CSOs), the media and the public authorities to improve healthcare in Adjara, Samegrelo, and ShidaKartli regions. The projects expected outcomes include increased capacity of the grantee tomonitor healthcare expenditures and provision, better awareness and engagement of citizens inhealthcare reforms, and increased responsiveness of the authorities to the citizens needs anddemands in the sphere of healthcare.

Grantee Institution: Union Lanchkhuti Information CenterProposal Title: Civic Lanchkhuti Monitoring for Positive

ChangesGrant Amount: 18,175 USDImplementation Dates: February 1, 2012 January 31, 2013

The grantee aims at promoting participatory civic monitoring and advocacy in the underservedconstituencies of Lanchkhuti and Ozurgeti municipalities, thus, supporting the development ofparticipatory solutions to the problems facing these communities. To do so, the grantee willorganize civic monitoring and advocacy trainings for at least twenty community activists and mediaprofessionals, equipping them with knowledge and skills to conduct participatory civic monitoringand advocacy activities. At the same time, the project team plans to work with around thirty localgovernment officials to inform them about the methods that the community activists will be usingwhen conducting monitoring, so that the public sector is more receptive to their constituencies.Close cooperation with local media outlets will support advocacy efforts, ensuring its visibilitythrough broadcasting ten reports and publishing ten newspaper articles detailing the projectsactivities. As a result, the grantee will foster increased transparency and accountability of localgovernment bodies and support local communities involvement in public decision making.

Grantee Institution: Koda Community Education CenterProposal Title: Volunteering for a Brighter Future

To Establish Drie

Grant Amount: 4,023 USDImplementation Dates: January 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013

The project aims at contributing to volunteerism and increased civic engagement in Kvemo Kartliregion, through supporting organizational capacity-building of the grantee CSO to attract andmanage volunteers in a sustainable and professional manner. The project envisions mobilizationand training of at least 60 local volunteers, who will then become members of Community


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Volunteer Clubs in Koda and Shaumiani. Together with the grantee, the Club members willmobilize other community residents to engage in volunteer activities to address their communitiesmost pressing needs. During the project, the grantee will collaborate with the ShaumianiCommunity Center and engage Peace Corps volunteers to share their expertise. The project willresult in improved awareness of local community members and stakeholders (such as other CSOs,private businesses, and public authorities) about the need for and positive impact of volunteering, soas to contribute to increased civic engagement in the region.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Grantee Institution: Coalition for IDPs RightsProposal Title: Tserovani National Crafts Social EnterpriseGrant Amount: 9,230 USDImplementation Dates: December 1, 2011 February 28, 2013

The project to be implemented by the Coalition for IDPs Rights aims at fostering social integrationof internally displaced persons (IDPs) through introduction of social enterprise (SE) as a viablemodel for community mobilization and sustainable income generation. As part of the project, thegrantee plans to establish a local crafts workshop in Tserovani settlement, where initially it willprovide internship and training opportunities to 12 IDP women. Specifically, the women will learnhow to manufacture table cloths, scarves, handbags, and belts, all handmade and with exclusivedesign After the completion of the training, half of the trained IDP women will be employed by thegrantee. As a result, six families will improve their socio-economic standing and become better

integrated into the society. Others will be supported to start their own enterprises, utilizing theknowledge gained and skills acquired during the training provided by the grantee. The project willbe implemented in cooperation with the International Arts Center Istoriali, a leading player in thefield of traditional arts and crafts. Together with the training and consultancy, Istoriali will supportthe grantee in developing and implementing a marketing and public relations campaign, includingarranging exhibitions to present its production to the public. The income generated from the saleswill be used to remunerate the employees and sustain the organizations activities.

Grantee Institution: Ternali +Proposal Title: Georgian Tea Distribution Social EnterpriseGrant Amount: 6,660 USDImplementation Dates: December 10, 2011 August 14, 2013

The grantee will implement a project that aims at improving the lives of IDPs living in Kutaisi

(Imereti region) through creating new employment opportunities in the newly established socialenterprise. Ternali+ was established by several Kutaisi-based non-governmental organizations thatsupport the socio-economic integration of the IDPs residing in the region through providing themwith educational and employment opportunities. As part of the project, the grantee plans to developa fully functional tea distribution social enterprise, which will pack and sell Georgian tea. Initially,the enterprise will employ ten to fifteen IDPs, who will not need specific skills for packing tea. Asthe enterprise progresses, the number of employees will rise proportionally to the rate of annualgrowth from sales. To ensure good sales, the grantee will design and implement an informationalcampaign to popularize traditional products in general and Georgian tea in particular among the


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residents of the region. The income generated from tea sales will be used sustain the organizationsactivities, which includes the provision of adequate remuneration to the employed IDPs. Inaddition, Ternali+ is expected to contribute to the creation a business incubator, which in turn willsupport Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center (KEDEC) and Peaceful andBusiness Caucasus in supporting further socio-economic integration of IDPs.

