Communities Of, By and For the People

About this grant

The program goal is to improve the quality of life in Russian communities by strengthening partnerships between government and citizens, improving public involvement in community development strategies and targets, and increasing local- and regional-level expertise in evaluation. To achieve these goals, the grantee will move to broaden the dissemination of an Effective Community Governance model throughout three regions in Siberia, while also introducing it in new pilot communities outside those regions. The project will consist of workshops, semiannual networking meetings, on-site and distance consulting, and a summary forum for interested parties beyond program participants. Among other results during the first phase of the project, one pilot city was established with a special office dedicated to engaging citizen groups in local governance. A range of local authorities and public policy centers around Russia have shown active interest in incorporating the governance model. The Siberian Civic Initiatives Support Center was founded in 1995 to support democratic reform in Siberia and to promote opportunities for people to engage in civic life.