7-8 November 2011 SEMINAR
IMPACT Center
Zadar, Croatia
Support to Civil Society Sustainability –
Croatian Experience
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEMINAR
Why this seminar? Civil society organizations (CSOs) active in the field of social
policy, on the one hand, represent key partners of the
government in the implementation of the social policy, and on
the other hand, depend on the support of state institutions for
the implementation and sustainability of their actions. Apart
from using the state support mechanisms, the Croatian CSOs
rely more and more on the funds from the EU pre-accession
programmes.
Croatian experiences in establishing civil society support
mechanisms and promoting partnerships with the state
bodies, as well as the examples of EU projects run by CSOs,
can be very interesting for the countries preparing for the EU
membership.
This seminar will present various financing models for CSOs
in Croatia, as well as the mechanisms enhancing the EU
funds apsorption and preparing the CSOs for the use of EU
funds. Roles, activities and cooperation of state bodies in
creating a supportive environment for the development of
CSOs will be presented, in order to draw lessons for the
establishment of appropriate similar mechanisms in the
countries preparing for the EU membership.
Objectives Discussions on the Croatian experience in the implementation
of civil society support mechanisms will allow the participants
to:
 identify mechanisms, structures and practices which
are applicable to other countries,
 connect and enhance partnerships among CSOs in the
countries in the region, which will facilitate crossborder development and application of projects within
EU programmes.
Participants


Representatives of CSOs which are providers of social
services, active in the field of social policy, poverty
reduction and advocacy for social rights from countries
preparing for EU membership,
Representatives of relevant state institutions and thinktanks active in the field of social policy or support to
CSOs from countries preparing for EU membership.
Methodology Seminar will include presentations, case studies and panel
discussions, with an interactive approach which will allow
ample time for dialogue and exchange of experience.
Working languages Croatian
Lecturers Lecturers are practitioners from the field of social policy and
civil society support from the relevant Croatian state bodies,
as well as representatives of CSOs with long experience in
implementing projects from national and EU funds.
Organizers National Foundation for Civil Society Development and UNDP
Croatia, within the project "Programme Development of the
European Centre for Cross-Sector Partnership – IMPACT"
Financing Majority of costs are covered by the Project. Participants are
expected to participate with a training fee of 300 USD (which
includes all costs during the seminar: accommodation in
IMPACT Center, meals, training materials and refreshments).
Duration 1,5 day
 7 November 2011: 9.00 – 17.30
 8 November 2011: 9.00 – 11.30
Training facilities IMPACT – European Center for Cross-Sector Partnership, Put
stanova bb, 23 000 Zadar, Croatia
Contact For additional information about the seminar and details about
payments please contact Petra Goran, project manager, at:
 pgoran@impact-center.eu or
 tel. +385 (0)23 778 171; +385 (0)99 210 3509.