Post on 19-May-2015
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EPF:Past and Future
Yerevan, 2009
History1992
Eurasia Foundation (EF) is founded and incorporated as a non-profit in
Washington, DC.
1993
First grants from Washington, DC office benefiting local organizations.
1995
Offices in Armenia and Georgia begin operations.
1997
Azerbaijan office opens. Bill Maines as a key figure
1998
South Caucasus Cooperation Program SCCP is established to increase
cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
History cont’d2002
With funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York, EF establishes the Caucasus Research Resource Centers CRRC
2007
Eurasia Partnership Foundation EPF is launched
Eurasia Foundation Network is established
2008
EPF Armenia becomes a leader in Armenia-Turkey civil society confidence
building work. Co-funded by Norway
To empower people to effect change through hands-on programs, helping them to improve their communities and their lives.
Equip. Enable. Empower.
From the time of its establishment until the registration of EPF as local foundation in 2007,
EF invested nearly $70 million in the South Caucasus
more than 1,700 grants
GIND Printing House 1997 A profitable company responsible for 50 percent of
the newspapers circulated in Armenia. It has effectively
introduced competition to the newspaper printing
market in the country
EF purchased a four-color printing press
By 2005, GIND repaid the loan $350,000 to EF
Cafesjian Family Foundation donated additional
pre press equipment and software, and a computer-
to-plate system through EF to Gind
Izmirlian-Eurasia Universal Credit
1995 Small Business Loan Program launched
1999 Additional funding from Izmirlian Foundation
2004 Eurasia and Izmirlian Foundations established Izmirlian Eurasia Universal Credit Organization UCO to provide medium term financing directly to small businesses
In its first two months of existence UCO approved loans to 10 businesses for a total of $580,000
July, 2004 Central Bank of Armenia issued a credit organization license
August, 2004 UCO had disbursed $10.4 million to 294 businesses.
Innovator, Project Piloting1. Municipal Information Analytical Centers (EF) LG (USAID)
In 1997 EF funded 2 pilot projects to Ashtarak and Charentsavan Municipalities
Goal: To establish a municipal database system to facilitate decision-making and public service.
After these two pilots USAID announced competition to create MIAC’s all over Armenia
Currently MIAC’s are established and functioning in 19 municipalities of Armenia.
2. Creation and Support to Business Associations (EF) CAPS (USAID) Seed grants (up to $3,000) to establish Business Associations Starter grants (up to $7,000) to start up activities Development grants (up to $35,000) to develop institutional capacities of BA Spheres: Tourism, IT, Transportation and Freight forwarding, Winemaking, Flour
producing, Book publishing, UMBA, Honey producing, Herbal tea producing, Building and Construction
EPF GovernanceHorton Beebe-Center Eurasia Foundation Director
Dieter Boden Ambassador
Andrew Coxshall KPMG Tbilisi
Sabine Freizer International Crisis Group Europe Director Brussels
David Lawrence Lee MagtiCom Tbilisi
Danielle del Marmol Ambassador ret. istanbul
Daniel Matthews Baker and McKenzie Baku
Margaret Richardson IRS Commissioner ret.
Mary Sheehan International Organization for Migration Tbilisi
Roy Southworth World Bank Tbilisi ret.
Daniel Tarschys President of Council of Europe ret.
Kenneth Yalowitz Ambassador ret.
EF Network
Since 1993 Eurasia Foundation and the network invested $365 million
EF NetworkNovaya Evrazia Foundation organized the
meeting of President Obama with Civil Society in Russia
Expansion of Youth Bank project through Network Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia,
Kirgizistan, Kazakhstan
Eastern Partnership: Towards Civil Society Forum, Prague, May 09: Policy Recommendations Developed
Corporate Social Invetsment Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine
“Through the work
that you do, you underscore what
I believe is a
fundamental truth in the 21st century: that
strong, vibrant nations include strong, vibrant civil societies.”
President Barack Obama speaking at Civil Society Summit in Moscow.
July 7, 2009
Newspaper Distribution Network 2006 Alternative distribution in 7 regions Shirak, Lori, Kotayk,
Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Tavush. 2 suburbs South-West Block and Nork Block in Yerevan
Successful campaign against the
adoption of a Law on Post and Postal
Services 14 Dec., 2004. The Law would
have required distribution agencies to
file for a license for $15,000 and to be
subjected to regular monitoring by the state
Blitz Media initiated creation of an association of distributors in Armenia
Still a long way to go…
Regional Media 2007
‘Banugorts’added
Community
Development
function to its website
and became the
major source for
regional information
‘Shrjapat’
Publishes thematic national inserts
Regional Media 2007
25 regional newspapers
empowered in
management,
advertisement, design,
editing, journalism
and photojournalism.
Regional Media 2007
3 newspaper websites created and sustained ‘Banugorts’ ,‘Syunyats Yerkir’ in Syunik ‘Shrjapat’ in Shirak
Anticorruption 2008 Series of talk shows on corruption
in army education healthcare
elections Lori TV
Weekly reports on municipal
transparency Hetkh. Publication of
municipal agenda/decisions/budgets
on the visible place before the municipalities 12 cases
Freedom of Information law Implementation campaign: overwhelming municipalities and state agencies with information requests Asparez in Gyumri and FOICA.
