Seite 5: Selbstbeschreibungen einiger NGOs und Unternehmen

Academy for Educational Development (AED): AED's mission is to make a positive difference in people's lives by working in partnership to create and implement innovative solutions to critical social and economic problems. AED works in all the major areas of human development, with a focus on improving education, health, and economic opportunities for the least advantaged in the United States and developing countries throughout the world.

AED aims to strengthen the enabling environment and policies needed to support energy options for sustainable development. AED provides energy solutions that integrate social, economic and environmental objectives for empowering people. AED’s work in energy focuses on capacity building and public outreach in the energy sector, including energy efficiency, governance, regulation, public participation, regional cooperation, and program design and evaluation. AED is leader in social marketing and behavior change, including in energy and environmental areas

American Bar Association (ABA): is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with nearly 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities. It is committed to doing what only a national association of attorneys can do: serving our members, improving the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, and advancing the rule of law throughout the United States and around the world. Goal III: Eliminate Bias and Enhance Diversity. Objectives: Promote full and equal participation in the association, our profession, and the justice system by all persons. Eliminate bias in the legal profession and the justice system. Goal IV: Advance the Rule of Law. Objectives: Increase public understanding of and respect for the rule of law, the legal process, and the role of the legal profession at home and throughout the world. Hold governments accountable under law. Work for just laws, including human rights, and a fair legal process. Assure meaningful access to justice for all persons. Preserve the independence of the legal profession and the judiciary.

America's Development Foundation (ADF):, established in 1980, is a non-profit private voluntary organization dedicated to assisting the international development of democracy. It works in partnership with nongovernmental organizations committed to strengthening democratic values and processes. ADF currently works in five program areas: NGO institutional development, civic education, human rights, rule of law/legal assistance, and decentralization/local government. Since 1993, ADF has been providing technical assistance and subgrants for the institutional development and program activities of the Moscow Research Center for Human Rights, an umbrella organization of approximately fifteen human rights organizations established in 1991 to collectively promote human rights and improve the rule of law throughout the Russian Federation.

Among the Center's members are: Moscow Helsinki Group, a human rights organization; Mothers Rights Foundation, which protects the interests and rights of parents of military personnel killed during peacetime military service; Society for the Defense of Convicted Businessmen and Economic Freedom, which serves citizens of the former USSR who were convicted of economic crimes or imprisoned for engaging in various forms of commerce, trade or business outlawed by the Soviet criminal code; and Fathers and Sons, which protects the rights of fathers and their children in issues of custody and visitation, makes proposals to the Marriage and Family Code of the Russian Federation to give equitable consideration to the rights of fathers, is involved in legal work to protect orphans, and provides humanitarian assistance to children.

ADF has received grants totaling $849,918 from the Joyce-Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the United States Agency for International Development in support of its work with the Moscow Research Center for Human Rights. In April 1995 ADF was awarded a $601,918 USAID-funded grant through IREX's Institutional Partnerships Project to: strengthen ADF's partnership with the Center; increase public understanding of human rights and government accountability; and to enable the Center to extend its geographic outreach through the organization of a network of regional human rights groups in the cities of Apatity, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Lipetsk, Rostovon on the Don, Krasnodar, Nizhny Tagil, Chelyabinsk, and Krasnoyarsk.

Center for International Private Enterprise/CIPE is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy and an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. CIPE strengthens democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. Objectives:Foster institutions necessary to establish and sustain market-oriented democracies. Increase private sector participation in the democratic process. Increase support for and understanding of the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities essential to market-oriented democracies among government officials, businesspeople, media and the public. Improve governance through transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors. Strengthen freedom of association and private, voluntary business organizations. Promote an entrepreneurial culture and understanding of how markets work. Expand access to information necessary for sound entrepreneurial and policy decisions.

