Description
Fifteen years after its foundation, and with a human resources structure sustained on voluntary work, the promoter intends to improve its governance practices, empowering itself strategically in order to assert itself as a reference in its intervention area and to bolster the social multiplier effect of its action. It intends to become more effective, efficient and self-sustainable in the pursuit of its mission of promoting values such as equality, tolerance, respect for diversity and active citizenship, using music and dance as means of intervening. To do so, the action will be focused on its staff, volunteers, partners and suppliers, by training them to improve the organization’s inner workings at different levels: institutional and internal communication, financial management, evaluation, diversification and innovation on its activities. This project’s partnership is composed by three NGOs which are complementary in terms of intervention areas and principles.
Summary of project results
In its inception, this project’s promoter organisation was meant to provide a legal framework for a music festival which was created by a group of young Portuguese in 1996. In recent years, its work regarding artistic expression, in particular balls and dances from various parts of Europe and other Portuguese-speaking countries, has grown substantially. The promoter has also supported the professionalization of artists and organised an increasing number of events in the area of traditional dance in Portugal. It started operating on a professional basis and nationwide, and each year it has been organising an ever increasing number of festivals, courses and recreational activities. The promoter and its partner NGOs realised they needed to improve their governance practices in order to go on expanding and diversifying the services they provide – on its application to the EEA Grants in 2013, the proposed goal for the project was to make the promoter more effective, efficient and self-sustainable in the pursuit of its mission of promoting values such as equality, tolerance, respect for diversity and active citizenship, using music and dance as means of intervening. Through the training of its staff, volunteers, partners and suppliers, the promoter set out to assert itself as a reference in its intervention area and to bolster the social multiplier effect of its action, by addressing various aspects: institutional and internal communication, financial management, evaluation, diversification and innovation on its activities. A total of 886 persons, nearly twice as originally planned, received training; and all of the planned activities were carried out. The project did enable a change at many levels, and facilitated future innovation, but its implementation period was less than two years. In the end, there was the realization that while the project was well worthwhile, there is more to be done – organizational change takes time, and there are hundreds of people involved, with varying needs for training. The promoter considers that this was a very useful project, and will go on investing in capacity building.
Summary of bilateral results