OREANDA-NEWS. On 02 June 2008 World Bank Country Office in Kazakhstan and Almaty Office of the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) announced the results of the competition held under the joint Small Grants Program 2008 (SmGP) for the total amount of USD 50,000 for nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2008 the SmGP is focused on engagement of population in the development processes. With that, activities under proposed projects are to promote dialogue and dissemination of information, and enhance partnerships with key players in support of the development process.

The Program Team received 71 applications from urban and rural non-profit organizations working all over Kazakhstan to address the development issues. Selection of the winning projects was performed in accordance with the World Bank and EFCA policies and was concluded by the Grant Committee meeting with participation of invited donors. The Committee approved 9 projects. Size of an individual grant varied from USD 5,000 to USD 7,000.

NGO’s from Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semipalatinsk, Karaganda, Kzylorda, Zhezkazgan, Taldykorgan and Aralsk are among winners. Selected projects are aimed at local self-governance development, informing socially vulnerable population on guaranteed public services and promotion of their interests to resolve social problems, integration of disabled children in the society, activization of rural women, engagement of rural citizens in the development of rural communities, dissemination of information on principles and criteria of sustainable development in the light of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the Republic of Kazakhstan, improving quality of school education, development of regulations for school forestry areas, and protection of fishermen’s labor rights.

The Small Grants Program was created by the World Bank in 1983. During the period of program implementation in Kazakhstan from 1998 to 2008 the World Bank has supported 74 projects for the total amount of USD 333,000. In 2006 the founder of EFCA Eurasia Foundation joined the World Bank in this initiative as a partner donor. According to the agreement signed in May 2006, the Eurasia Foundation for the third time provides additional funding for the SmGP through its Open Door program. Within the Open Door program, EF reviews all proposals that fit within one of its mandated focus areas - private enterprise development, community development, education and public administration.