ISSA NGO DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
Needs Assessment Questionnaire
Please send your responses to this Questionnaire to Eva Izsak (eizsak@issa.hu) by 1st March 2007
This questionnaire will take approx. 1 hour to be filled out. We encourage you to use bullet
points when responding. Your responses will serve the following purposes:
1. They will support the ISSA office in its attempt to map Council Members’ needs and
strengths.
2. They will assist CSDF and ISSA in identifying topics for discussion during the meetings with
Country Directors on Day 3of the NGO Development Initiative Piloting Visits.
3. They will serve as a baseline study to measure the impact of the NGO self-assessment tool
after it is implemented.
Thank you in advance for your responses and participation in this initiative!
The ISSA Office
The Civil Society Development Foundation Hungary
I. Basic Information
Name of the respondent:
Organization:
Eteri Gvineria
Center for Educational Initiatives
Country:
Georgia
II. Organizational Issues
1. In which year was your organization registered? December 2002
2. How many paid employees work at your organization?
Full time ____3___________
Part time ____1___________
3. How many volunteers, other than governing body members, serve your organization
annually?
(Please estimate if necessary.)
4. What services does your organization offer?
 The center for Educational Initiatives conducts training sessions for preschool and
primary teachers, provides them with relevant methodological resources;
 Provides consultancy and mentoring for teachers and staff, provides monitoring of
classroom performance for its existing quality maintenance and improvement;
 Helps school sites to create relevant physical environment to implement child-centered
teaching and learning approach;
 Conducts seminars for higher education faculty (Department of Pedagogy) on learner-
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centered methodology. These trainings serve the purpose to incorporate relevant higher
education courses in the curriculum for pre-service teachers;
Conducts training sessions for the teachers and school staff to encourage inclusion of
children with disabilities in the regular preschool and primary classrooms;
Participates in the Web Publishing Project- to produce and publish quality children
literature;
Prepares and adapts teaching materials for parent trainings;
Takes part in cinferences;
Cooperates with the Ministry of Education, as well as local and international NGO-s;
Participates in preschool and primary teacher standard development;
Participates in creating laws on Preschool Education and Professional Development.
5. What are the main activities and programs of your organization in 2007?
 Conducting training sessions for preschool and primary teachers, as well as providing
them with relevant methodological resources;
 Providing consultancy and mentoring for teachers and school staff;
 Providing monitoring of classroom performance for its existing quality maintenance and
improvement ;
 Conducting seminars for higher education faculty (Department of Pedagogy) on learnercentered methodology to incorporate relevant higher ed. courses in the curriculum for
prospective teachers;
 Conducting training sessions for teachers and school staff to encourage inclusion of
children with disabilities in the regular preschool and primary classrooms;
 Participating in the Web Publishing Project- to produce and publish quality children
literature;
 Preparing and adapting teaching materials for parent trainings;
 Participating in conferences;
 Cooperating with the Ministry of Education, as well as local and international NGO-s;
 Participating in creation of preschool and primary teacher standards;
 Participating in creation of laws on Preschool Education and Professional Development.
6. What were the main achievements for your organization in 2006?
Please refer to:
Development in professional areas (launching new programs etc)
 Launching a new project on inclusion of children with disabilities in regular classes
together with Open society Institute - Mental Health Problem Initiative and the Ministry
of Education and Science of Georgia;
 Providing training sessions on inclusive education in the joint project of Norwegian
Refugee Council and Georgian Ministry of Education and Science.
Development in organizational areas (new sources of funding/income, strategy,
management etc.)
 Memorandum of Collaboration with Tbilisi State University
7. What was your organization’s total revenue in Euro for calendar year 2006? (Please
estimate if necessary.)
50427 Euro (66800 USD)
8. What proportion of the total revenue in 2006 came from the following sources?
Source of Income
OSI (including the local Soros Foundation)
Percentage
77%
5%
ISSA
15%
International donors (e.g. EU, USAID, Mott Foundation)
3%
National nonprofit organizations (e.g. city/community foundations)
National Government (e.g. ministries, state funds)
Local government
Corporations (e.g. local, national, multinational)
Private individuals
Mission-related income-generating activities of the organization
Unrelated business activities of the organization
Membership dues
Other (please specify)
Total
100%
III. SWOT questions
9. What do you consider to be the STRENGTHS of your organization regarding
organizational issues (management, structure, number of employees, volunteers etc.)?
10. What do you consider to be the STRENGTHS of your organization regarding
professional issues (related to the core activities of your organization – services,
projects, programs etc.)?
 SBS methodology is considered as an alternative program;
 There is a strong demand on the implementation of SBS methodology, conducting
trainings and providing manuals;
 The implementation of the SBS methodology is encouraged and welcomed by different
officials;
 Involvement in the process of development of laws on preschool education, accreditation
and professional development.
11. What do you consider to be the WEAKNESSES of your organization regarding
organizational issues (management, structure, number of employees, volunteers etc.)?
12. What do you consider to be the WEAKNESSES of your organization regarding
professional issues (related to the core activities of your organization – services,
projects, programs etc.)?
 The laws on preschool education, professional development, accreditation of
educational institutions are in the process of development;
 Frequent change of senior staff and school officials resulting in instability and
confusion;
 Low teacher salaries. Teachers can not afford covering training fees;
 Lack of laws on regulating pre-school education, professional development and
accreditation of educational institutions and programs ;
 Loosing trainers;
 Small number of NGO employees.
13. What do you consider to be the OPPORTUNITIES available to your organization now
and in the future (in terms of both internal and external factors that would help the
further development)?
 Adoption of the laws on preschool education, professional development, accreditation,
establishment early childhood education teacher’s standards.
14. What do you consider to be the THREATS that confront your organization and the
obstacles to seizing the opportunities at hand?
 All the schoool directors have been dismissed and the vacancies have to be filled in by
new candidates selected on the basis of an open competition. This change will cause the
need for establishing new contacts and conducting negotiations with the newly selected
officials.
IV. Development needs
15. What are the most important development needs in your organization in the following
areas?
Professional know-how and skills:
Organizational know-how and skills: Fundraising
16. What are the 3 most important things that you lack at the moment but would be of
great help in your work?
To have training and NGO premises available, to guide and supervise pilot schools, to be
provided with financial resources.