Open Days 2007

Partnership or Lobbying?Two Czech case studies

Petra FrancovaNROS, Czech Republic

NROSCivil Society Development

Foundation• The biggest Czech foundation• 45 m€ re-granted to NGOs on 7200 projects so far• Implements Transition Facility programmes• Intermediary Body for Block Grant for NGOs from

EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanisms• Organizes most recognised charity project in the

country• Member of International Youth Foundation

(programmes intended for youth – Make a Connection, klub-net)

Global Grants

• NROS is Intermediary Body for 2 Global Grants (ESF) – HRD OP and SPD 3

• Capacity building of small NGOs who provide social services to socially excluded or to those at risk of social exclusion

• GG allocations:– 4,22 mil EUR in HRD OP– 1,17 mil EUR in SPD 3

• Last call for proposal was focused on financial management (weakness of NGOs)

• Effort to have a similar small grants fung in the new programming period

Outline of negotiating OPs illustrated by social economy case study

1. Find a key organisation able to negotiate.

2. Gather a group following the same interest.

3. Agree common procedure for negotiating.

4. Settle key words and identify common interest with officers.

5. Decide whom to approach and how.

6. Be positive, give examples, offer help. Do not expect much. Fix another meeting.

7.Gain approval of managers and contact to an officer working on OP.

8.Mind that you are not the only lobbyist, come there repeatedly. Control every new draft whether your subject was not left out.

9.Be persistent and try to understand officers´ needs. Find their and your common interest.

Where is now social economy

• National Strategic Reference Framework

• Operational Programme Human Resources and Employment (ESF)

• Integrated Operational Programme (ERDF)

What to do next

• Keep eye on complements

• Try to change grant scheme on social economy

Partnership and lobbying

• Both is important• Partnership is official framework• Lobbying makes things happen• It is interlinked and supports each

other

Thank you for your attention.

petra.francova@nros.cz