Improving the Social Environment for Local Self-Government

About this grant

This grant will allow the Foundation for Local Government Reform (FLGR) to continue working to reduce poverty and social exclusion in Bulgaria by encouraging cooperation between public institutions and civic organizations at the local and national levels. FLGR provides grants and training to community-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Multiyear funding will support efforts to build the capacities of local government officials and civic groups in selected municipalities. Five new municipalities will participate, along with five previously selected. FLGR will work with local government officials to improve their capacities for participatory decisionmaking, gathering and disseminating information, and social service delivery. FLGR will work with representatives of NGOs and informal civic groups to build their capacity for social service policy development and advocacy. The two groups will meet together to share information and initiate joint action for policy formulation and service delivery.Since 2002, achievements included providing training to local NGOs and local government in 10 pilot communities in four regions of Bulgaria; providing funding to 24 local projects to increase cooperation between local NGOs and government officials; increasing the capacity of local NGOs to engage the broader public and socially disadvantaged groups in community-level problem solving and decisionmaking; and developing policy recommendations to improve cooperation between local governments and citizens in providing social services.