Grantee Institution: Abkhazian Blind and Deaf-and-Dumb Union HeraProposal Title: SE - Hera Sound Recording Studio

Grant Amount: 7,502 USDImplementation Dates: November 25, 2011 July 1, 2012

The grantee which staff is comprised mostly from IDPs from Abkhazia will implement a twelve-month long project, which aims at fostering social integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs)through introduction of social enterprise (SE) as a viable model for community mobilization andsustainable income generation. The project envisages recording and distributing of audio-books.The products will range from poetry and prose to fairytales. The books will be recorded by famousGeorgian actors and their voices will be accompanied with music and other special effects. They willbe displayed in different book-shops around the country and will be accessible in souvenir shops, aswell as in airports and railway shops. Braille font will be used on the CD covering that would enableblind people to use independently. Therefore, within the project grantee will continue implementingits main mission to provide help to blind people and improve their access to information andeducation. The income generated from the sales will be used to remunerate the employees andsustain the organizations activities. A strong marketing campaign and supply of meat at a reasonable

price will insure sufficient number of sales to enable the recording studio to become profitable andreinvest the profits back into the social objectives of the business.

Grantee Institution: Ltd GigantiProposal Title: Establishing a Social Enterprise - Rabbit Farm

in SenakiGrant Amount: 7,565 USDImplementation Dates: May 15, 2012 January 14, 2014

The grantee will implement a twelve-month long project, which aims at fostering social integrationof internally displaced persons (IDPs) through introduction of social enterprise (SE) as a viablemodel for community mobilization and sustainable income generation. As part of the project, thegrantee plans to establish, a small rabbit farm in Senaki, where initially it will employ six IDPs, allfrom different families. Once operational, the farm will support ten other IDP families from the

region in establishing their own rabbit farms. The farms will produce rabbit meat, fat, liver, and fur.By introducing new methods of rabbit farming, the grantee will ensure the quality of the productsproduced in these farms. The products will be supplied to restaurant chains in Kobuleti (tourismzone), as well as farmers markets in Senaki and the surrounding area. The income generated fromthe sales will be used to remunerate the employees and sustain the organizations activities. A strongmarketing campaign and supply of meat at a reasonable price will insure sufficient number of salesto enable the farms to become profitable and reinvest the profits back into the social objectives ofthe business.


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Grantee Institution: Foundation for the Development of Human ResourcesProposal Title: Social Entrepreneurship Education Program for IDP Children

and youth in Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Tianeti RegionsGrant Amount: 37,854 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2012 September 30, 2013

The Foundation for the Development of Human Resources (FDHR) will implement a twelve-month project, focused on fostering the skills necessary for social entrepreneurship and financial

management among young people in Georgia. Using the Aflatoun/Aflateen methodology, FDHRwill undertake a social and financial education program in public schools and youth centers in theShida Kartli and Mtskheta-Tianeti regions, where children and young people displaced from theTskhinvali region are now enrolled. In addition, FDHR trainers will conduct a training of trainers inusing this methodology for 20 teachers from six schools and three youth centers. Through theseactivities, a total of 200 children and adolescents between the ages of eight and 24 will take theeducational course in Children/Youth Social and Finance Education (CYSFE). FDHR will organizethe participants into twenty clubs, which will then compete with each other for funds to implementmicro-projects that employ the skills acquired in the CSFE course. FDHR will continue to negotiatewith TBC Bank and micro-finance organizations in Georgia to render support to theimplementation of micro-projects. FDHR will conduct a public-awareness and advocacy campaignin order to expand the program to other schools in Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Tianeti and to otherparts of Georgia during project implementation.

Grantee Institution: LTD Ertad (Together)

Proposal Title: Production of Svanetian Salt ZeskoGrant Amount: 8,882 USDImplementation Dates: January 1, 2013 September 30, 2013

The project Production of Svanetian Salt Zeskho, which became the winner of the competitionStudents for Social Enterprise (implemented by EPF in cooperation with Center for StrategicResearch and Development of Georgia - CSRDG and the British Council) is a demonstration ofsuccessful multi-stakeholder public-private partnership, namely four leading business schoolstudents vigorously engaged in finding business solutions for NGO community, non-profits willingto start Social Enterprise to reinvest in their social mission, business community and associationscontributing by recognizing students teams achievements by providing prizes and internships, freeconsulting on tax and legal issues, and Tbilisi municipality facilitating low interest bank credit to anewly established social enterprise (SE) . Project aims at fostering social integration of the disabledthrough introduction of SE as a viable model for sustainable income generation. In addition to the

EPFs grant funding, additional financial recourse of about 10,000 GEL will be received through theTbilisi Municipality and EPF joint initiative in the form of concessional credit. SE Ertad (together)launched by the organization Accessible Environment for Everyone, initially will employ six people,out of which three are disabled. The enterprise will produce Svanetian salt, which according to themarket research conducted by the organization Accessible Environment for All and its partnerstudent team, is in high demand in Tbilisi. In accordance with the business plan, salt will be sold ingrocery stores and supermarkets in Tbilisi and around the country. The product will be distributedby Georgian distribution company GDM. The income generated from the sales will be used toremunerate the employees and sustain SE activities in the long run. A planned marketing campaign


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and supply of quality salt should ensure financial profits for the SE. At the same time SE will bepromoted as viable model for social-economic integration of people with disabilities. The granteeplans to explore possibilities of exporting salt in the neighboring countries In the long run, in caseof successful export, generated income will be used for employment of additional staff withdisabilities.

