With the gradual withdrawal of major donors from the CEECA region and the failure of states to fulfill their obligations to switch to national funding, the issue of survival for NGOs working in the field of harm reduction is particularly acute. EHRA announces a call[1] for technical assistance (TA) for organizations wishing to try themselves in alternative financing[2].
The purpose of this TA is to improve the understanding by public organizations and civil society organizations from СEECA countries of the possibilities and conditions for obtaining alternative funding.
Who can apply? Officially registered community-led and civil society organizations working in the field of harm reduction on national or sub-national levels, that already have experience in finding alternative resources or plan to introduce the chosen practice in the near future.
Eligible countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan.
Within this TA EHRA will cover travel expenses of 2 employees of two selected organizations to 4-6 day internship in the chosen organization. After completing an internship, the organization is obliged to try to implement the gained knowledge within six months after the internship.
List of organizations for internships
- Light of Hope, Ukraine http://www.lightofhope.com.ua
On the basis of the organization, there is an Adaptation Center for the homeless and those released from prison, a Shelter for women who have suffered from domestic violence or human trafficking, a Youth Center and the Training and Production Center (Social Enterprise), which helps socially vulnerable groups with employment, provides access to education and professional training.
The “Training and Production Center” is one of the most advanced social enterprises in Ukraine. The center was created to support and socially integrate representatives of various key groups into society.
Learning Opportunities:
- Participation in social contracting
- Organization of a social enterprise
- Providing consulting services
- From heart to heart, Ukraine http://fhth.ck.ua
The organization provides services in the field of HIV prevention, counseling and testing for HIV and STIs, harm reduction services, psychological support, rehabilitation assistance, etc. Charitable Organization “From Heart to Heart” has experience in raising funds as part of charity events and fairs. The organization has a Reintegration Center for the homeless and people who have been released from prisons, where they can acquire skills that contribute to their social adaptation in society. Thanks to the advocacy actions of the CO “From Heart to Heart”, the local authorities introduced reduced rent rates for NGOs working with vulnerable groups.
Learning Opportunities:
- organization of a social enterprise
- ReGeneration, Serbia https://regeneracija.blogspot.com/
The organization promotes effective drug policy; implements advocacy campaigns with the involvement of the media to expand harm reduction programs in the country. ReGeneration also conducts capacity trainings for other organizations and professionals who work with people who use drugs. ReGeneration is the only organization in Serbia that conducts research among people who use drugs.
Learning Opportunities:
- sale of expert services
- production of videos, articles, studies
- crowdfunding
- collection of private donations
- Foundation for Social Education, Poland https://fes.edu.pl/o-nas/
The organization’s activities include: free and anonymous testing for HIV and HCV in two counseling and diagnostic centers in Warsaw; educational and informational seminars and trainings in the field of sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention; hotline counseling services for people living with HIV and their relatives; harm reduction services; legal support for people living with HIV and their relatives. The Social Education Fund receives 1% of the personal income tax paid by the population.
Learning Opportunities:
- percentage tax designation
- grants from pharmaceutical companies
- Positive Initiative, Moldova http://www.positivepeople.md
“Positive Initiative” is an organization of patients living, affected, or vulnerable to HIV, which operates throughout the Republic of Moldova. The organization has positive experience in conducting campaigns to raise funds in cooperation with business, organize a social enterprise, receives membership fees, as well as donations from individual donors.
Learning Opportunities:
- Financing prevention programs among at-risk groups from the compulsory health insurance fund through grants
- Procurement of psychosocial support and rehabilitation services for people with drug dependence by the penitentiary system
- Integration of peer consultants into the staff of state medical institutions (narcology service, ART distribution rooms)
- Development of social business by NGOs
- Crowdfunding
- Kings of the street, Slovenia http://www.kraljiulice.org
Kings of the Street is the largest organization in Slovenia working with homeless people and their social isolation. The NGO started its activity by launching the country’s first street magazine written by the homeless people themselves. “Kings of the street” conduct outreach work and provide counseling and information about organizations where they can get help. The organization also have a day center for homeless and other marginalized groups of the population, as well as an open and alternative form of education for people who have been excluded from other forms of formal and non-formal education.
Learning Opportunities:
- Issue of a street magazine / tourist guide;
- organization of a social enterprise.
Application selection process. Qualified applications from eligible countries will be assessed by project management team based on the selection criteria:
- Justification of the selected organization and practice of alternative financing (45 points)
- Implementation plan for the selected practice (25 points)
- Understanding of their own shortcomings / needs in organizational capacity to increase competitiveness in obtaining affordable financing (30 points)
Qualification criteria:
- Officially registered public and civil society organizations working in the field of harm reduction at the national or subnational levels.
- The organization operates in one of 16 countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan.
Internship period: November-December 2019.
How to apply
If your organization is interested in receiving this TA, please fill in and submit the application form along with the documents confirming registration of your organisation to irena@harmreductioneurasia.org, the subject of the letter is “TA AltFund”, the deadline for submission is until 24:00 Eastern time on November 5, 2019.
[1] This activity is conducted under the project “Thinking outside the box: overcoming challenges in community advocacy for sustainable and high-quality HIV services” which is carried out by the Eurasian Regional Consortium. The aim of the project is to maximize capacity of consortium’s member organizations and their impact of advocacy to improve funding environment for sufficient allocation of resources for HIV programs in countries of EECA.
[2] Alternative financing – indirect state funding, crowdfunding, involvement of business companies in charitable projects, establishment of social enterprises, etc.