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Description
Organisations in Poland are to a minor extent engaged in sector-wide representation activities. The process of consultation of legislation on foundations and associations is mostly attended by few organisations. Strong, large organisations, including federations, most frequently do not consult sector-wide regulations, thou their potential is big. It is important to make the representation in the civic sector more visible and more efficient. In the course of the project implementation, we intend to make the organisations aware of how they are able to impact legislation, enhance their competence and work out the rules of cooperation. We also need a debate on foundation-related legislation and working out recommendations for regulations which will be favourable for 26 thousand foundations registered in Poland.We will:•create an informal network of organisations which are going to cooperate in sector-wide representation;•monitor the process of making legislation related to social organisations at the central and European level;•organize a cycle of 5 seminars and workshops devoted to developing recommendations for good regulations related to foundations, foundations manifest and information material about foundations;•hold a training course on monitoring and representation, two representational campaigns and we will arrange meeting with Members of Parliament;•develop a diagnosis of the scale of supporting recommendations by Polish foundations through social research;•develop a scientific publication analyzing the solutions on foundation-related legislation and we will hold classes for students.Our partner will be the Institute for the Applied Social Sciences of the University of Warsaw which is going to support the project with its experience and research background. The partnership is also going to constitute a platform for exchanging knowledge and experience among the representatives of the civic sector and the people of academia.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project was to raise awareness among organizations about the importance of their influence on legislation, strengthen their competencies, and establish principles for collaboration. Additionally, a debate on foundation law was needed, as well as the development of recommendations for regulations that would be favorable to the 26,000 foundations registered in Poland.
The primary outcome of the project was the participatory development of a direction for changes to foundation law and the successful presentation of these recommendations to representatives of the political parties that won the October 2023 elections.
During the election campaign, on September 29, 2023, three democratic parties signed formal declarations pledging support for non-governmental organizations and committing to drawing upon the Manifesto and Recommendations for Good Law for Foundations in their legislative work. The Civic Coalition incorporated some of these demands into their "100 Specifics for 100 Days" program, and a significant section on NGOs was included in the coalition agreement.
Thanks to the development of the Manifesto and Recommendations for Good Law for Foundations, the Donors'' Forum and the organizations affiliated with it now have a unified action plan—a shared roadmap that outlines the issues they will pursue point by point in the coming years.
The Manifesto and Recommendations are not a typical document crafted by a small group of experts. Through a series of 10 seminars and workshops, we gathered insights on what organizations think. This was further validated by a scientific study conducted by the Institute of Applied Social Sciences at the University of Warsaw. The project produced expert analyses that structure and deepen key issues emerging in the public debate. The study results and expert opinions were published in an academic publication. This has clarified the direction of necessary changes, equipping us to effectively advocate for the sector in the coming years.
Additionally, the project expanded our network of contacts with individuals involved in advocacy work, which were established during its implementation. This informal advocacy coalition will continue its work. One of our communication tools is regular briefings on current developments and legal changes.
Strategies and arguments have been developed to convince decision-makers that a vibrant civil society and active citizens are essential for building a modern Poland capable of addressing diverse challenges.