YOUTH INTEGRATION

Grantee Institution: Svaneti Youth BankProposal Title: Svaneti Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 2/5Grant Amount: 1,830 USDImplementation Dates: July 1, 2013 December 31, 2013

The goal of the Svaneti Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as active citizens in thedevelopment of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, building capacity amongthe young grant makers, and creating space for youth initiative groups to engage in communitydevelopment activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to take responsibility formaking decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent. Through a gendersensitive needs assessment, the Svaneti Youth Bank members identified the following majorproblems faced by the people residing in the area: (1) lack of healthy life-style among youth (2)environmental degradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, the Youth Bankannounced a micro grants competition for the local youth (aged 16-24) to tackle the above-mentioned problems. The Youth Bank received 12 applications and selected five projects for

funding.

Grantee Institution: Tkibuli Youth BankProposal Title: Tkibuli Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 3/6Grant Amount: 2,541 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2013 March 31, 2014

The goal of the Tkibuli Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as active citizens in thedevelopment of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, building capacity amongthe young grant makers, and creating opportunities for youth initiative groups to engage incommunity development activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to takeresponsibility for making decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent.Through a gender sensitive needs assessment, the Tkibuli Youth Bank identified the following majorproblems faced by the people residing in the region: (1) drug abuse and addiction, (2) environmental

degradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, the Youth Bank announced amicro grants competition for the local youth (aged 14-24) to tackle the above-mentioned problems.The Youth Bank received twelve applications and selected five projects for funding.

Grantee Institution: Martvili Youth BankProposal Title: Martvili Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 2/6Grant Amount: 2, 823 USDImplementation Dates: October 20, 2013 December 20, 2013


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The goal of the Martvili Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as active citizens in thedevelopment of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, building capacity amongthe young grant makers, and creating opportunities for youth initiative groups to engage incommunity development activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to takeresponsibility for making decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent.Through a gender-sensitive needs assessment, the Youth Bank members identified the followingmajor problems faced by the people residing in the region: (1) drug abuse and addiction, (2)environmental degradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, the Martvili Youth

Bank announced a micro grants competition for local youth (aged 16-24) to tackle the above-mentioned problems. The Youth Bank received nineteen applications and selected seven projectsfor funding.

Grantee Institution: Khobi Youth BankProposal Title: Khobi Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 3/6Grant Amount: 2, 727 USDImplementation Dates: October 20, 2013 December 20, 2013

The goal of the Khobi Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as active citizens in thedevelopment of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, building capacity amongthe young grant makers, and creating opportunities for youth initiative groups to engage incommunity development activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to takeresponsibility for making decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent.Through a gender-sensitive needs assessment, the Youth Bank members identified the following

major problems faced by the people residing in the region: (1) healthcare, (2) environmentaldegradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, the Khobi Youth Bank announceda micro grants competition for local youth (aged 16-24) to tackle the above-mentioned problems.The Youth Bank received eighteen applications and selected seven projects for funding.

Grantee Institution: Akhmeta Youth BankProposal Title: Akhmeta Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 3/6Grant Amount: 2, 661 USDImplementation Dates: November 25, 2013 March 31, 2014

The goal of the Akhmeta Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as active citizens inthe development of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, building capacityamong the young grant makers, and creating opportunities for youth initiative groups to engage incommunity development activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to take

responsibility for making decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent.Through a gender-sensitive needs assessment, the Youth Bank members identified the followingmajor problems faced by the people residing in the region: (1) lack of healthy lifestyle among youth,(2) environmental degradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, the AkhmetaYouth Bank announced a micro grants competition for local youth (aged 15-24) to tackle the above-mentioned problems. The Youth Bank received seventeen applications and selected six projects forfunding.

