Eurasia Foundation Network works to make local governments in the region more responsive through capacity building and increased transparency in municipal processes.
In 2007, Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) in Azerbaijan worked with a highly experienced team of local consultants to develop a standard set of indicators to assess the performance and capacities of municipal structures. These performance indicators provide municipalities with a systematic approach to municipal planning and identify necessary areas for professional development of local government staff.
In Armenia, while strengthening the capacities of local institutions throughout the country contributes to a more efficient use of existing resources, the resources of one particular municipality are often not enough to resolve core economic and social problems. In 2005, the Foundation supported the establishment of an inter-municipal network to promote more effective use and sharing of local resources. Through training and consultations, EPF is bolstering the capacities of network members and other local stakeholders to respond to emerging local priorities through community mobilization and civic activism.
In the Kyrgyz Republic, Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia’s (EFCA) Open Budget program increases citizen oversight of government spending and helps governments better allocate resources. The program has worked with government representatives, local administrators and civil society organizations in 11 communities and enabled dozens of people in each community to attend budget hearings and receive training on the budgeting process. In one budget hearing, the community voted to reallocate $4,000 towards equipping schools and providing professional development training for teachers.
