BACKGROUND

Towards a More Sustainable and Innovative Civil Society in Serbia is a two-year direct grant implemented by Smart Kolektiv, a Serbian civil society organization (CSO). This project increases the capacities of CSOs to establish cross-sectoral partnerships, engage in social entrepreneurship, and diversify their funding resources. At the same time, the project works with the business community to increase its engagement with CSOs and promote innovative philanthropy mechanisms and corporate social responsibility (CRS).

ACTIVITIES

The project, through Smart Kolektiv, supports over 200 civil society organizations with various forms of capacity building and networking, such as trainings, matching grants, mentorship support, and educational tools.

It also facilitates partnerships between the private, public, and civil sectors. By engaging existing networks such as the Business Leaders Forum (BLF) and the Social Economic Network of Serbia (SENS), the project pulls these various sectors together to build CSO capacity, improve corporate social responsibility, grow Serbia’s philanthropic culture, support social entrepreneurship, and advocate for the legislative framework for addressing these issues. For instance, the project organizes several annual forums on corporate social responsibility and social innovation, including “CSO Marketplace.” “CSO Marketplace” is a business fair that provides CSOs and social enterprises the opportunity to present cooperation proposals to private companies. The project also is developing a Community Index online tool that will help the public gauge the quality of a company’s engagement in the community. 

Project funded by:

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Serbia)

Project implemented by:

Smart Kolektiv

Where we work:

Novi Sad, Subotica, Niš, Kragujevac, Pirot, Užice, Kraljevo, and Kruševac.

Project duration:

January 2014 – September 2016.

Total amount:  $345,100

USAID contribution:  $320,000

Smart Kolektiv:  $25,100

Contact:

Svetozara Markovica 42a,

11000 Belgrade

Phone: +381-11 26 59 700

Fax:  +381-11 26 59 700

E-mail:  office@smartkolektiv.org

Website:  www.smartkolektiv.org

Social media: https://www.facebook.com/smart.kolektiv