Developing Social Entrepreneurship In Georgia and Armenia
The goal of the project is to promote social enterprise in Armenia and Georgia as a viable business model for organizations that are driven by both social objectives/mission and profit through training, consulting and grant support to non-profits for concrete entrepreneurial projects.
Supposed date of the start and end of the project:
March/2009 till December/2009 (1st phase)
January/2010 till December/2010 (2nd phase)
Partner institutions taking part on the project:
Eurasia Partnership Foundation
Czech Fundraising Center
The Resource Alliance (UK)
Current situation and the goal of the project
Numerous groups in Georgia lack prospects for employment and opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty. However, many Georgian organizations, both non-profit and for-profit, are working independently and in cooperation with the government to provide social protection services. They are largely dependent on donor funding and, while they sometimes have a strong volunteer base, they lack significant financial resources. There is very little information documented about social enterprise activities in Georgia. The concept can be applied in a multitude of ways depending on the situation and field (i.e. refocusing a for-profit business on social protection activities; creating income-generation opportunities that promote sustainability for non-profits based on their core competencies; or engaging beneficiaries in business activities for better employment opportunities). The goal of the project is to change this situation and to promote the social enterprise model so that organizations could take the time to consider how income-generating activities could simultaneously assist vulnerable populations and improve the organization’s financial sustainability.
Target group identification
The target group includes:
• 30 organizations from Georgia and 30 organizations from Armenia, who will participate in a five-day training (one in Georgia and one in Armenia) conducted by CCF/RA. The training will be followed by 20 days of remote consulting with CCF/RA on preparing a social enterprise plan.
• 3-6 local organizations (up to two per country) that are already engaged in some level of social enterprise, which will be awarded grants funded by EPF. The grants will serve two purposes: 1) to further strengthen the social enterprise program itself and 2) to use these already-existing programs as a showcase for other local organizations in these countries.
• 3-6 local organizations (up to three per country) who will participate in one-on-one site visits with Czech and British organizations.
Additionally we will publish outcomes of the project; this document will be available to every interested NGO in the region.
Outcomes
• Greater awareness of the concept and various models of social enterprise among small businesses and social organizations in Armenia and Georgia
• Social enterprises replicated on a wider scale in Armenia and Georgia
Project activities
1. Analysis of the present condition of social enterprise in Georgia and Armenia (March to September 2009)
2. Training and consultancy for NGOs (October – December 2009)
3. Grant support for NGOs – 1st call (January – December 2010)
4. Study Tour to Czech Republic and the United Kingdom (preparations in April 2010, realization in June 2010)
5. Assessing the Pilot Phase (September to December 2010)
Project team
Eurasia Partnership Foundation team
EPF’s project implementation is leaded by two members of its program management team, Victor Baramia, EPF-Georgia Economic Programs Manager, and Marina Ayvazyan, EPF-Armenia Senior Program Manager. These program managers are responsible for organizing all EPF-led activities, including commissioning research, identifying training participants, conducting a grant competition, managing grant awards and project monitoring.
The Resource Alliance team
RA’s project implementation is leaded by consultant Jana Ledvinova. She is responsible for organizing all RA-led activities, including commissioning research, training preparations, consultations, and project monitoring.
The Czech Funraising Center team
CFC’s project implementation is leaded by three members of its team, Petr Babouček (consultant and financial director), Jan Kroupa (senior consultant) and Markéta Krausová (CEO, program coordinator). These managers are responsible for organizing all CFC-led activities as well as whole project agenda in relation to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, communication of all project partners including the donors, budget pumping, reports and final statement of account.
