Eurasia Foundation Network believes that strong communities are fundamental to sustainable civil society. Community development requires not only an engaged citizenry but also support for local organizations. As such, EF has instituted a range of programs to lay the groundwork for sustainable civil society development by helping to build strong communities.
In Kazakhstan, Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) and Philip Morris Kazakhstan implement a program in the Enbekshikazakh district of Almaty Oblast. The objectives of this program include developing sustainable NGOs; creating models for social responsibility and partnerships between NGOs, local government and corporate donors; and mobilizing resources for the support of local initiatives through a local community foundation. This community foundation, the first of its kind in Kazakhstan, awarded more than $50,000 in grants in its first year of operation for programs supporting the blind, disabled children, the elderly, migrants, youth and unemployed women.
While Eurasia Foundation’s core territory is the former Soviet Union (FSU), on occasion it has supported projects in the broader neighborhood, usually conducted in conjunction with grantees in the FSU. Since January 2007, EF has piloted a project in China by partnering with a local grassroots organization to establish the Qinghai NPO (nonprofit organization) Resource Center. The Center seeks to build its own capacity in Qinghai Province and provides training and consultative services to community groups and the nascent NGO sector in the eastern part of the province.
EF has also launched the Eastern Qinghai Community Development Grant Program as an extension of the capacity building work of the Qinghai NPO Resource Center. The program will award small grants to registered NGOs in the region. By providing project funds to the Center’s beneficiaries, the program aims to support the needs of minority and vulnerable populations while nurturing civil society leaders.
