General Purposes

About this grant

The Roma-Lom Foundation works in northwest Bulgaria to support and encourage the participation of Roma communities in decisionmaking processes at the local and regional levels. Through efforts with local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the foundation builds local democracy, promotes community development and works to combat ethnic divisions within Bulgarian society. Multiyear funding will enable the organization to participate in shaping local and national policy development with respect to Roma and other socially excluded groups in Bulgaria; strengthen the capacity of local governments and NGOs to meet the challenges presented by European Union (EU) accession; and build its capacity to address the opportunities presented by Bulgaria’s EU accession and eventual membership.Recent accomplishments included providing consultations, training and financial support to more than 45 Roma NGOs and several local school boards and student councils; raising public awareness about socially excluded groups in Bulgaria and good practices for addressing the needs of these groups; organizing coalitions of local Roma NGOs to work with local governments to draft development strategies; organizing get-out-the-vote campaigns for various local elections; and focusing efforts on the needs of Roma communities in the city of Lom.