Civil Society Advocacy Initiative – CSAI

CSAI is a five-year project (2006 - 2011) launched by Institute for Sustainable Communities - ISC, funded by the United States Agency for International Development - USAID and implemented in cooperation with Civic Initiatives and other strategic partner organisations (Balkan Community Initiative Fund - BCIF, European Centre for Non-profit Law in Budapest - ECNL and Smart Kolektiv).

The goal of the CSAI project is to encourage citizens in Serbia to advocate, through CSOs, key reforms and address issues that shape the future of their communities and their country.  This goal is intended to emphasize the importance of CSOs as vehicles for influencing policy decisions and monitoring of their subsequent implementation, promoting transparent and accountable institutions and processes, and stimulating effective citizen engagement and participation in advocacy efforts, by strengthening this crucial link between civil sector institutions and the role of citizens in a stable democratic society. As Serbia is still undergoing a complex political transition, with many reforms still delayed and with the inexistence of an accountable and transparent government, CSAI will support CSOs and citizen advocacy to influence outcomes in political, economic and social spheres.  Specifically, CSAI will work to achieve the following three results:

1. CSAI grantees advocate effectively about political, economic, and social issues that consolidate Serbia's democratic transition;
2. Citizens, businesses, and government view CSOs as reliable partners in addressing common concerns;
3. A supportive environment exists for citizen engagement through CSOs.

Within this program CI will implement the following activities:

• Advocating for improved legal/fiscal framework for CSOs;

• Organizing public events, meetings, round tables, meetings with public officials;
• Launching promotional campaigns for civil society through media appearances;
• Exchanging information through CI newsletter and website;
• Running the Federation of NGOs - FENS (550 members) and organizing FENS council meetings and the annual conference;
• Supporting National Youth Strategy and National Action Plan;
• Capacity building for youth associations and informal groups.