Grantee Institution: Dedoplistskaro Youth Bank


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Proposal Title: Dedoplistskaro Youth Bank's Micro Grants Cycle 5/6Grant Amount: 2, 661 USDImplementation Dates: November 25, 2013 March 31, 2014

The goal of the Dedoplistskaro Youth Bank is to enable young people to participate as activecitizens in the development of their communities by providing leadership opportunities, buildingcapacity among the young grant makers, and creating opportunities for youth initiative groups toengage in community development activities. The project will enable the Youth Bank members to

take responsibility for making decisions over grants and be accountable for how the money is spent.Through a gender sensitive needs assessment, the Dedoplistskaro Youth Bank identified thefollowing major problems faced by the people residing in the region: (1) low youth involvement ingroup sports, (2) environmental degradation, and (3) low levels of general education. As a result, theYouth Bank announced a micro grants competition for the local youth (aged 14-24) to tackle theabove-mentioned problems. The Youth Bank received twelve applications and selected sevenprojects for funding. Of the selected seven projects, six were approved by EPF.

Grants Closed during January 1 December 31, 2013

OPEN DOOR

Grantee Institution: Center of Environmental LawProposal Title: Forming the System of Civic Monitoring of the

Environmental Changes in the Industrial Zones

Grant Amount: 17,595 USDImplementation Dates: January 17, 2011 February 20, 2013

Environmental awareness among Georgian citizens remains low. Majority of Georgian populationis unaware of their rights and responsibilities, as well as methods of protecting these rights andadvocating for their interests. The residents of Kaspi industrial zone, which hosts several enterprisesthat process and or manufacture cement, brick, rubber and other materials, are no exception to therule. This lack of awareness in Kaspi residents leads to civic disengagement, which, in turn,contributes to consistently deteriorating ecological conditions in the area. To address these issues,the grantee conducted a study of the ecological situation in the Kaspi industrial zone and formed an11-member monitoring group of local community leaders to support participatory civic monitoringand advocacy efforts. Once competing the training on civic monitoring and advocacy methods, thegroup targeted ecologically hazardous enterprises located in the area and supported civic educationand public awareness campaigns to galvanize the local communities. As a result the grantee

succeeded in addressing two of the four environmental issues identified by local residents. Forexample, as a result of the project, Heidelberg-Caucasus cement factory started to use specialcontainers when collecting industry hazardous waste, while Kaspi municipality addressed the issuesof irrigation and water treatment. The grantees public outreach campaign, which includeddissemination of leaflets and brochures about local ecological problems and methods of citizenparticipation, improved awareness of at least 300 local residents, who despite the initial reluctancejoined in to implement monitoring and advocacy efforts. The eco-lessons envisioned as part of theproject ensured that 45 students from Kaspi public schools improved their understanding ofecological problems. Through the hotline, the grantee provided free legal advice on how to protect


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their environmental rights and interact with local authorities. The grantee continued to maintain thehotline and engage in campaigns to protect the environment after the end of the grant period. Aspart of its post-grant period efforts, the grantee conducted monitoring and advocacy ondeforestation in Kakheti and brought a civil action against Tbilisi City Hall for elimination ofrecreation zone on the territory of Tbilisi race track.

Grantee Institution: Caucasian Institute for Economic and Social ResearchProposal Title: Guidebook on Monitoring of Local Self-governance for

Regional Non-governmental Organizations and the MediaTo Establish Drie

Grant Amount: 27,763 USDImplementation Dates: December 10, 2011- July 9, 2012

Georgian civil society continues to face the challenge of limited access to reliable information, elite-driven political processes, and low government responsiveness to public concerns. Citizens areapathetic and do not take action to protect their rights and interests and, as a consequence,government is not held accountable. However, there are CSOs and citizens that are active both inTbilisi and in the regions, but they often lack the knowledge and tools necessary to influence publicdecision making. To address this issue, EPF provided grant support to the Caucasian Institute forEconomic and Social Research to engage experienced self-governance and civil society experts todevelop a comprehensive Georgian language guidebook detailing modern methods of conductinghigh-profile civic monitoring and advocacy campaigns in all the basic spheres of local self-

governance, including legal, administrative, and economic activities. The guidebook, whichincorporates 36 detailed examples of best local and international practive of civic monitoring andadvocacy, also provides information on how to engage local communities in various types ofmonitoring and advocacy efforts. The grantee published and disseminated 500 copies of theguidebook, with e-version being posted on the grantees websitehttp://www.ciesr.org/files/Monitoring%20Guide_CIESR_2012.pdf and athttp://www.csogeorgia.org/uploads/library/69/Monitoring_Guide_CIESR_2012ge.pdf. The draftof the guide was unveiled at a conference of civic monitoring practitioners and experts (total 50representatives), who provided their critique and recommendations, which were reflected in the finalpublication. The publication represents an important addition to the previous EPF-fundedguidebook, which was published in 2007 and dealt with only general principles of civic monitoring.Written in a user-friendly language and adjusted to the Georgian context, the guidebook is a practicalinstrument for experienced civic watchdogs, as well as a useful learning tool for the grassroots CSOsand the media outlets.

