The Institute for Sustainable Communities announces a Request for Proposals to Design and Undertake Assessments of Key Program Areas
23.11.2010.
The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) is implementing a seven-year program that seeks to support civil society in Serbia in its ability to influence public policy, serve as government watchdogs, and conduct sustained advocacy campaigns on a variety of reform issues. The Civil Society Advocacy Initiative (CSAI) helps citizens take responsibility for determining the kind of society they live in by increasing citizen participation in all aspects of public life. Through grants, training, and networking opportunities, CSAI helps citizen initiatives and civil society organizations more effectively communicate their priorities and coordinate with government and the private sector to tangibly improve people's lives. CSAI support helps organizations and individuals implement advocacy projects that are specific, concrete and focused on bringing about positive change through concerted action. CSAI is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) is an independent, non-profit organization that is actively engaged in helping citizens define their future through its groundbreaking approach to advocacy, which helps citizens work together to chart their shared future.
Objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP)
One of CSAI's key goals in the coming period is to encourage and support civil society organizations (CSOs) to work in partnership with one another as well as other stakeholders in areas that have been identified as crucial to the continued democratic development of Serbia as it moves closer to joining the European Union. Such partnerships can lead to immediate, concrete results, a hallmark of concerted advocacy. Encouraging increased collaboration among CSOs and with other stakeholders is also critical for the long-term development of the sector, as CSOs learn to diversify their base of support. As CSOs work in partnership with others, it will also increase the visibility of their efforts among citizens, businesses, media and the government- leading to an increased understanding of the positive role that civic activism plays in towns and communities across Serbia.
Through this Request for Proposals, CSAI hopes to solicit a consultant or consultants to conduct thorough assessments of key program areas: Government Accountability and Transparency and Socio-Economic Rights. With these assessments, CSAI hopes to gather more information on the specific role that CSOs can play in each area and how increased collaboration can lead to the achievement of positive, visible results. Assessments should in addition identify the current priorities of CSOs as compared to the needs and desires of the general public. They should also provide an analysis of key stakeholders in various sectors as well as identify potential opportunities and barriers for increased cooperation. It is important to point out that while CSAI has its own opinion and ideas of where specific opportunities for increased cooperation exist within each thematic area, the assessments will also be used to test or refine this analysis.
More information on the Request For Proposals To Design And Undertake Assessments Of Key Program Areas can be found in the Request for Proposals (RFP) document.
CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIVING APPLICATIONS:
8 December, 2010 at 17:00.
Please note that applications received after this date will not be considered.