Driving license transparency reform Achilles. License exams in transparent halls with glass walls with NGO monitoring. Complaints through the Achilles hot line decreased to “0” by January 2009.
Anticorruption 2008Lessons learned
Focus on procurement procedures by local government
Address the lack of competent and motivated information officers,
coupled with a lack of public awareness about their right for freedom of
information
Increase the “legal conscience” of the public
by promoting wider access to court
decisions, publication of success stories
and best practices
The public should be better educated on
means of recourse and appeal for victims
of corruption
Close cooperation between civil society and Ombudsman in
addressing public complaints
EPF Armenia 2007-2008
1. Armenia-Turkey cross-border
2. Migration
3. Anticorruption UNDEF
4. Regional Print Media
5. CSI Corporate Social Investment
6. Youth Bank
7. CRRC Caucasus Resource Research Centers
8. DOC Development of Organizational Capacities
9. RCCD Resource Centers for Community Development
EPF Armenia 2008-2009
1. Crossing Borders
Armenia-Turkey
Armenia-Azerbaijan
Migration
2. Youth Bank
3. Media & Anti-Corruption
4. CSI
5. CRRC
EPF Armenia 2009-2010
Crossing Borders
Armenia-Turkey
Armenia-Azerbaijan
Migration
Europe
Public Participation
Freedom of Expression
Youth Leadership
Research
CRRC
EPF Armenia Advisors
Nouneh Sarkissyan, Internews Armenia
Artashes Terzyan, Investment Banker
Margarit Piliposyan, Fund for Armenian Relief
Ara Hamazaspyan, Izmirlian Foundation
Eliza Minasyan, Jinishian Memorial Fund
David Hovhanissyan, Center of Civilization and Cultural Studies
Richard Giragosian, Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Youth Bank 500 proposals
21 projects implemented
47 projects in the pipeline
50 villages benefitted
250 young people involved in
community projects
$25 000 USD fundraised with
Jinishyan Memorial Fund
Youth Bank
Decision-makers from disadvantaged
communities Empowered to decide which projects to support Respected in their communities Leaders
They: Don’t want to leave Learn the responsibility of
decision-making and grant-making Care for the community’s development rather than only for their own
career
Other communities, donors and young people are
‘infected’ with this format of work
Youth Bank
Migrants 2008
Trip Number of unsuccessful migrants
USD Number of successful migrants
Minimum Maximum Mean (USD)
First 23 (8%) 0 254 (92%) 100 17000 1921
Last 13 (6%) 0 196 (94%) 7 12000 2802
Trip Number of unsuccessful migrants
USD Number of successful migrants
Minimum Maximum Mean (USD)
First 33 (11%) 0 247 (89%) 10 1000 270
Last 17 (7%) 0 192 (93%) 20 1000 345
Remittances sent per migrant family
Savings brought back per migrant family
95% of seasonal labor migrants sent remittances to only one household.
On average the frequency of sending remittances is every 4-6 months.
Armenian Migrants in Turkey 95% of all the illegal Armenian workers in Turkey are women workers;
most of the Armenian immigrant men don’t work and come to Turkey to
stay with their wives and keep them safe.
Both Turkish and Armenian people think that the moral values of Turkish
and Armenian people are similar. The behavior of Turkish men vis-a-vis
Armenian and Russian immigrant women differ.
Schoolchildren with Armenian citizenship cannot go to school.
Turkish schools admit only children of legally residing parents or citizens.
There are special schools for diplomats but those are very expensive
When a child of an illegal Armenian couple is born
in Turkey, the parents can’t apply for the citizenship
for their child. They can’t go back to Armenia, so the
child cannot receive an Armenian passport either.
They were full of mistrust to Turks
before they came to Turkey. Their attitudes
drastically change shortly after they arrive.
Armenian-Turkish Program
An assessment of best practices in Armenian-Turkish Track Two Diplomacy
initiatives by ICHD
Two researches on consequences of a border opening on the Armenian and
Turkish economies and the capacities of local government authorities to respond to a border opening by AIPRG.
Dialogue between the analytical communities of the two countries on issues of mutual concern including European integration and global/regional challenges and threats.
Improving mutual media coverage of issues pertinent to the whole range of Armenian-Turkish relationships.
Increasing the amount of accurate and unbiased reporting of the bilateral relationship between Armenia and Turkey
Kardes Turkuler concert in Yerevan December 2008
100 people from Turkey arrived,
more than for Football Game
900 people attended the concert which
shows the multiethnic culture of Turkey
Turkish Film Makers at Golden Apricot
and Turkish-Armenian
Filmmakers Forum
negotiated 8 project ideas
which they are looking for funding
Armenia-Azerbaijan Media Bias Reduction
Journalists transparently recruited from all regions
20 from each country
Media monitoring and analysis
Training on conflict sensitive reporting
Confidence-building workshop in Tbilisi March 2009
Major areas for future
bi-lateral cooperation: Bi-lateral news web-site 2 bi-lateral documentaries
about the victims of the
conflict, and a series of bi-lateral articles
about the conflict and the
adjacent topics.