Grantee Institution: Georgian Institute of Russian StudiesProposal Title: Analytical Video Internet-JournalGrant Amount: 8,742 USDImplementation Dates: February 1, 2011 February 26, 2013

Over the past years, objective and balanced news coverage of the international context of Russo-Georgian relations was hard to find in the Georgian media. To address this issue, the GeorgianInstitute for Russian Studies (GIRS) created a web video journal, through which it disseminatedinterviews with experts and public figures on various aspects of Russo-Georgian relations.


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Supported by two journalists and a cameraman trained within the project, the grantee prepared andposted 67 analytical video journalism pieces. In addition, the GIRS organized two roundtables,during which foreign policy practitioners and theorists discussed the relations between the two statesand addressed the importance of understanding the main directions of Georgian foreign policytoward Russia. Throughout the project, 21,500 unique visitors and 51 subscribers viewed the videojournals generated by the grantee and posted on YouTube (GIRS-TV-YouTube). More than190,000 views of and 600 comments on the GIRS materials have been reported through the variouswebsites that posted the grantees programming. One of the GIRS video journals on the role of

Christian orthodoxy in Georgian-Russian relations was used by the local Russian-language TVcompany PIK in its analytical program entitled the Land of Democracy. These successesnotwithstanding, the grantee was unable to improve its institutional capacity and maintain theachieved results.

Grantee Institution: Peaceful and Business CaucasusProposal Title: Building capacity of Georgian-Abkhaz and

Georgian-Ossetian business people by business partnershipGrant Amount: 43,882 USDImplementation Dates: February 15, 2011 February 20, 2013

The 2008 war with Russia and the latters recognition of independence of the breakaway territories,caused further disintegration of relationships, including by reducing already narrow space forpeople-to-people (P2P) contact. Over the past several years, there has been virtually no progress ineither the political dialogue or in transforming the community-level grievances and animosities

underpinning the conflicts between Georgians, Abkhazs, and Ossetians. In this situation, it isimportant to support for civil society organizations to create safe spaces and to engage inconfidence-building efforts to restore mutual trust. With support from EPF, the grantee engagedmost active Georgian, Abkhazian, and Ossetian participants from the previous project to build onthe results achieved earlier. To deepen P2P contacts, the grantee trained 30 Georgian, 20Abkhazian, and 14 Ossetian beneficiaries in business plan development, so as to ensure that theideas for joint ventures developed during the previous project could come to fruition. Businessplans were developed for 16 Georgian-Abkhaz and 6 Georgian-Ossetian business projects focusingon beekeeping, provision of ambulatory services, petty trade, etc. All Abkhaz-Georgian andOssetian-Georgian business ideas were supported by International Red Cross, in the form oftechnical assistance. Four Abkhaz-Georgian joint ventures were able to find support from micro-finance organizations and private donors. The grantee also succeeded in creating communitycenters in Gali, Ochamchire, Tkvarcheli, Khurcha, and Kardzmani. The centers in Khurcha andKardzmani (near the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian administrative boundary lines

respectively) have become safe spaces were Georgians, Abkhazians, and Ossetians come together todiscuss collaboration to support their business interests or resolve common issues (e.g. provision ofmedical services). Only during the project, the community centers served as many as 194 Abkhazianand Ossetian beneficiaries, providing service ranging from seeking medical help to receivingGeorgian passports. Presently, this Georgian-Abkhazian-Ossetian network unites seven communitycenters in Khurcha, Ochamchira, Tkvarcheli, Chkhortoli (village in Tkvarcheli), Gali, Kardzmani,and Tskhaltubo.

Grantee Institution: Caucasus Peace Support Center


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Proposal Title: Overcoming the Informational Vacuum in Abkhazia throughan Abkhaz-Language Internet Portal

Grant Amount: 5,388 USDImplementation Dates: August 1, 2011- February 11, 2013

Following the 1992-1994 conflict in Abkhazia, regular connectivity across the conflict divide wasessentially severed. The communities from both sides of the divide lack information about eachothers lives, which creates ample room for exaggerating and often erroneous reporting. This

creates additional barriers for conflict transformation and confidence building between the separatedcommunities. With this problem in mind, the project created an Abkhaz language web portal,www.newsinabkhazian.com, to serve as a source of unbiased information for the Abkhaziancommunities living on the other side of the ABL. The web portal posted 70 Abkhaz languagetranslations of socio-economic and political articles published by leading Georgian newspapers andmagazines, thus, contributing to reducing the longstanding informational vacuum in the breakawayterritories of Georgia (Abkhazia) about the major events and trends experienced by the rest ofcountry. However, the website did not succeed in serving as a trustworthy source of unbiasedinformation for the Abkhazian communities living in the occupied territories of Georgia.Throughout the duration of the project the grantee improved the website, added new functions (e.g.online quiz) and managed to establish relations with several Abkhaz organizations, as well as Abkhazpublic figures.