Chemonics International is a private international development company that works for bilateral and multilateral donors and the private sector to manage projects in developing countries. The organization bids primarily on contracts from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and manages projects that cover a variety of technical sectors. Chemonics works in a variety of technical sectors,[3] including: Agriculture and Food Security, Conflict and Crisis, Corporate Partnerships, Economic Growth and Trade, Education and Youth, Environment and Natural Resources, Gender, Equality, and Social Inclusion, Health, Water, Urban Services, and Energy

Democracy International, Inc.: DI works to promote free and legitimate elections through monitoring, election administration strengthening, and supporting democratic political parties. Democracy International offers expertise and practical, field-based experience across the entire range of democracy, human rights, governance, and conflict-mitigation programming and in every region of the world. DI provides technical assistance, analytical services, and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance, conflict-mitigation, and other international development programs worldwide. DI has carried out more than 140 projects for USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and other development partners. We work with civil society organizations, political parties, election management bodies, national and local government agencies, legislatures, academic and research institutions, and justice-sector bodies, among many others.

Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) operates offices in Central and North America, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. It has worked in 160 developing and transition countries in the areas of water and natural resources management, energy and climate change, governance and public sector management, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, agriculture and agribusiness, crisis mitigation and stability operations, and HIV/AIDS and avian influenza control. DAI's Governance Sector strengthens accountability and improves government performance by providing technical advice, strategic guidance, and support to public institutions, elected bodies, and citizens. Based on a thorough understanding of the incentives, interests, and political economy inherent to policy development and implementation, we supply best-fit solutions to policy makers, citizen leaders, and elected representatives. Our approach to governance seeks to identify and foster engagement between citizens and their government, recognizing that both the supply and demand for good governance is necessary to initiate change.

Eurasia Foundation (EF) is a publicly and privately funded, privately managed grantmaker and program implementer working to strengthen civil society, advance private enterprise and promote public policy and administration in the successor states of the former Soviet Union—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. A public-private partnership, EF is managed by a board of trustees of private citizens and is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as well as other governments, private foundations, corporations and individuals.

Eurasia Foundation espouses a goal of building organizational sustainability by strengthening the infrastructure of grass-roots organizations and facilitating the development of internal processes and procedures. Eurasia is also launching local institutions built on its organizational model. Our core approach is based on the following guiding principles: Inclusiveness: EF amplifies the voices of marginalized groups, particularly women, youth, minority populations, and the economically disenfranchised. EF’s programs reach individuals and groups that reside beyond major cities and hubs and lack access to training opportunities, resources, and networks. Collaboration: EF is committed to building genuine and long-lasting partnerships based on trust and mutual respect. We brainstorm, design, and implement initiatives jointly with our partners on the ground and consistently seek to improve the quality of our work by listening to stakeholders, partners, and beneficiaries. Adaptation: EF adapts its programs to the distinct contexts in which they operate.

From addressing barriers to women’s workplace entry to creating platforms for youth participation, we examine individual experiences and use our in-country networks and partners to channel resources that are relevant and useful in the daily lives of our beneficiaries. Practicality: EF supports the creation of local solutions by building leadership and subject matter expertise within communities. From entrepreneurship to women’s empowerment, EF’s training programs emphasize critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, reinforced with practical applications that help participants apply new skills in real-life settings. Partner Foundations: New Eurasia Foundation FNE, Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia EFCA, Eurasia Partnership Foundations EPF, East Europe Foundation of Ukraine EEF, New Eurasia Establishment NEE

Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) is an independent, tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. Founded in 1991 by Madeleine Kunin, ISC’s early work connected civic participation with environmental management in the countries of the former Soviet Union. ISC has since managed 77 projects in 22 countries, and is funded by private foundations, corporations, individuals and government agencies. ISC's primary work includes finding community-based solutions to reducing climate pollution in the U.S. and China, building the capacity of civil society in the Balkans, and helping communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast and China recover from disasters.

ISC provides training, technical assistance and financial support to communities, nonprofits/nongovernmental organizations, businesses and local governments. ISC’s mission is to help communities around the world address environmental, economic, and social challenges to build a better future shaped and shared by all. In Georgia: We’re working to transform waste management systems and improve GHG (greenhouse gases) mitigation and sequestration in the country of Georgia. With comprehensive assessments, technical assistance and trainings, ISC is improving inventory methodologies and data tracking to boost energy efficiency and cost-saving technologies.

