2000 Baltic-American Partnership Program - Lithuania

In its second year of operation, the Baltic-American Partnership Program - Lithuania continued many of its successful 1999 programs and introduced new ones in its efforts to create a hospitable external environment for third sector organizations, to strengthen the third sector's internal capacity, to ensure its financial sustainability, and to increase civic engagement and cross-sectoral cooperation. The Lithuanian Baltic-American Partnership Program continued its program of institutional support to NGOs by providing training sessions, project and core support grants both to NGO resource centers and NGOs throughout the country. In order to further strengthen relationships between local government and the third sector and improve prospects for local funding of NGOs, the 1999 program that matched municipal government grants to local NGOs for community-based service provision was continued, with an increased emphasis on local fundraising. In a continued effort to build public awareness about the third sector, the BAPP also provided its second year of support for a popular radio show highlighting civil society and NGO-related issues.

New initiatives in 2000 included a program of direct support grants to community-based organizations for local planning projects and community service initiatives. A second new program in 2000 supported initial efforts to make much needed improvements to current NGO-related legislation in Lithuania. Additionally, in pursuit of a diversified and more stable financial base for NGOs, the BAPP Lithuania supported projects fostering collaborative relationships among the public, private and third sectors. Please see below for a more detailed description of BAPP-Lithuania-supported projects.

 

Legal Environment

NGO Information & Support Center, Vilnius $17,000
For core and project support for monitoring and evaluation of the legal and political climate surrounding NGOs and philanthropic activity.

Lithuanian Law University, Vilnius $4,625
For core support and for a project designing a course for law students on laws relating to NGOs and the nonprofit sector.

The Department of International and EU Law of the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University, Vilnius $4,625
For core and project support for courses on international NGO laws, analysis of the rights and obligations of NGOs, and relevant legal consultations provided by law students to NGOs and business.

Media Program

Lithuanian State Radio Ist Program, Vilnius $7,000
For the radio program The Other Road, promoting public awareness of the third sector, of legal and tax issues relating to the third sector, and of civic participation in decision-making and opportunities for involvement in NGO activities.

Grants to NGOs

Union of Kaunas Social NGOs, Kaunas $26,000
For core support and for implementation of a small grants and training program for 10 NGOs in marketing, management, public relations, advocacy and fund-raising.

Center for Organization Development, Vilnius $20,000
For core support, and for the development of a means of NGO self-assessment, monitoring and institutional analysis for the development and transparency of third sector organizations.

Siauliai Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Siauliai $10,000
For core support and for the development of a network of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Siauliai County.

Association of Lithuanian-Foreign Friendship Societies, Vilnius $8,750
For core support and support for advocacy work, and for art courses in prisons throughout Lithuania.

Association Salpa, Vilnius $5,750
For core support and for social support for families.

Lithuanian Center for Human Rights, Vilnius $8,350
For core support.

Lithuanian Consumers Association, Vilnius $4,500
For core support.

AMADE-Lithuania, Vilnius $7,500
For core support and for training programs for volunteers working with children and young adults.

European Institute for Dispersed Ethnic Minorities, Vilnius $3,600
For core support, to develop the organization’s activities in the area of guarding the dispersed ethnic minorities.

Panevezys Business Advisory Center, Panevezys $10,115
For core support and consultations to 50 start-up businesses.

Youth Guidance Center, Klaipeda $8,260
For core support and for training volunteers to work with at-risk and troubled youth.

Youth Guidance Center, Klaipeda $4,500
For core support and training in crisis intervention for at-risk youth.

House of Memory – Studies and Commemoration of the Jewish Heritage in Lithuania, Vilnius $5,408
For core support and support for a project studying the fate of the Jewish community in Lithuania.

Psychological Creative Youth Center, Siauliai $5,250
For suicide and psychological crisis prevention.

Utena Women’s Activities Center, Utena $3,000
For core support, and for publication of a monthly bulletin on the third sector in Utena County.

St. Vincent de Paulo Community, Vilnius $7,500
For core support to an organization providing psychological support and shelter to Vilnius homeless youth.

Youth Center Babylon, Vilnius $7,518
For core support.

Network of NGO Resource Centers

Kaunas NGO Support Center, Kaunas $5,000
For core support and for further development of the Network of the NGO Resource Centers.

NGO Information & Support Center, Vilnius $10,000
For core support, and continuation of a bi-monthly bulletin The Third Sector.

Kaunas NGO Support Center, Kaunas $22,500
For core and project support to provide information, consultations, trainings, assistance in building partnerships with local government to Kaunas County NGOs.

Alytus NGO Information Center, Alytus $7,500
For core support, and for consultation and information on fund-raising, management strategies and public relations to Alytus County NGOs.

Pasiause Village Community, Kelme region $2,554
For core support to build a network of rural communities and encourage local community service initiatives in Kelme.

Beizionys Young Farmers Union, Elektrenai region $8,250
For meetings and training sessions in pursuit of community development and promotion of civic participation and public debate.

European Union for Costal Conservation Baltic Office, Klaipeda $8,513
For core and project support aimed at the strengthening of rural communities in the coastal areas along the Curonian lagoon through economic and social activation programs.

Petrasiunai Community Center, Kaunas $8,400
For core support, and for promotion of community development throughout Lithuania.

Sakiai Community Center, Sakiai $2,284
For core support and community development in the Sakiai region.

Civic Engagement and Cross Sectoral Participation

Center for Civic Initiatives, Vilnius $30,000
For analyses of two rural communities’ demographics and most pressing needs, for training programs for community leaders in community development and leadership skills and for assistance in developing strategies for addressing local concerns.

The U.S. - Baltic Foundation, Vilnius $30,000
For a series of meetings and training programs in five regions throughout Lithuania, bringing together representatives from local NGOs, businesses, government and news media, in an effort to demonstrate the benefits and mechanisms of community-based philanthropy.

Kaunas Municipal Training Center, Kaunas $10,000
For core support and for training sessions to NGOs and local government officials in ten locales throughout Lithuania.

NGO / Local Government Cooperation

Grants were made to the following local government offices, which were then regranted to local NGOs for community service projects.

Klaipeda City Government $3,750
Mazeikiai Regional Government $2,500
Marijampole Government $7,500
Kupiskis Regional Government $4,000
Siauliai City Government $7,500
Kelme Regional Government $6,250
Alytus Regional Government $5,000
Utena Regional Government $7,500
Skuodas Regional Government $2,500
Akmene Regional Government $5,000
Zarasai Regional Government $1,250