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TRAG FOUNDATION’S STRONG INVESTMENT IN STRENGTHENING LOCAL COMMUNITIES

In 2019 Trag Foundation, with the support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, launched “Our local foundation – community has a say!” program with a long-term goal to encourage and support the establishment of community foundations and the community foundation movement in the Western Balkans region (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania). The Call for Program was first published in Serbia, where Trag Foundation selected four informal groups, from the cities of Niš, Pančevo, Šabac and Stara Pazova to participate in this program.

WHY DO WE BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS?

Since our establishment, Trag Foundation has been keenly following the community foundation movement around the world, concluding that it represents a good way to gather people around a positive change. In our opinion, community organizing in the smallest local units – be it buildings, neighborhoods or towns – is necessary for restoring trust in the ability of community members to change their environment and thrive. However, community organizing needs to have sufficient space and resources to make these changes possible and our practice shows that community foundations can be an agent of this change. They have the potential to open up spaces, create possibilities and directly support the implementation of different community-let initiatives. They can build bridges in divided communities, establish common ground for polarized groups and inspire people to take ownership of the issues that surround them and contribute to their successful resolution. This can reaffirm their sense of community belonging, build more trust and cooperation among different stakeholders on the local level and increase their individual and joint credibility.

Community foundations are an important part of the philanthropy infrastructure and can enhance the culture of giving on the local level, thus improving their effectiveness and impact on the communities that they serve. As an illustrative example, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, community foundations proved to be very agile and provide essential impetus to local initiatives to support the front-line services and most vulnerable citizens in their surroundings. In Romania, Association for Community Relations and 17 community foundations across the country raised close to 2 million Euros in essential medical equipment and emergency aid to vulnerable groups. In Serbia, with the support of the Trag Foundation, Foundation Front from Novi Pazar developed a solidarity coordination web platform where citizens in the heavily-affected Sandžak region received information regarding possibilities for support while, at the same time, individual and corporate donors received timely updates on community needs. In a short time, and with support from the informal Sandžak Solidarity Network, this platform managed to recruit over 100 active volunteers and raise over 80.000 Euros that were quickly distributed where necessary. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tuzla Community Foundation supported numerous initiatives, ranging from securing protective equipment to health workers, securing baby equipment, distributing food for socially disadvantaged citizens to enabling students to follow online classes.

These are just a few examples of community organizing being more rapid, agile and needs-based than any large system paralyzed by its own due diligence and compliance mechanisms. With this in mind, we embarked on this journey, striving to support the establishment of 15-20 community foundations in the Western Balkans region until the end of 2028. These community foundations will aim to contribute to greater social cohesion and inclusion, because we believe that this is the only way for philanthropy to be a transformative force of common good and achieve its social promise to fulfill true community potentials.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

After scoping visits to all countries included in the program, Trag Foundation decided to open the Call for Initiative groups in Serbia first. The Call was launched at the end of 2019, inviting informal groups of a minimum 3 people from the same community to apply for a chance to participate in the program. During the 2.5 months of intense promotion of the program and after 7 info sessions held throughout Serbia, Trag received a total of 28 applications from 17 communities across the country. After the initial selection process, 9 groups gained the chance to share their ideas with the Trag team. Finally, Trag selected 4 initiative groups from Niš, Pančevo, Šabac and Stara Pazova to go through the incubation process and hopefully establish the community foundation upon the completion of their accompaniment program and fundraising campaigns that are already well underway.

WHERE ARE WE HEADING NEXT?

The selected initiative groups used the initial months of their work to map potential volunteers and resources – including skills and knowledge – in their community. They all began to raise 15.000 Euros each from individual and corporate donors in their surrounding, as well as from diaspora. Every Euro that they raise will be doubled by Trag, leading to a total budget of 30.000 Euros for provision of support to local initiatives.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected all aspects of our daily lives, “Our local foundation – community has a say!” program remains adaptive, responsive and on a continuous lookout for new ways to operate in changing contexts and environments. The next step is to launch the program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where we will start looking for new initiative groups at the end of October 2020. We remain committed to establishing community foundations in other countries of the region so, should you have any questions, need additional information or just want a friendly chat about their possible establishment in your surroundings, do not hesitate to contact Marija Mitrović (marijam@tragfondacija.org) and Vjekoslav Vuković (vjekoslav@tragfondacija.org) anytime.