International City/County Management Association (ICMA): is an association representing professionals in local government management. It is based in Washington, D.C., USA. Founded in 1914 as the International City Managers Association, ICMA provides education and networking opportunities for its members, and offers the Credentialed Manager program to offer professional credentialing to city and county executive managers. It also conducts research, provides technical assistance and training, and promotes professional local government management.[1]

International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) supports citizens’ rights to participate in free and fair elections. Our independent expertise strengthens electoral systems and builds local capacity to deliver sustainable solutions. As the global leader in democracy promotion, we advance good governance and democratic rights by: Providing technical assistance to election officials, Empowering the underrepresented to participate in the political process, Applying field-based research to improve the electoral cycle

International Republican Institute (IRI): Initially known as the National Republican Institute for International Affairs, the IRI's stated mission is to "expand freedom throughout the world". Its activities include teaching and assisting center-right political party and candidate development in their values, good governance practices, civil society development, civic education, women’s and youth leadership development, electoral reform and election monitoring, and political expression in closed societies.The majority of the IRI's funding comes from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department, and the National Endowment for Democracy.

The IRI operates as a political organization abroad, providing training and assistance to favoured political parties. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, it plays no part in domestic U.S. politics. However, the majority of its board, staff and consultants are drawn from the Republican Party.[9] Its sister organization, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, draws mainly from the Democratic Party.

International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) is an international nonprofit organization providing thought leadership and innovative programs to promote positive lasting change globally. We enable local individuals and institutions to build key elements of a vibrant society: quality education, independent media, and strong communities. To strengthen these sectors, our program activities also include conflict resolution, technology for development, gender, and youth.

Internews Network, now Internews, is an international non-profit organization. It has worked in more than 70 countries and trained more than 80,000 people in media skills. It is a founding member of Internews International, an umbrella organization, based in Paris, of 30 associated non-governmental media organizations. Internews activities include:

1. Training: Internews trains 8-10,000 media professionals each year in journalism, production, and management. For more advanced students, Internews offers training in topics such as computer graphics, media law, and investigative journalism.

2. Production: To strengthen the independent media sector, Internews works with local media professionals to produce original programming.

3. Media infrastructure. Internews provides a broad range of infrastructure support to enable independent media to provide vital news and information, including providing journalists and stations with production equipment, creating production studios, and building radio stations from the ground up. Media law and policy. To allow independent media to fulfill their "watchdog" function, Internews has worked for the adoption and implementation of fair media laws and policies in 21 countries. As part of its work fostering independent media and access to information, Internews has developed special global programs in health journalism, environmental journalism through the Earth Journalism Network, humanitarian media, information and communications technology, and governance and transparency.

Internews Network is primarily supported by grants, with over 80 percent of their funding coming from the US government. The US Agency for International Development and the US Department of State provide the overwhelming (99.98%) of funding for Internews operations per Internews 2009. In April 2007 Russian police raided the office of the Educated Media Foundation, a section of Internews which trains journalists and fosters an independent media, as part of an investigation into its president, Manana Aslamazyan, who was accused of bringing too much cash into Russia from a visit to France. Russia's Constitutional Court ruled on May 26, 2008 that charges against Manana Aslamazyan were illegal. In line with the ruling, Russia’s Interior Ministry dropped the charges and a warrant for Aslamazyan’s arrest.

Management Systems International (MSI): Managing Change: Change is intrinsic to international development and organizational reform efforts. Effectively managing the change process is required if desired results are to be fully achieved. MSI understands this, and more importantly, how successful change management is undertaken. Our efforts on behalf of clients explicitly consider the desired change at every step of the process. For over a decade, MSI led a consortium of organizations responsible for USAID’s Implementing Policy Change (IPC) project, the only U.S. government foreign assistance effort ever explicitly focused on change management. Change occurs in many realms, including policy, political, institutional, organizational, and perhaps most significantly, behavior. It can either advance or retard achievement of desired results. Although change must be anticipated, not all can be managed. The strategic management techniques used by MSI recognize this distinction and account for both types of change.

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs or National Democratic Institute (NDI) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works with partners in developing countries to increase the effectiveness of democratic institutions. The NDI's core program areas include citizen participation, elections, debates, democratic governance, democracy and technology, political inclusion of marginalized groups, and gender, women and democracy. The organization's stated mission is to "support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government." The NDI works with political parties, civic groups, parliaments and other organizations and individuals in more than 70 countries. The NDI works with local partners to encourage community dialogues, observe elections, increase citizen participation, and improve the responsiveness of government. The NDI receives financial support from the United States Congress, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as from approximately 35 other countries, multilateral institutions and foundations. Previous supporters include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Institutes of Peace, the government of Sweden and the Middle East Partnership Initiative. The NDI is not a grant-making organization.

