Project title: Developing Civil Society in Support of Regional Development in Moldova;

Implementation period: July 13, 2011 – December 15, 2011;

Funded by: Soros Foundation - Moldova, East-East Partnership Beyond Borders Program;

Partners: Czech-INVENT Technological Agency (Czech Republic);

Project goal: This project was the third one in the series of projects that EXPERT-GRUP implemented in partnership with the Czech-INVENT Technological Agency (Czech Republic). The key goal of the project was to provide the Moldovan Regional Development Agencies and local/regional NGOs with practical experience and skills developed in the Czech Republic in the past two decades on identification, initiation and preparation of regional development projects.

Main activities:

• Selecting Moldovan participants to the project;
• Organizing a hands-on training on preparation of projects for regional development;
• Organizing a study trip for 15 project participants to the Czech Republic;
• Providing support to project beneficiaries in preparation of development projects;
• Organizing regional seminars for presentation and marketing of regional development projects formulated by project participants.

Main outputs and outcomes:

• Moldovan regional participants received training and knowhow enabling them to identify, select, prepare and defend projects they deemed important for the development of their municipalities and regions;
• A total number of 14 projects were prepared and are ready to apply for financing/co-financing with potential donors.

Project impact:

The project had positive impact on participants’ abilities to create meaningful regional social and economic development projects. As the Moldovan regional development agencies have only been established very recently and lack examples and best practice on how to actively pursue regional development goals, the project strengthened capacities of regional development agencies and their nongovernmental counterparts. This, in turn, should lead to increase of number of locally developed regional development projects; and, ultimately, to accelerated social and economic transformation of Moldovan regions with all associated positive effects (job creation, higher competitiveness of the regions, improved standard of living etc.).