- Program Civil Society
- Program Area Strengthening Civic Space
- Grant Amount $130,000
- Grant Period January 1, 2010–December 31, 2011
- Location Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
- Geographic Focus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia
About this grant
The program goal is to encourage grassroots, civic participation in decisionmaking processes throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. To this end, this grant supports a vibrant network of nongovernmental organizations working with citizens and local communities. During the next two years, the network will organize its annual Citizen Participation Week simultaneously in 17 countries, conduct a study to benchmark levels of citizen participation across the region, promote participation through innovative uses of technology, and strengthen cooperation with other networks. In 2008-2009, the CEE Citizens Network developed partnerships with several important European networks and held two annual training events. The network also organized events in countries represented by the network as part of its annual Citizen Participation Week. Initiated in 2001 as a project of the Center for Community Organizing – Slovakia, the network registered as an independent organization in 2005. The network has 31 members representing 17 countries. Many of the network’s members are Mott Foundation grantees.