Grantee Institution: Organization of Tbilisi CaregiversProposal Title: Discover Your Tbilisi

Grant Amount: 24,224 USDImplementation Dates: February 7, 2011 February 28, 2013

The construction boom in Tbilisis historical center raised many unanswered questions about theCity Halls vision of the citys future and the rationale behind issuing construction permits by therelevant public authorities. Tbilisi residents were often unaware of what might be at stake and thoseaffected by the construction were unable to get their voices heard. Tbilisi Caregivers mobilized thepublic to monitor the rehabilitation works implemented by Tbilisi City Hall in the historical part ofthe capital (the Bread Square, Gudiashvili Square, the so-called Imeli building, which used tohouse the Constitutional Court of Georgia), to promote transparency and ensure broad publicparticipation in the process of preserving the citys cultural heritage. By developing the legal andarchitectural assessment of the rehabilitation works undertaken, conducting on-site observations,and implementing targeted public information campaigns, the grantee succeeded in its efforts.Notably, it was able to stop the demolition of the Imeli building by the foreign investor and to date

continues advocacy efforts to preserve the facade of the building. The findings of the monitoringand expert recommendations both in Georgian and English were gathered on CD ROMs, with 100copies distributed to the stakeholders. The grantee mobilized about 1,500 participants for theadvocacy action to preserve the historical value of the Gudiashvili square. This was made possible,in part, by the media coverage garnered by the grantee and highly effective social networking, whichreached at least 3,000 citizens. During the project period, the grantee was successful in ensuring thatthe rehabilitation works on the buildings located around the Gudiashvili Square maintained theirhistorical architecture. Tbilisi Caregivers continues to monitoring the rehabilitation works in thepost-grant period as well.


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Grantee Institution: RadaramiProposal Title: Read and ConnectGrant Amount: 50,748 USDImplementation Dates: September 6, 2011 - March 7, 2013

According to date, around 60% of Georgias population does not speak English and cannot affordmuch Internet time. As a result, they are unaware and uninformed about international trends and

debates on various socio-political issues, such as democratization, sustainable development, globaleconomic crisis, etc. The grantee addressed this issue by providing Georgian leaders high qualitytranslations of some of the most prominent non-fiction works that have shaped the current globaldebate on democracy. The project, which was implemented with co-funding from the Black SeaTrust for Regional Cooperation, succeeded in translating and publishing four book titles (5,000copies each). The translated works were selected by the members of the International BookSelection Committee (created by the grantee specifically for the project) and included such titles asJonathan Wattss When a Billion Chinese Jump, Kathryn Schulzs Being Wrong: Adventures in theMargin of Error, Joseph Stieglitzs Globalization and its Discontents, and William Antholis andStrobe Talbots Fast Forward. In addition to translating and publishing the books, the granteeorganized 3 discussions and presentations in 8 regions of Georgia, attended by as many as 280individuals from various walks of life, including the academia, civil society, and high school teachers.The grantee also introduced SMS notification about publishing the next book to increase theaudience and galvanize interest in the translated works. By the end of the project, around 3,000copies of each work were sold and/or distributed not only in the capital, but also in Kakheti, Shida

Kartli, Guria, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samegrelo, Samtskhe-Javakheti, and Adjara. The project garneredwide media coverage, increasing the grantees visibility and contributing to increased public interestin the translated works. The project idea was well liked by other donors, including the USEmbassys Democracy Support Program, which is currently funding the translation of twoadditional book titles.

Grantee Institution: Union of Blind in GeorgiaProposal Title: Common Problem, Common GoalGrant Amount: 15,260 USDImplementation Dates: June 15, 2011 January 28, 2013

In Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, blind and visually impaired people are socially excluded due tothe lack of living skills that are necessary to engage in activities of daily living and to lead full andproductive life. To fulfill this need, the project targeted 42 blind and visually impaired young people

from the three South Caucasus countries to organize a living skills and intercultural awarenesstraining program for them. Throughout the grant period, the grantee provided training andeducation opportunities for the selected youth (14 from Georgia, 14 from Armenia, and 14Azerbaijan) during 10-day summer camp. As a result of these activities, the grantee supported theparticipants in developing skills that are necessary to engage in activities of daily living to promotetheir integration in the society. At the same time, the project contributed to confidence-building andthe creation of favorable conditions for an effective dialogue among Georgian, Armenian, and Azeriyouth. The project was implemented in cooperation with EPF Armenia and EPF Azerbaijan, which


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provided grant support to conduct in-country conflict management workshops and to cover traveland insurance costs for Armenian and Azeri participants.

Grantee Institution: Alliance Goodwill Mission - MissionariesProposal Title: The Way to the FutureGrant Amount: 7,280 USDImplementation Dates: September 12, 2011 January 15, 2013

In almost every household, community, and institution in Georgia, unspoken gender norms shapethe essence of the decisions made and the ways in which young people interact with the rest of theworld. The issue of gender inequality is particularly problematic in ethnic minority populated areasof the country, where local cultural and social norms create the power dynamics in households andcommunities that prevent young womens meaningful participation in community life and limit theiropportunities for self-realization and growth. To foster ethnic minority young womens participationin local community life, the grantee organized gender training program, as result of which 49participants (around 80% of the total) acquired basic understanding of the notion and practice ofgender equality and questioned their long-held attitudes toward gender roles and relationships.