PH International (registered under the legal name Project Harmony, Inc.) was founded in 1985 for the purpose of cultural and educational exchanges between the then-USSR and the United States. Over the past twenty-eight years, more than 10,000 individuals have participated in PH’s international exchange programs in the U.S. and across Eurasia and the Middle East. Today, PH International’s mission is to build a strong global community by fostering civic engagement, cross-cultural learning, and increased opportunities in the digital age. PH strives towards a world where individuals and communities collaborate across borders to resolve global challenges. PH pursues this vision by conducting innovative programs for youth, professionals and communities around the world that uses in-person and online engagement, practical skills development and coalition building to support global collaboration, learning and advancement. A talented, multinational staff are at the cornerstone of all these efforts.

Urban Institute: The Collapse of the Soviet Union as fragile democracies emerged in Eastern Europe, they faced practical questions about how to transition to a market economy, provide basic services, and generate tax revenues. Drawing upon Urban’s broad policy expertise and a decade of work in developing countries, our researchers provided hands-on help to local officials to strengthen the capacity of local governments, expand citizen participation, and improve performance measurement—ideas that are now replicated across the globe.

Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development (Winrock International): Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock matches innovative approaches in agriculture, natural resources management, clean energy and leadership development with the unique needs of its partners. By linking local individuals and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is increasing long-term productivity, equity and responsible resource management to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the world.

World Learning is a 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization that focuses on international development, education, and exchange programs. Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, World Learning "unlocks the potential of people to address critical global issues" through its five core program areas: The Experiment in International Living, SIT Study Abroad (including the International Honors Program), the SIT Graduate Institute (formerly the School for International Training), and International Development and Exchange Programs.

World Learning works to enhance the capacity of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world. We work toward that goal through a diverse array of programs. Global Youth Programs: Our youth programs build bridges across cultures and prepare the next generation of global leaders to tackle the world's challenges. Undergraduate Study Abroad: Through SIT Study Abroad, World Learning provides undergraduates with accredited semester and summer study abroad programs in more than 30 countries worldwide. Graduate Education: SIT Graduate Institute offers internationally focused on-campus and low-residency master’s degrees and certificate and professional development programs in Vermont and Washington, DC. Professional Exchanges & Training: Each year, World Learning provides thousands of professionals with new connections, perspectives, and skills through exchanges, participant training, and higher education.

Global Development: With over 60 active programs, we help thousands of communities worldwide to address critical issues such as poverty and exclusion, youth participation, educational access and quality, the spread of HIV/AIDS, the marginalization of women and children, and government accountability. Global Development: 1. Civil Society and Governance: World Learning has helped civil society organizations (CSOs) around the world advocate for effective democratic processes, more efficiently deliver services, and foster policies that support basic human rights. Our civil society and institutional strengthening projects connect local communities with public and private sector institutions to promote citizen engagement for good governance. These projects work at the local and national level to address issues like: Conflict, Human rights abuses, Poor service delivery, Poverty, Social inequalities, Weak governance. To address these issues and help individuals, communities, and institutions build a better future, we provide: Anticorruption programs, Capacity building and development, Civic education, Policy advocacy, Small-grant support, Training, Technical assistance.

2.Strengthening civil society: Civil society is not a monolithic entity, and civil society organizations come in all shapes and sizes. There are formal and informal groups, single issue and multi-issue groups, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working at national or regional levels and local community based organizations (CBOs). Some aim to influence the state while others are solely focused on service delivery and/or economic development. With these differences in mind, our engagement with civil society is premised on the critical need to ensure that the voices of underrepresented groups are not lost. These underrepresented actors are handicapped by many factors, including a lack of appropriate forums to promote dialogue, weak organizational capacity, language barriers, inadequate funding, and high transaction costs, among others. Our projects help ministries, parliaments, and government agencies to serve their constituents, promote participatory democracy, and adhere to human rights standards. Program strategies range from long-term interventions aimed at reforming organizations to short-term assistance and training intended to aid the implementation of specific policies.