Report on public attitude toward and trust in media
... Ongoing
Europe ProgramLose Coalition
Discussing Armenia-Europe relations,
Promoting discourse on the European dimension, aiming at full communication and cooperation between EU, Armenian Government, and European and Armenian civil society in light of the values and spirit of Eastern Partnership.
PartnersEPF
Armenian Center for National and International
Studies
Center of Civilization and Cultural Studies
Yerevan Press Club
Open Society Institute
Transparency International
International Center for Human Development
Manual To introduce basic information about the EU and Armenia-EU relations to children and general public in the provinces
Improving the process of the reform in higher educational system in Armenia in light of the EaP and the Bologna process with Yerevan State Linguistics University
Hetq Investigative Journalists
The “Global Shining Light Award”,
Lillehammer, Norway, 11-14
September, 2008
CRRC Data Initiative
Research on Freedom of Expression and Censorship
FoE is defined as an absence of fear, psychological pressure, or punishment
FoE is valued when there are certain restrictions on it
FoE is equated to the ineffectiveness and lack of success of speech and actions in personal lives
FoE is perceived as a “fairy tale” which never occurs in real life
Article 27 Talk Show
6 films produced
3 films acquired internationally
8 talk shows run
1 film banned
Shows repeated via Hamaspyur network on regional TVs
3000 viewership per broadcast, total 5,000 TV clicks only in Yerevan, detailed viewership distribution available
Research on FoE produced
A package to teach a FoE course negotiated with Bryusov University
Freedom of ExpressionChecking and challenging the boundaries of
what is ‘acceptable’ to be discussed on TV
Giving a chance to ‘opposition’ film-makers to
express themselves
New faces and new talking heads on TV
Targeting the issues of corruption; tradition;
democratic values; government’s irresponsibility
Service to the Government: Armenia is not as
closed a society as it may seem
Making people learn how to be protagonists
and entrepreneurs of FoE
Engaging entire Armenia in public discussions via feedback and Hamaspyur
Attuned to the need of reacting to possible draconian changes in the law—in coalition
Funding
Programs vs Funding
0
2
4
6
8
10
20072008
20092010
(planned)
# of Programs
Funding Level (mln USD)
Programs 2009-2010Crossing Borders
•Work with migrants and returnees•Promote normal relations with neighboring countries
Public Participation
•Youth Through Youth bank, EPF Armenia supports youth leadership locally and also engages in
youth leadership across regional borders
•MediaEPF Armenia supports public participation via media
Research
•CRRC Armenia provides background research for EPF Armenia programs & policies•EPF works with CRRC Armenia to set its research agenda
IMPACT
??!!
New StrategyThe only South Caucasus entity with united strategy and collegial offices in
Yerevan, (Tbilisi) and Baku
Gap analysis
Flexibility
Evidence-based
Innovation
Standards of excellence
Thought Leadership
Expanding funding base
Transparency in grantmaking
Attuned to the needs of Armenia and the larger region
Conduit between local and international values
Constantly Innovating Methods
1. Strategic PartnershipsEurope Program Turkey Program
Media Program Armenia-Azerbaijan Program
2. Impact: Visible and Invisible
3. Social Capital and NetworksTargeting leaders with institutional capacity rather than institutions
4. Externalities sometimes more important than the target; soft impact
Criteria Replicable pilot projects with
potential to be expanded or
repeated
Innovative experiments with
courageous and fresh
strategies
Catalysts for larger change
which demonstrate multiplier effect
Criteria
Timely: rapid response
Do not duplicate the duties of State, efforts of other donors or NGOs
Leverage funds and strategic commitment (strategic partnerships)
Open Door: A1+
To increase public access to
alternative media in Armenia.
A1+ will upgrade its popular website,
add video to articles, interactive
polls, a search engine, a news
ticker with breaking news,
and a blog which invites
comments from users.
+ SMS video news
Rapid Response Economic Crisis: InternshipsA ‘Multidisciplinary’ ‘Holistic’ Approach:
To improve mechanisms of employment through internship programs. Yerevan State Linguistic University will establish a model
internship program that will be replicated by other Universities
in the future. CSI + Education Reform August 7th, 2009: Agreement with VIVA Cell to employ interns from YSLU and YSU
signed
… Core Values Building Trust
Across the Borders
Thought Leadership
Freedom of Expression
Philanthropy
Promotion and
Civil Society Sustainability
Work on Core Values
Draft Endowment Law
Recommendation to set up a regional fund for supporting confidence-building initiatives
Recommendations re Higher Education reform in light of the Bologna process
Armenian-Turkish Strategy
Break Through
Freezing
Mild Optimism
Let us work together
Set agendas
Get expertise
Focus on impact
Let us learn together