ENGAGE AND MONITOR FOR CHANGE

Grantee Institution: Coalition for IDP's RightsProposal Title: Development of the Community Suffered by Military

Conflict

Grant Amount: 4,992 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2010 April 14, 2011

Several years after the 2008 August conflict with Russia, which resulted in a new wave of IDPs, theproblems facing communities in the villages bordering the breakaway Tskhinvali region remainlargely unsolved, with the IDPs worried about unemployment, social benefits, and low levels ofsocio-economic integration with the host communities. These concerns notwithstanding, theresidents of targeted villages acutely lack the knowledge and skills necessary for civic engagement soas to promote positive change. With support from EPF, the grantee was able to enhance civicawareness of and mobilize the IDP communities in the 8 frontline villages of Nikozi, Ergneti, Ditsi,Mereti, Koshka, Kere, Flavi, and Mejvriskhevi. Specifically, the grantee conducted trainings in civicmonitoring and advocacy, so that local community members could better identify issues of concernand develop projects to address them. Eight community leaders trained initially were able todisseminate their knowledge to additional 120 individuals, so that together they could address

community problems. As a result, at least 100 IDPs were provided assistance and four projects weredeveloped by local community members, ranging from the creation of information-consultationcenter in the buffer zone to mutual security measures for Georgian and Ossetian villages. Theseideas were shared with local authorities and used in the advocacy campaigns waged by the grantee.During the project lifecycle, only one of the identified problems related to water supply has beenresolved (though partially). In addition, the project resulted in the creation of Gori CommunityDevelopment Center, with a clear strategy and its implementation action plan. Two of the Centersprojects have since been funded by EPF and the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF).


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Grantee Institution: Center for Protection of Civil InterestsProposal Title: Initiative - Monitoring of land reform in

Khelvachauri municipalityGrant Amount: 19,534 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2010 February 28, 2012

Transparency and lawfulness of land privatization and land reform processes in the underservedregions is a subject of constant concern for local communities and civil society organizations. The

stakes are particularly high in resource rich areas, such as Adjara, where government competes withcitizens for land ownership. With support from EPF, the grantee monitored the land privatizationprocess in Khelvachauri municipality of Adjara to assess the lawfulness of the actions undertaken bylocal authorities and to help local residents in advocating for the protection of their rights andinterests. The grantee selected 75 community leaders from 79 villages of the municipality andtrained them in participatory monitoring. It also surveyed 457community members to ascertaintheir knowledge and concerns with respect to land reforms (current and pending), as well asconducted multiple meetings about these reforms to inform the population (including throughdissemination of 2,000 copies of brochures) and learn about their needs. In addition, the granteeprovided legal and other consultations to 130 local residents, who had questions and/or problemsrelated to land privatization and ownership. The grantees public information campaign wassupported by local newspaper Batumelebi. Increased civic awareness facilitated the formation of amobile monitoring group composed of most proactive community leaders and youth volunteers.The group supported the grantees efforts to detect abuses in the process of granting or deprivingland ownership rights. The findings along with recommendations for addressing the detected

problems were provided to both local and national authorities and led to greater responsiveness ofKhelvachauri authorities, especially the Sakrebulo Commission for Recognition of Land PropertyRights, which started to ensure transparency of discussions by inviting the project representativesand by providing public information in a timely manner.

Grantee Institution: Tserovani Community Organization Side by SideProposal Title: Institutional Development of the Community

Organization in the Tserovani IDP Collection CenterGrant Amount: 5,145 USDImplementation Dates: October 15, 2011 April 15, 2012

Socio-economic hardships and problems with reintegration are still high on the agenda of the IDPsfrom the August 2008 war. The IDP Collective Center in the village of Tserovani accommodates asizable group of internally displaced persons (about 6,000 households), who lost their houses and

livelihoods during the conflict. The efforts by the Government of Georgia, local civil society, andthe donor community to support these individuals have been marginally successful, as the majorityare still marginalized from the society at large and face multiple economic hardships. As time lapses,the only sure way to ensure better socio-economic integration of IDPs is to improve the latters civicawareness and support their efforts directed toward addressing their most pressing needs. For thisto happen, it is necessary to support institutional capacity building efforts of those grassrootsorganizations that support or are created by the representatives of the most vulnerable groups. WithEPF support, Tserovani-based Union Side by Side was able to improve its institutional capacity,while at the same time advocating for the protection of the IDP rights and fulfillment of their needs.


