One of the exciting tasks that has evolved in my work on ISC and USAID's Civil Society Strengthening Project (CSSP) is the identification, cultivation, and implementation of several “High Impact Projects.”
Over my many trips here, I've had the chance to interact with great organizations and be a part of supporting outstanding projects. One of the primary goals of the CSSP is creating opportunities for NGOs to provide sector-wide leadership. ISC’s Leader NGOs have been working very hard to meet their unique deliverables for the overall project; and some of these NGOs have committed themselves to strategies or projects that have the potential of greatly influencing the policies, values, and actions of their CSO colleagues all across Macedonia.
I identified four organizations as being uniquely positioned to pilot innovative and cutting-edge activities—“High Impact Projects” that have the potential for impacting sector development in the region. With support from ISC, they will implement their ideas, document their experiences, and share the lessons they learn with their fellow NGOs.
We met today with the first of these organizations, explaining the concept, and enlisting their help. The Association for Emancipation, Solidarity, & Equality of Women (ESE) is a strategic program with priorities that include women’s rights, women and health, women in politics and decision-making structures, and combatting domestic violence. The work they do on these issues is critical and their achievements are well-known.
I have been struck, however, by their unwavering commitment to diversifying their funding base, building an endowment, and raising the bar for how people and NGOs can work together to improve their communities. ESE's creation of a comprehensive development plan, their dedicated staff, and strong financial outlook make them an ideal candidate for investing in new development strategies. This project will provide additional resources, coaching, and support to help ESE implement, document, and share their experiences with other Leader NGOs.
In particular, the project will help them to share the lessons they are learning from implementing some of the first individual donor-based fundraising efforts in the country. I'm looking forward to sharing some of their many successes with you here on the blog. You know by now that I LOVE FUNDRAISING!!
