Description
The main problem addressed by the project is the fact that in Romania, European funding programmes for rural development are not adequate for the needs of local communities. RuralNet is a network of organizations practicing community-development in Romania. The project aims to support community-based organizations from rural and small urban areas in Romania by raising RuralNet's capacity to influence public policies affecting these small organizations, at the same time promoting the practice, principles and results of community development. The project is expected to make European funding more accessible to small communities. RuralNet will monitor and evaluate relevant public policies and then develop and implement an advocacy campaign to influence such policies, while also promoting community-based organizations and their projects through an interactive map, a collection of success stories and a gala event. The 11 organizations members of RuralNet, as well as at least 115 community-based organizations are expected to benefit. The project is also expected to significantly strengthen the ties between the member organizations of the network.
Summary of project results
"RuralNet – the network for community development" project was implemented by PACT Foundation in partnership with Civitas Foundation and the Center for Rural Assistance, addressing the weak correlation between national rural development programmes financed from EU funds and the needs and specificities of local communities. The problem was approached through advocacy actions initiated by the members of the network RuralNet and by promoting and increasing the visibility of practices, principles and outcomes of community initiative groups and other local actors involved in community development processes, as a new alternative to public policy issues. Based on analysis of public policies on rural development, the main objective was to include NGOs with economic activity in the definition of micro-enterprises under the funding guidelines for some of the measures of the National Rural Development Programme, bringing it in line with European legislation which treats associations and foundations with economic activity as micro-enterprises and SMEs. A position paper was drafted and promoted. It set the foundation for two open letters and a petition signed by over 270 people/entities and sent to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The campaign message was assumed by a coalition of national level NGOs and further discussed with representatives of public institutions, these actions leading to consultative meetings of thematic technical groups organized within the ministry. Another important aim of the project was to strengthen the position of the network: promoting the network and its actors to general public and to public sector institutions and updating the website. An electronic map was integrated in the website, in order to increase the visibility of 100 communities with successful interventions in community development. A National Gala called "Local Initiatives Gala - People grow the village" was organized for the first time in Romania, occasioning the identification and collection of good practice examples across the country, awarding merits and promoting them in media.
Summary of bilateral results