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The grantee, together with the local community and experienced partner CSOs (namely, theCoalition for IDP Rights, For the Better Future, and Tskhinvali House), implemented advocacycampaigns designed to foster the socio-economic integration of IDPs residing in the TserovaniCollective Center. For this purpose, the grantee trained 12 selected leaders in civic monitoring andadvocacy, as well as in project development and fundraising. They advocated for the interests of 50IDPs, who had various unresolved issues with public authorities, including IPD status documents,social assistance, and environmental degradation that affected their living conditions. One of thenotable successes has been in relation to the Natakhtari Beer Company, which was forced to install

purification filters in its discharging tubes and clean up the environmental damage already caused bythe plant. The knowledge, skills, and resources acquired during the project implementation hashelped the grantee to establish new partnerships with experienced civic organizations, including aCzech CSO, Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU), which continues to counsel the grantee andinclude it in its fundraising efforts. As a result of the project, the grantee has also been able to morethan double its membership and attract around 100 volunteers, who support the grantees efforts toaddress the needs of the IDPs.

Grantee Institution: Medical Workers InitiativeProposal Title: Improve social environment together!Grant Amount: 19,882 USDImplementation Dates: February 1, 2012 November 30, 2012

EPF has been consistent in supporting local CSOs in developing skills and creating opportunities toengage stakeholders in policy dialogue and advocacy. The grant provided to the Medical Workers

Initiative helped this regional CSO to improve its civic monitoring and advocacy efforts and, in thisprocess, assist socially vulnerable residents of Kutaisi to improve their living conditions. Inparticular, the grantee set up civic monitoring groups in five territorial units of Kutaisi, to ascertainthe problems in medical service and social assistance delivery and to advocate for their solution. Tocontribute to participatory decision making, the project reached out to representatives of publicauthorities (local government and the Public Defenders Office), doctors, and social agents,involving them in monitoring and advocacy trainings together with civic leaders. As a result of theproject, the grantee trained 90 individuals (70% women) in civic monitoring and advocacy methods,of which 30 formed civic monitoring groups to assess the situation on the ground and to wagedialogue with public authorities (through closed-door and roundtable meetings). The projectsoutreach was ensured with the media campaign implemented through Radio Dzveli Kalaki (8programs), TV-Rioni (2 talk-shows), and the newspapers Akhali Gazeti and Rezonansi. Thegrantees advocacy efforts contributed to tangible positive outcomes for the target population, withfour socially vulnerable families succeeding in reclaiming their social assistance allowance.

Grantee Institution: Transparency International GeorgiaProposal Title: Fix My StreetGrant Amount: 19,862 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2010 February 20, 2013

Research on civic culture has demonstrated that one of the best ways to foster civic engagement isto mobilize people around the issues that they care about and to ensure that they are able to seetangible results of their activism. With support from Eurasia Partnership Foundation, TI Georgia


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was able to utilize innovative methods of online monitoring to mobilize citizens and address one ofthe most pressing needs of Tbilisi residents. Specifically, the grantee adapted open-source softwareto create a website www.chemikucha.ge, so that with just a few clicks, citizens can report problemswith local municipal infrastructure directly to the city government and then monitor the response.The grantees successful collaboration with Tbilisi City Hall ensured that only during the projectperiod 809 of the 1,220 reported problems with Tbilisi Streets have been fixed. As a result of usinginnovative civic monitoring techniques, the grantee was able to achieve sustainable positive impacton hundreds of Tbilisi residents. The website was mentioned in a hearing of the US House of

Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs during a discussion on the State of Democracy andFreedom in Eastern Europe on July 26, 2011. In his testimony, Stephen B. Nix, the Director of theEurasia Division of the International Republican Institute highlighted the website as a positivedevelopment of a CSO-government dialogue in Georgia(http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1333). The website www.chemikucha.ge isstill operational, with Tbilisi residents continuing to post their issues and the City Hall responding tothe needs. Thus, during 2012, the website received 466 notices from the public, of which 198 havebeen resolved by the municipality. The grantee has launched the replication of the innovativepractice in Rustavi, Gori and Ozurgeti.

Grantee Institution: Democratic Development Union of Georgia

Proposal Title: Public Initiatives for Democracy? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Grant Amount: 19,882 USDImplementation Dates: October 1, 2010 February 27, 2013

Local self-governance reforms initiated in 2006 did not lead to the desired results. The linksbetween citizens (especially, those residing in remote areas) and local authorities remain weak, as aresult of which local decision-making is largely unresponsive to the populations needs. To addressthis problem, the grantee focused on citizen mobilization to monitor local public expenditure andassess the quality of service delivery by Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri municipalities. To achieve theprojects goal and objectives, the grantee trained Tkhinvali, Makvaneti, Chanieti, Kokhnari, Khevi,and Khidistavi residents on civic monitoring and advocacy methods. Twenty-five communitymembers and five local journalists learned about conducting community needs assessment, problemanalysis, and methods of monitoring and advocacy, which allowed them to wage constructivedialogue with local authorities when advocating for needs-based

Documents

Annex - Sida Supported Grants 2013