Rural development
Rural development
Local development in the Black Sea Region
Partnership for community development in unitarian villages
Environmental management for flooded areas in the Odorhei region
Integrated Local Development. Pilot Project in Savadisla, Mihai Viteazu and Coltesti
Partnership for development of rural Unitarian villages in Valea Homorodului
Local Development Agent – course support in Hungarian
Local development in the Black Sea Region
- Collecting best practice models in the field of rural and local development and elaborating a guide in CD format with the theme: Developing rural communities – best practice models in the Black Sea region
- Organizing a workshop on the topic of local development for entities and professionals who activate mostly in rural areas
- Improving the communication and creating partnership between the entities in the field of local development
- Promoting best practice models and sharing practical experience within the participants
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Partnership for community development in unitarian villages
The competition organized in October 2oo7 had fives winners. The following unitarian communities and ideas became support:
- Karácsonyfalva conposesorate - To renovate the kitchen at the community building
- Unitarian Community of Homoródszentpéter - To renovate and modify the church school into a consulting room
- Unitarian Community of Kénos - To construct a sports field for the community
- Unitarian Community of Oklánd - To enlarge the Village Museum of Oklánd
- Unitarian Community of Firtosváralja - Village stewardship for the three small communities (Énlaka, Firtosváralja, Székelypálfalva)
Funder: Project Harvest Hope (USA)
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RuralNet is a network of 24 non-governmental organizations, which work in the field of community development. RuralNet was formed in answer to the needs of organizations actively involved in rural development. At present, it is one of the most dynamic networks that work in the Romanian non-governmental sphere.
Though it is not institutionalized, the network benefited from financial support from the German Marshall Fund. The implementation of RuralNet Development projects funded by from this source, ended in February 2006. The responsibilities of Civitas Foundation in this project, as an active member of the network, were the preparation of the network’s development strategy, and publishing of a Guide for Community Development. The Guide is a textbook of values and principles, standards, case studies and key terms in community development. All the members of the network collaborated to make the Guide a reality.
In May 2006, on behalf of the network, a new project was submitted. The purpose of this project was to increase the involvement of the network in the preparation and monitoring of community and rural development policies in Romania. Thus, RuralNet is intended to become a partner of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development in the preparation of policies that concern the rural development. German Marshall Fund has accepted the financing of this new project, in which Civitas Foundation has the role of monitoring the implementation of the National Development Plan, increasing the network visibility (including the preparation of a plan/policy for this), attracting of new members to the
network and maintaining/developing partnerships with NGOs, networks, universities, local and central authorities, etc.
Period of implementation: August 2005 - July 2007
Funder: German Marshall Fund
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Environmental management for flooded areas in the Odorhei region
The main objectives of the project are: the introduction of the environmental protection aspects in the development strategies at a local level, and increasing the involvement and collaboration of the communities in the target region in the decision-making process (specifically in the area of environmental issues).
This project continues the work begun after the floods of August 2005. At that time, together with several civil organizations and Local Public Administrations (APLs) in Odorhei area, we initiated a partnership to speed recovery from the disaster. Among the implementation locations, we would like to highlight Lupeni, Simonesti, Corund, Porumbenii Mari, Dealu, Feliceni and Mugeni, which were affected by floods. The target group is made up of representatives of the local authorities and public institutions, civil organizations, citizens and businesspersons from the target communities. 
In the first three months of the project, we organized seminars and workshops in each partner commune, and a seminar to inaugurate the project in Odorheiu Secuiesc. At this seminar we presented information on environmental law (Romanian and European), ways to prevent pollution, and about community, and local development.
The seminars and workshops will contribute to the enrichment and training of several persons of the target communities, who, after 1 January 2007 will be able to facilitate the development initiatives of their own communities. These persons will work within, and be supported by the national Local Development Agent network.
Period of implementation: October 2006 – September 2007
Funder: European Union – Phare 2004 Civil Society Development Program
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Integrated Local Development. Pilot Project in Savadisla, Mihai Viteazu and Coltesti
Since 2002, Civitas Foundation has been involved in Mihai Viteazu and Savadisla communities, implementing the project “Community Promoter, pilot program in Cluj and Bistrita-Nasaud”. The local councils of the two villages were among the partners of this project. In 2004, once the project for Transylvania Highway (Bors-Brasov) had begun, the members of Bechtel Company launched the idea of implementing certain community projects, in order to support the communities crossed by the highway. Thus, the Company and Civitas Foundation developed a partnership. 
