1999 Baltic-American Partnership Program - Lithuania

The 1999 BAPP – Lithuania strove to enhance the visibility and sustainability of NGOs, to create a favorable legal climate for NGOs, and to provide NGOs with technical assistance. NGOs working in the following areas were eligible to apply for grant support in this first year of the BAP program: 1) criminal justice, 2) small and medium enterprise development, 3) social inclusion, and 4) consumer rights. In addition to the NGO support program, the many projects received BAPP funding were: an NGO fair and radio program, and NGO law review and legal hand book, training programs for NGO administrators, a guide to funders, and initiatives that seek to increase cooperation between Lithuanian municipalities and NGOs. Please see the grant list, below, for the 1999 Baltic-American Partnership Program in Lithuania in further detail.

Total Grant Amount: $350,000

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $27,000
For core support, and for planning and implementation of the NGO Fair, a meeting of representatives from government, business and the nonprofit sector that offered training in various management and financial skills and provided an opportunity for articulation of long-term third sector objectives.

State Radio 1st Program, Vilnius $4,650
For production of the NGO radio broadcast "Another Way," a program bringing nationwide attention to third sector activities and initiatives.

Lithuanian Journalism Center, Vilnius $3,160
For a student journalism competition, encouraging members of the print media to disseminate issues related to civil society development.

Lithuanian Free Market Institute, Vilnius $14,060
For core support, and for planning and implementation of a conference of NGO representatives, national government officials, legislators, Lithuanian and international businessmen, and experts on NGO legislation from the United States, who worked together to draft model tax laws that are more conducive to third sector development.

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $4,975
For research, compilation and publication of The NGO Review of Laws, providing an analysis of Lithuania’s NGO legislation and a comparison with the legal system surrounding NGOs in other European countries.

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $8,650
For research, compilation and publication of The NGO Law Handbook, a guide listing laws affecting NGOs and legal guidelines for registering and managing NGOs.

Lithuanian Public Administration Institute, Vilnius $31,260
For core support, and for a two-year training project to develop of skills of 10 selected NGO staff members in management, marketing, public relations, advocacy and fundraising.

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $14,600
For core support, and for design and implementation of a training session in start-up and management skills for 50 NGO representatives, who then lead additional training sessions in their communities.

Kaunas Women’s Crisis Center, Kaunas $7,874
For core support to a women’s shelter.

Youth Guidance Center, Klaipeda $6,110
For a center providing social, psychological and medical services for at-risk teenagers and children and their families.

Lithuanian Women’s NGO Footsteps of the Past, Vilnius $20,500
For core support, and continued work on an advocacy campaign against trafficking in women and children in Lithuania.

NGOs Support Center, Kaunas $15,843
For core support, and for a project creating a network of NGO information centers throughout Lithuania, allowing for an exchange of information, experience, materials, best practices and strategic goals.

Women’s Employment Information Center, Taurage $1,351
For core support, and for the expansion of a women’s resource center providing consultations and training in entrepreneurship, bookkeeping, English, business development and leadership.

Children and Youth Psychological Center, Telsiai $9,150
For core support for further development of the center’s preventative and correctional activities.

NGO Information Center, Klaipeda $2,255
For core support, and for a one-day NGO Fair involving local government officials, NGOs and business representatives that offered training in various management and financial skills and provided an opportunity for articulation of long-term third sector objectives in Klaipeda.

Community Center, Vilnius $14,185
For core support, and for providing assistance with and information on legal matters and medical and mental health issues to the citizens of Vilnius; also for data collection providing an analysis of government service provision and an identification of local community needs.

Lithuanian Association of Social Workers, Klaipeda $4,261
For core support, and for a program of rehabilitation of former prisoners.

Lithuanian Farmers Union, Anyksciai $6,495
For core support, and the establishment of an information bureau and seminars, training and assistance in proposal writing for NGOs in Utena County.

Save the Children, Vilnius $5,445
For core support, and seminars on NGO fundraising and accounting for Save the Children volunteers and staff.

Steps of Hope, Vilnius $7,676
For core support to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

Child Care Center, Elektrenai $8,010
For core support, and for after-school programs for at-risk children.

Women’s Employment Information Center, Kaunas $9,975
For core support, and for a mobile consultancy center, targeting poverty and unemployment among rural women.

Association of Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses , Klaipeda $4,565
For core support, and for training in a new accounting software program.

Association of Small- and Medium-Size Businesses, Kaunas $15,000
For core support, and for a project expanding the range of the organization’s services, including conducting monthly meetings with representatives of government institutions, community outreach programs and developing advocacy initiatives.

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $22,800
For matching grants to five municipalities to regrant to six selected NGOs for community service initiatives, and for a program instituting formal cooperation between the selected NGOs and their local governments.

NGO Information and Support Center, Vilnius $5,800
For research and compilation of The Guide to Western Funders, updating an earlier U.S. Peace Corps publication listing all available international donors active in Lithuania.