Cross-Border Operating Programs
Background:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia share a compact geographic are, many common cultural practices, and a long, interlinked history. Despite these deep ties, cross-border relations and collaborative efforts on a regional scale have diminished significantly since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Much of this can be attributed to the lingering political impasse between Armenian and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but deep-rooted socioeconomic hardships and introspective attitudes have also contributed significantly to this state of affairs.
In 1998, Eurasia Foundation launched the South Caucasus Cross-Border Programs, a unique initiative designed to address shared regional challenges by developing common approaches, as well as by exchanging experiences and innovative ideas among engaged citizen groups in the South Caucasus.
Since 1998, the Programs invested over 6 million in grants and technical assistance to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia by supporting more than 150 trilateral projects in such areas as independent media strengthening, economic development, environmental protection, and public policy development.
Goal:
EPF’s Cross-Border programs promote confidence building across the region of the South Caucasus by leveraging regional economies of scale, exchanging regional and international best practices, sharing innovative ideas, and fostering cooperative networks among civil society, media, and businesses from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Strategy:
EPF Cross-Border Programs in 2009 fall into four main directions: South Caucasus Citizen Empowerment to promote inclusive and transparent decision-making on public policy issues in the South Caucasus; South Caucasus Creative Commons (CC) to adapt the CC licensing system to intellectual property rights frameworks in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia; Unbiased Media Coverage of Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations to increase the amount of accurate and unbiased reporting of the bilateral relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan; and South Caucasus Public Policy Capacity Building to improve the quality of policy analysis in the countries of the South Caucasus.
UNSOLICITED CROSS-BORDER PROPOSALS:
Review and Quarterly Deadlines
EPF’s Cross-Border Programs support multi-country projects/programs implemented by partnerships of organizations from the two or the three countries of the South Caucasus and/or a wider region.
Organizations officially registered in Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Georgia are eligible to submit proposals to the EPF Cross-Border Programs. EPF gives preference to proposals submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations, and educational institutions. For-profit entities should prove that they will use grant funds for charitable and educational purposes, and that the activity contemplated will produce a significant public good.
EPF Cross-Border Programs may solicit cross-border project applications through grant competitions, invited proposals, or may receive unsolicited cross-border proposals through the open door. Depending on the application method, Program’s staff follows specific proposal review guidelines for competitions, invited proposals, or the “open-door”.
Unsolicited cross-border proposals received under the “open-door” are reviewed on a quarterly basis:
-Proposals received in January-March are reviewed during April; applicants receive EPF’s response by the end of April the latest
-Proposals received in April-June are reviewed during July; applicants receive EPF’s response by the end of July the latest
-Proposals received in July-September are reviewed during October; applicants receive EPF’s response by the end of October the latest
-Proposals received in October-December are reviewed during January next year; applicants receive EPF’s response by the end of January the latest.
EPF guarantees the confidentiality of applications. EPF does not use information presented by the applicants for purposes other than review and does not provide this information to any outside persons or institutions, except in cases where it is required by Armenian, Azerbaijani, or Georgian law, or by the Eurasia Foundation’s donors.
In this section:
Invitation to the Conference: The EU and Civil Society in the South Caucasus: a Common Effort to Build Sustainable Peace
Grant Competition for Social Enterprises
Call for Participants: Getting Involved!
Public Discussions: European Integration and Eastern Partnership: Challenges and Opportunities