This partnership was extended to other organizations. The financing for this project comes from the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Program offered by Microsoft. Civitas Foundation submitted an application and obtained the financing for the implementation of this project. The project began in July 2005, and it will last three years. Further more, due to the support offered by Microsoft Romania, the initiative was extended to another community in Alba County, Coltesti village of Rimetea commune.
Objectives:
- facilitate the access to information
- development of the abilities necessary to integrate into the labour market (use of computer, English language, project management, agricultural tourism) and utilize the opportunities offered by the building of the highway
- community mobilization to organize local development priorities and apply them
- increase commune visibility
The project represents a model for learning, using information and community development, based on the use of information technology (through the community centre) and the qualified human resource (the LDA).
The following activities were performed through the end of 2006:
- three community centres renovated and equipped
- formation of a local initiative group in each commune
- organization of courses – computer skills, English language – at the community centres; the courses on computer skills were delivered according to a special course support offered by Microsoft Romania; almost 360 persons have attended the courses organized at the community centres to date, and almost 500 have been referred to these centres for various services (Internet, printing, copying, phone, information)
- organization of meetings and debates of the initiative groups (debates on local development strategy, and SWOT analysis), presentation of financing opportunities (presentation of the active measures within SAPARD program), presentation of the community development process (presented by lecturers from “Babes-Bolyai” University), debates referring to the need of determining micro-regions, and accessibility of projects within Leader program
- web pages for the two communities (Mihai Viteazu and Savadisla; for Rimetea commune, the site is under construction)
- organization of community forums/community days, events that are organized annually in these communes. This year, due to the involvement of the LDA and financial support of this project, the events were special (these events were organized in each village of Sãvãdisla commune)
At “Gala societatii civile – 2006” (Civil Society Gala), Civitas Foundation received the Special Award, for the category “Economic and Social Development” for the project “Integrated Local Development – pilot project”.
Period of implementation: July 2005 – June 2008
Funder: Microsoft Romania - Unlimited Potential Program
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Partnership for development of rural Unitarian villages in Valea Homorodului
In 2005, Project Harvest Hope of the United States, Harvest Hope Pro Horomod and Civitas Foundation initiated a partnership. This partnership was formed to support the Unitarian communities in Valea Homorodului. The project is based on the Local Development Agent (LDA) model, (which was initially designed to function within the local public administration) but with a new dimension. In this pilot project, the LDAs belong to the Unitarian church.
Since 1998, Harvest Hope Pro Homorod has worked on the economic and 
community development of Unitarian villages. For this project, we initially selected the following local communities: Inlaceni, Craciunel, Sanpetru, Chinusu, Ocland, Meresti and Darjiu. Eventually, because we could not find devoted people, we started the project only in five communities.
The project started with a training for the young people chosen to be LDAs (who would eventually organize action groups). After the problems of the community were analyzed, we prioritized the actions to be performed, and defined the strategies of these communities. Between May 20th and June 1st, we organized the conference: “Sustainable Rural Development before its Achievement”, in Ilieni, Covasna County. At this conference we held discourse on community and rural development. The participants from these villages presented their completed development plans in workshops at the conference.
The LDAs within the Unitarian Church are members of the network of Regional Development Agents, and thus, through the Regional Centre in Odorheiu Secuiesc we will support, counsel and inform them indefinitely.
Period of implementation: December 2005 – May 2006
Funder: Project Harvest Hope (USA)
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Local Development Agent – course support in Hungarian
Local Development Agent (LDA) is one of Civitas Foundation’s most important active programs in the field of rural development. One basic element of this program is developing human resources capacity of local public administration in rural areas.
The LDA, as a resource person in the local community, benefits from an initial training within the program, to acquire the necessary knowledge for development activities. To make the training of LDAs more efficient, this year, together with our partners (CAR, ADETIM, CENPO, UBB Cluj), we have prepared a volume of supporting course materials. These materials treat the important themes: local economic development, community development, public policies, organization and functioning of local public administration, management of local communities, project management, organizational communication, fundraising and team building.
