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Dinu Toderas cu Program Officer

The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation (BST) is a $20 million, 10-year public-private partnership operating from Bucharest, Romania. Established in 2007, it aims to foster trust in public institutions, promote citizen participation, and strengthen links between states and society in the Black Sea region.

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Dinu Toderas cu Program Officer

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  1. Dinu Toderascu Program Officer

  2. The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation (BST): • Operating from Bucharest, Romania • $20 million 10 year public-private partnership • 2007 : GMF; USAID; the Gov. of Romania; C. S. Mott Foundation; Ministry of Defense of Latvia.

  3. The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF): • Nonpartisan, public policy + grantmaking inst. • 1972 –better understanding and cooperation between N. America and Europe on transatlantic and global issues • HQ in Washington D.C. • Offices in Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Paris, Belgrade, Ankara, Warsaw

  4. BST goals: • Trust in public institutions • Citizen participation in the democratic process • Stronger link between state and society • Regional + cross-border ties

  5. BST operates in: • Armenia • Azerbaijan • Bulgaria • Georgia • Moldova • Romania • Russia • Turkey • Ukraine

  6. BSTgrantmaking: 4 programmatic areas: • Civic Participation • Cross-Border Initiatives • Eastern Links • Confidence Building

  7. Civic Participation • Civic initiatives - transparency, citizen participation, government accountability • Policy institutes - providing governments with policy ideas • Enhancing the role of civil society in conflict management • Etc.

  8. Cross-Border Initiatives • Cross-border dialogues among various entities • Exchange of best practices/lessons learned • Build political, cultural, and economic networks • Lowering barriers between countries in the Black Sea region • Promoting solutions to the region’s frozen conflicts

  9. Eastern Links • Linkages between new EU member states and the countries of the BS region • Expertise + resources to the countries of the BS region in good governance • Information exchange • Linking existing knowledge and expertise in economic reform

  10. Confidence Building in the South Caucasus • A NEW initiative: BST, Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation • New ways to generating mutual understanding • Activities: • Multilateral initiatives + initiatives involving neighboring countries, Russia, Turkey • Cross-border initiatives for youth • Political and civic education • Reconciliation and peace experiences from history conveyed to younger generation • Media in overcoming stereotypes

  11. New BST funding priorities • Confidence Building: • Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, and  Moldova • Cross-Border Initiatives - any country in the region • Eastern Links - any country in the region • Civic Participation - funds in-country projects • Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova are NOT eligible for this program

  12. The new BST in-country priorities are: • ARMENIA: • Fighting Corruption • Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Promoting Citizen Participation and Democracy • Independent judiciary (with a special focus on the role and conduct of the judiciary in the electoral process)

  13. The new BST in-country priorities are: • AZERBAIJAN: • Legal aid to civil society actors • Increase civic participation in the electoral processes • Freedom of the media • Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Democracy • GEORGIA: • Watchdog activities • Alternative media • Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Democracy

  14. The new BST in-country priorities are: • TURKEY: • Promotion of participatory democracy, with focus on constitutional process • Encouragement of a resolution to the Turkish-Armenian conflict • Advancement of freedom of speech and expression (with a focus on advanced usage of ICTs), • Promotion of women's role and participation in social, economic, and political processes

  15. The new BST in-country priorities are: • RUSSIA (Southern Russia: Krasnodar and Rostov regions and the autonomous republics): • Promotion of Russian participation in regional programs • Social and Economic Development • UKRAINE: • Monitoring of Parliament • Alternative media

  16. Who is eligible NGOs Think Tanks Local + regional governments Educational institutions Media organizations NOT Eligible: Individuals + political parties

  17. Additional info Duration – max. 12 months Grants: between $16,000 – $19,000 Conf. Building – max.10 months, up to $35,000 (25,000 EUR) Romania and Bulgaria – only Cross-Border Initiatives, Eastern Links, Confidence Building

  18. How to apply Only via email: BlackSeaTrust@gmfus.org No deadline - rolling basis Conf. Building – call for applications, via email confidencebuilding@gmfus.org Decisions in 4 - 8 weeks (projects under $25,000) More information: www.gmfus.org/blacksea or BlackSeaTrust@gmfus.org

  19. Thank you! Dinu Toderascu Program Officerdtoderascu@gmfus.org

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