In the early 1990s, when Poland was on the cusp of democracy, a group of sociology students from the University of Warsaw took note of the importance of documenting and providing free access to information about the movement toward a free society.
Ten years later, these efforts have resulted in a Web-based tool for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) throughout Poland. Currently,
ngo.pl receives more than 10,000 visitors a day, many from individuals working at community-based NGOs that support civil society in Poland.
Funded in part with $140,000 in grants from the Mott Foundation, the portal provides a host of databases and content for Poland-based NGOs, including an interactive directory of approximately 60,000 NGOs in the country, information about corporate and private funders, and news of significance to Poland’s NGO sector.
Regional versions of the portal have also been created to provide localized data. In addition, much of the data is categorized by sectors of NGOs, such as culture, education and social service.
Titled the “Bees to the Beehive” project, the portal was created by the KLON/JAWOR Association, a leader in the civil society movement in Poland. In order to keep content current on the Web site, KLON established a close partnership with more than 80 organizations that, based on their regions or areas of expertise, update various components of the site.
The partnership reflects the basis of KLON’s philosophy for the portal: to create a free flow of information in an environment in which all participants have a stake.
“We were there at the right moment when democracy was just flourishing in Poland,” said Kuba Wygnanski, Board Member of the KLON/JAWAR Association. “In many ways, the project reflects the spirit of that time.”
Wygnanski said there are plans for KLON to continue the expansion of the portal and to form additional partnerships with organizations to develop a social service mission. One of a number of ideas currently under review is to expand KLON's e-rider program, which provides one-on-one technical assistance to NGOs, by providing technology training for young adults who have recovered from drug addiction.
Tamás Scsaurszki, the program officer who handles Mott’s grantmaking in Poland, said the online resource is a model for how technology can be utilized to advance civil society.
"Poland is one of the biggest countries in Europe, with a population of 39 million people," Scsaurszki said. "Taking advantage of information technology is critical in building links and connections between people and organizations across the country. That is exactly what KLON has done, with excellent results and at a low cost."