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Description
he project is part of the thorough planning of ANCE, to approach the vision and fulfill the mission, setting specific goals and actions to achieve them (as described in its four-year strategic plan). With that grant opportunity, the organization will be able to implement actions related to the development of its organizational and operational capacities, which will improve the provision of services to target groups, will increase the number of beneficiaries while offering opportunities for development of projects in new thematic areas (covering the spotted needs of the body as they emerged during the SWOT analysis). The empowerment of human resources with its parallel strengthening (in new tasks and positions) in combination with the optimization of its functions (through software development / procurement), the certification of its organizational efficiency (certification ISO 9001: 2015 or updated) and the expansion of its funding sources that will be achieved through the project, lead and contribute to ensuring the viability of ANCE in a long term base.
The development of ANCE capabilities as it is expected to be achieved through the implementation of the project, contributes to the effective planning and implementation of projects and actions with social impact and main objective to empower vulnerable populations, human rights, strengthening advocacy which are expected results of the ACF program.
Summary of project results
The main goal of the organisation was to implement actions that would serve two of its core objectives: a. Ensuring its sustainability and b. Increasing its visibility and recognition. To achieve these two goals, the organisation set the following key criteria:
- The renewal of its corporate identity
- Strengthening its staff by hiring new members and providing training for both existing and new employees
- Networking with other organizations and stakeholders both in Greece and abroad
- Gaining an in-depth understanding of the needs of the target groups it serves, in order to develop proposals for projects that would have a real impact on these groups and improve the organization’s position, by consulting directly with the groups or with organizations working in the field
- Improving the organization of its processes and procedures
- Obtaining ISO certification as a means of ensuring the actual quality of its work and results.
The Organisational Grants focused on supporting the strategic development and capacity building of civil society organizations (CSOs) rather than requiring traditional activities, deliverables, or outputs. The call emphasised the internal growth and sustainability of CSOs by investing in their core operational functions, leadership, and long-term vision.
A new corporate identity was created, including the development of a new logo, a new brochure, new letterheads, new business cards, a new company profile, a new template for project references, and a new PowerPoint template. A graphic designer was assigned the rebranding of ANCE, which included redesigning the logo, the template, and the texts for the brochure, the corporate presentation, the staff cards, the project references template, and the PowerPoint template. In close collaboration with the ANCE team, they finalized the following outcomes in both Greek and English. After the agreement, they proceeded with the necessary printing.
Enhancement and strengthening of the human resources by 3 people. In an effort to further strengthen the organization''s human capital, they hired 3 individuals who met the criteria necessary to ensure better and faster execution of tasks, the expansion of cooperating bodies, and the pursuit of projects in French-speaking regions.
For the organisation, it was also essential to easily record the time staff spent on various tasks and projects to draw key conclusions regarding how staff time was allocated. This enabled them to make improvements and suggestions to enhance staff efficiency. Various time-tracking and project management software solutions were tested, and based on the features offered and their cost, they decided on FLOAT. FLOAT is a cloud-based resource management and scheduling software designed to help teams and businesses efficiently manage projects and resources. The software offers a range of functionalities, allowing users to plan and monitor their projects, manage team availability, and collaborate.
Purchase of licenses for Coursera Teams for staff training. First, a training needs assessment was conducted with the organization’s staff, and the results identified the following key themes:
- Project management
- Gender equality
- Leadership
- Foreign language learning
After researching companies that offer corporate training, it became clear that the cost of this service was very high and the time and location of the training often did not meet their needs. As a result, they began exploring online learning solutions, which were evaluated, and they decided on the Coursera platform as the most ideal for them. They had a Zoom call with a Coursera representative to discuss how it worked and its benefits, and they decided to purchase licenses for Coursera Teams, which is specifically designed for businesses.
Development of the quality system and certification under ISO 9001:2015. Recognizing that quality is key to sustainable growth and development, special emphasis was placed on developing ANCE''s quality system. The General Director and other staff members worked closely with the consulting firm that undertook the system''s development to ensure that the organization''s daily processes and operations were recorded with full consistency and accuracy, as well as to prepare the forms and instructions. After the system was completed and the trial implementation period concluded, the quality manager was trained, followed by the training of the staff.