Trag Foundation is a regional foundation that encourages and supports the active engagement of citizens in local community development for the last twenty years. We gather people who believe that small changes can make a big difference and desire to be initiators of positive change in their communities. Since our establishment, we have supported over 1500 successful projects with over 13 million Euro across Serbia and the Western Balkans region.

Seven proposals for facilitating donating in Serbia

The Coalition for Giving, referred a proposal of measures to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Philanthropy Development Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, of which the Coalition for Giving is a member, to encourage more donations and enable more efficient assistance to the most vulnerable population.

The measures were identified based on the needs of civil society and other relevant actors, but also based on examples of good practices from other countries and daily contact with citizens, institutions, companies, and other non-profit organizations.

Ana Košel, director of the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, emphasized that at this moment it is highly important for the state, private, and civil sectors to unite and work together to develop philanthropic infrastructure. “On behalf of the Coalition for Giving, I would like to remind all citizens of Serbia of our rich history during which we have overcome many challenges thanks to philanthropy, solidarity and willingness to share with others and create partnerships that show the power of unity in solving problems,” said Ana Košel.

The first proposed measure is the establishment of a working body within the Philanthropy Development Council, which would be in charge of coordinating cooperation with civil society. Another proposed measure is the establishment of a Compensation Fund for VAT refund to non-profit organizations that donate goods and services, to more actively involve the corporate sector in campaigns organized by the non-governmental sector. The third proposed measure refers to the temporary abolition of the VAT on food donation to reduce food waste, which is much needed by a large number of endangered fellow citizens. It is necessary to promote the Instruction for the Realization of Tax Reliefs for Donors, which was prepared by the Tax Administration on the recommendation of the Coalition for Giving and the Philanthropy Development Council, which provides companies with information on how to partially reduce the income tax, which encourages donations.

In addition to the corporate sector, it is necessary to stimulate citizens to contribute with their donations and solidarity. Therefore, the Coalition appeals to the National Bank to abolish the collection of bank fees and for the payments of donations to assigned accounts of non-profit organizations during the state of emergency. Twelve banks no longer charge donation fees. Also, to encourage donations from abroad, it is proposed to introduce PayPal donations, meaning enabling both our citizens and foreign citizens to quickly and easily donate to the Republic of Serbia and domestic non-profit organizations through these platforms. Finally, it is necessary to provide movement permits to employees in non-profit organizations, to continue with the necessary assistance on the field during the prohibition of movement and state of emergency.

The Framework for Giving project is funded by USAID and implemented by the Coalition for Giving led by the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation. Other Coalition members are the Trag Foundation, Catalyst Balkans, SMART Kolektiv, the Serbian Philanthropy Forum, the Responsible Business Forum, and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Download the suggested recommendations here.

Following developments with the pandemic situation and the concern for the health and well-being of our employees and associates, we would like to inform you that the Trag Foundation team will keep working remotely until April 30th, continuing to support grantees and partners. Communication will be continued via telephone and online on a regular basis from 9am to 5pm on working days, and participation in meetings will be ensured by video conferencing. 
All previously scheduled public events and face-to-face meetings are also canceled. Trag team members will be in contact with all the associates to agree on the alternatives for scheduled meetings and events. We invite our grantees to contact us should they have any questions or concerns regarding their activities during this period. 
We remain at your disposal for any additional information and wish you all good health!

In order to respond to the problems of communities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, on April 10, the Trag Foundation announced a call for project proposals for the Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program, intending to support actions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus and facilitating self-isolation, as well as actions focused on both recovery and resilience of communities from the economic and other social consequences of the pandemic.