As Civitas Foundation coordinates the activities of the LDAs in the North–Western and Central development areas, where important Hungarian communities are settled, there have been applications for LDA trainings in Hungarian, in addition to trainings in Romanian.
To address this need, the Civitas Foundation translated five chapters of the publication “Local Development Agent”: local development, public policies, project management, fundraising and team building. This project was financed by the Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad.
Period of implementation: November 2006 – December 2006
Funder: Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad – Hungary, “Szülõföld” Program
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Often, the local public administration is the sole institution actively involved in the development of rural communities. To address this reality, and need to increase the capacity of the local public administration to prepare and implement local development policies, Civitas Foundation and its partners from the Consortium for Rural Development (Public Policies Centre, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences within Babes–Bolyai University, Economic Development Agency of Timis County, and the Rural Assistance Centre) are implementing the Local Development Agent (LDA) model at a national level. 
This initiative has benefited from the financial support of Open Society Institute and German Marshall Fund. It is based on two pilot programs, namely Local Development Agent (initiated by Civitas Foundation) and Local Promoters (initiated by the Rural Assistance Centre). The present LDA model exists in two forms. The Local Development Agent is a person employed within the local public administration, micro-regional association local NGO. The LDA’s basic task, based on abilities, knowledge and information, is to actively support local development. LDAs do this by facilitating preparation of the local development strategy, developing and implementing projects, identifying and building partnerships, and increasing the visibility of their community (i.e. updating the village web site).
The following activities have been executed to promote and implement this model around Romania:
- six resource centres have been settled and are functional (Civitas Foundation coordinates three of these centres in Cluj-Napoca, Odorheiul Secuiesc and Botosani) – they promote the model, assist the local in the selection and training of the local development agents and coordinate and assist LDAs activities;
- coaching and training sessions for the coordinators of the resource centres;
- training sessions for the LDAs;
- publication of an information booklet (5 issues of RoLDA);
- completion of a policy paper, as an argument for the introduction of the model at the top level of the public administration in Romania;
- formation of a discussion group (on yahoo groups) of the LDAs;
- construction of a web site for the program (www.lda.ro);
- regional conferences organized in the large municipalities of the country, which mayors, local councillors and representatives of the county councils attend;
- national conference organized in Bucharest in which representatives of the central administration and members of the parliament participated;
- international conference held in Timisoara for the promotion of the Local Development Agent model in other South–Eastern European countries (Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Macedonia, etc.). 70 persons from 14 countries participated to this event. The LDA model, Policy Paper, similar models from Romania and from other participating countries were presented at this conference.
Because of our efforts through the end of 2006, 170 new LDAs joined the approximately 80 LDAs that existed in 2004. The total number of the LDA is now 250. 50 LDAs are in the coordination area of the resource centre in Cluj–Napoca, 24 in the area of the resource centre in Odorheiu Secuiesc and 24 in the resource centre in Botosani (also coordinated by Civitas). These persons participated to training courses in community development, project and fundraising management, organization and functioning of local public administration, and public policy. Even if the stability challenge of the LDAs has not been solved yet, the results obtained in certain cases are remarkable: during the previous year, one local development agent succeeded in submitting five financing applications for a total value of 619.000 EURO.
During this same period, due to the new framework offered by an amendment of the local public administration law, and the programs of the European Union for rural development (i.e. “Leader+” program), the LDAs have decided to form micro-regional associations. This will enable them to cooperatively manage certain public services and increase co-financing capacity, giving them better access to certain European and governmental programs. For example, in Cluj County, in 2006, two such associations were formed with Civitas Foundation’s support; two others are in progress. There are also two micro-regional associations in Bistrita–Nasaud County, which are functional and began producing remarkable results in the previous year. Both these associations were coordinated by LDAs.
In conclusion, even if the financing for the project had ended in August 2006, the LDA network exists and is still developing, without financial support from the central or county institutions. Moreover, because both European Union and governmental funds can only be accessed through fundamental projects based on local development strategies, several local councils and town halls have expressed their wish for our support in selecting, training and assisting an LDA.
Period of implementation: April 2004 – March 2006
Funders: Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) Budapest, German Marshall Fund, Open Society Institute – East-East Program