3. Citizen participation: Citizen participation is the process of organizing and motivating stakeholders to take action for a common purpose. Citizen participation makes advocacy efforts stronger by combining political coalition-building with community action. It encourages social mobilization by empowering people to take direct control over their communities. World Learning works through the leadership structures of formal and informal social organizations involving youth, women, local councilors, village leaders, religious leaders, and others. By working with inclusive networks that reflect the voices of underrepresented groups, we provide citizens with the skills and knowledge required in democratic communities and governance.

4. Advocacy: Advocacy seeks to build consensus on national, regional, or local priorities through transparent, accountable, and inclusive decisionmaking. Our goal is to increase the ability of civil society organizations and their constituents to act for change and influence policy. We value advocacy because it provides citizens the opportunity to channel their ideas and concerns into collective action toward commonly identified objectives. Organizing and building alliances across various stakeholders is the most effective means to successful action. We help nongovernmental organizations to serve as a bridge between governments and community-based organizations.

5. Democratic governance: Civil society plays an important role in fostering good governance and democracy and has become the main channel for promoting durable peace, justice, accountability, and sustainable development. Civil society organizations and their networks bring citizens together and link them to the state, thereby strengthening state-society relations. Our work creating linkages between governments and civil society enhances policy makers’ understanding of their responsibilities as well as the role civil society can play in bringing about social change. Combating social ills such as human trafficking, corruption, and unfair labor conditions requires the cooperation of public officials at all levels. People around the world are increasingly joining together -often at high personal risk—to demand a greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives. We are helping local actors acquire the skills and knowledge to better manage issues affecting their communities.

6. Capacity Development and Grants Management: 6.a. Capacity Development: World Learning's mission is to enhance the capacity of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world. Capacity development and training is a core component throughout many of our programs. From helping government ministries to improve their management practices, assisting NGOs to more effectively advocate for policy change, working with villages to support children affected by HIV/AIDS, to training teachers to apply innovative techniques in their classrooms, the World Learning approach to capacity building is comprehensive, systemic, and highly adaptive.

We use an innovative approach to improve performance management that includes: systematically researching current capacity, collaboratively setting performance goals and objectives with key stakeholders, identifying organizational shortcomings at the three levels of performance (institutional, systems, and individual), identifying environmental, cultural, and other challenges, implementing systemic, strategic, and measurable capacity strengthening solutions including technical assistance, training, resource enrichment, and more. We draw on USAID’s Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) principles to address barriers to performance. Many of our staff are certified in Performance Improvement methodology, a designation granted by the International Society for Performance Improvement. We also employ capacity development tools, such as our Participatory Institutional Analysis (PIA), to provide programs with the necessary flexibility and technical know-how to meet partner needs. Our training programs are results-focused with measurable outcomes related to specific objectives. Training is designed to improve the knowledge and skills of individuals and may range from short-term workshops to multi-year academic programs. For some courses, World Learning offers academic accreditation through our SIT Graduate Institute. To ensure consistency and high quality, World Learning trainers complete a rigorous certification process.

6.b.: Grants Management: Every grant is the result of World Learning's tried and tested approach to recruiting applicants, reviewing proposals, assessing institutional capacity, and ensuring the effective use of donor funds. World Learning leads in the use of grantmaking as a development tool. A hallmark of our approach is combining funding for local activities with targeted technical assistance and training. Many of our grants also promote buy-in by matching contributions from partners in the community. We have worked with individual NGOs as well as networks and intermediary organizations in development sectors ranging from health and education to democracy and enterprise development. We have managed grants programs with total funds as large as $79 million; individual grants have ranged from as little as $500 to as much as $3.5 million. Regardless of the level of funding provided, each grant was the result of World Learning's tried and tested approach to recruiting applicants, reviewing proposals, assessing institutional capacity, and ensuring the effective use of donor funds. We have extensive experience in managing and dispersing grants under USAID and other donor funded programs.

Along with this experience, World Learning has developed tools and mechanisms to evaluate and select grantee organizations to assure their viability for participation in our projects and beyond. At the crossroads of capacity development and grant making is the Participatory Institutional Analysis (PIA), which measures the sophistication and developmental stages of partner organizations in a number of areas and supports them as they plan to improve. Our grants management approach includes hands-on training and mentoring for grantees, which—together with the performance analysis—assures grantees' sustainability throughout the project and beyond. This approach also ensures that donor goals are met under each award.