Training opportunities for civil society organisations to elaborate project proposals for the development of social services

About 100 representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) and local public authorities (LPAs) from the Republic of Moldova benefited from a training and mentoring programme, developed by AO Keystone Moldova, a partner organisation within the Project “Civil Society Organisations Acting for Better Social Services.”

The training and mentoring program for pre- selected CSOs in the first stage of Grants Program started with organisation of three workshops, which aimed at empowering CSOs and LPAs to develop project proposals on creation / extension of social services for people from vulnerable groups. The workshops were organised in the North, Center and South development regions, as follows: Bălți 13 – 14 July 2021; Chișinău: 15-16 July 2021; Comrat: 20-21 July 2021.

Technical instructions on how to develop a competitive project proposal, defining notions and mandatory rules to follow for better adjusting the concept notes selected in the first stage of Grant Program to meet all the funder rigors – these are just some of the topics covered in regional workshops.

At the second stage of training and mentoring program, Keystone Moldova provided individual methodological support for 54 local CSOs in 102 mentoring sessions.

Mentoring sessions were facilitated by experienced consultants in the field, who guided CSOs to develop project proposals focused on community and needs of vulnerable groups, thus interconnecting the needs identified with social services to be developed or extended. At the same time, through assistance and methodological support provided, CSOs have adjusted their project proposal objectives to correspond to services they want to create, set the stages of service development in accordance with minimum quality standards and legal framework, as well as identified the most efficient ways to ensure the sustainability of services to be created / developed.

In addition, it focused on properly self- assessment of CSOs capacity to carry out planned activities because in strong desire to cover as many areas of intervention as possible, they often remain financially uncovered.

The pre-selected CSOs proposed realistic projects, which address the issues considered priority and important for their communities. Therefore, the representatives of the LPAs were also involved in this process, who throughout the program worked in team with the representatives of the local CSOs in order to develop sustainable project proposals.

The activities are organised within the project “Civil Society Organisations Acting for Better Social Services” funded by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by Soros Foundation-Moldova in partnership with Keystone Moldova and Institutum Virtutes Civilis.