The first shortlist of applications was made on April 21, and out of 150 project proposals, the Donation Team from the Trag Foundation, with the great support of external advisors, today selected 24 initiatives from the first round that will be supported by a total amount of 8,079,845,00 dinars.

The projects supported in the first round of the program are:

– Women’s Association Let’s Save the Village (Priboj Banja)
– United Action The Roof Over Our Head (Belgrade)
– Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (Novi Sad)
– Human Rights Committee Vranje (Vranje)
– Educational Humanitarian Organization EHO (Prokuplje)
– Association of Health Workers of the National Association of the Rasina District (Kruševac)
– Association From the Circle – Niš (Niš)
– Association Phenomena (Kraljevo)
– Sombor Educational Center (Sombor)
– SOS Women’s Center (Novi Sad)
– CEPORA – Center for Positive Youth Development (Belgrade)
– Association of Children with Disabilities and Their Parents Bajina Bašta (Bajina Bašta)
– Association Rainbow (Šabac)
– Association Halfway (Pančevo)
– Youth Association Lock up (Bečej)
– Association Impuls (Tutin)
– Association for Local Development Kamenica (Kamenica, Niš)
– Association for Helping People with Autism (Kragujevac)
– Center for Emotional Support to People in Crisis and Prevention of Suicide – “Srce” (Novi Sad)
– Association of Citizens of Ternipe (Pirot)
– Association of Roma Students (Novi Sad)
– Association Production Roma World (Niš)
– NGO BE ACTIVE 16 (Preševo)
– Roma Association Danica (Pančevo)

The second round of the program is still ongoing, and the call for submitting project proposals is open until May 5. 

Associations and local foundations that were supported in the first round of the program cannot re-apply for the program. 

Associations and local foundations that are not supported in the first round can re-apply only with an improved or new project proposal.

The Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program is being implemented with the financial support of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Oak Foundation.

The GREEN IDEAS program is aimed at supporting united citizens in the development of green entrepreneurial ideas in Serbia. By green entrepreneurial ideas, the Trag Foundation means innovative ideas that apply the technology and knowledge of the business sector to organize and jointly solve social problems, relying on community resources and protecting the environment in the function of sustainable development.

The program, through a public competition, awards three US $ 5,000.00 donations to citizens’ associations, foundations, endowments, cooperatives and companies that plan to become solidarity entrepreneurs or start-ups in solidarity entrepreneurship.

The deadline for submitting applications is 20th March 2020.

Phases of Program Implementation:

Phase 1: After receiving project concepts, Trag conducts the selection procedure in the first round, which includes processing projects and their selection according to the criteria of the program, based on which between 12 and 15 best ideas are invited to solidarity entrepreneurship training.

Phase 2: For all those who passed the first round of decision-making, training on solidarity entrepreneurship will be organized, where participants will have the opportunity to improve and present their plans in more detail, by filling out the Final Project Proposal, which is mandatory for participation in the next steps of the program.

Phase 3: Everyone who attended the training and then sent the final application form, will be invited to present their ideas at the one-day event Forum for Green Ideas, which will be held on 12th May in Belgrade. Participants will present ideas to a jury that will select the top three who will be awarded donations of US $ 5,000 each.

Phase 4: The three winners of the Forum for Green Ideas will be representatives of the Trag Foundation at the regional competition Balkan Green Ideas, which will be held from 24th to 26th June in Belgrade, organized by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. In addition to representatives from Serbia, three representatives of partner foundations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Greece, Kosovo, and Northern Macedonia will participate in the regional competition. Participants will compete for an additional prize pool to implement their ideas, in the total amount of US $ 40,000 in two categories: the green idea concept and the developed green idea, with individual prizes in the amount of US $ 5,000 or $ 10,000 depending on the category.

Winners of donations at both national and regional competition will conclude a donation agreement with the Trag Foundation, which will specify their mutual rights and obligations, which includes regular periodic program and financial reports.

For questions and additional information please send an e-mail to zeleneideje@tragfondacija.org.