Strategic Advocacy Approaches Project

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Strategic Advocacy Approaches Project
Through a small grant program USAID and Belgrade open School help local CSOs improve advocacy practices and bring positive changes to local communities. The organization “Streets for cyclists’ is advocating for amendments to the law on Road safety with a “One meter matters” campaign that would grant active cyclists a safe distance from other traffic participants.
Belgrade Open School

BACKGROUND

The Strategic Advocacy Approaches project is a 4.5-year, $2 million initiative intended to improve cooperation between citizens, civil society and government on identified issues of concern, therefore strengthening participatory democracy in Serbia. The project will help improve the capacity of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strategically implement advocacy initiatives, engage citizens and mobilize local resources. The project will also help advance the enabling environment for advocacy in Serbia.

ACTIVITIES

  • Improve the capacity of CSOs to design and implement advocacy initiatives that take into account citizen needs through mentorship, training and knowledge exchange.
  • Improve CSO communication and outreach skills and practices through use of training, planning and utilization of innovative tools;
  • Conduct research on and monitor CSO advocacy practices in Serbia.
  • Support up to 30 advocacy initiatives through sub-grants.
  • Highlight best advocacy initiatives through “Change Makers” Awards;
  • Improve citizens perception of and engagement in/with CSOs advocacy initiatives;
  • Develop new online tools for advocacy knowledge management.
  • Foster national dialogue between civil society and the government on improving the enabling environment for advocacy in Serbia.

ANTICIPATED results:

  • Increased capacities and strengthened performance of participating CSO’s for design of advocacy strategies and addressing local priorities.
  • More citizens and private sector actors actively participating in and supporting advocacy initiatives
  • Supported advocacy initiatives achieved intended results
  • Improved media coverage of supported advocacy initiatives
  • Civil Society and government increasingly working together to improve the enabling environment for advocacy. 

Project funded by:

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

Project implemented by:

Belgrade Open School (BOS) in partnership with the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, the Balkan Investigative Research Network Serbia

Where we work:

Nationwide

Project duration:

November 2018 – May 2023

Total amount: 

$2,000,000

Contact:

Bulevar Oslobodjenja 177

11000 Belgrade

Phone: +381 11 30 65 800 

E-mail:    bos@bos.rs

Website: http://www.bos.rs/

Web platform: https://javnozagovaranje.bos.rs/

Social media: https://www.facebook.com/bos.rs/

 

PRINTABLE VERSION OF STRATEGIC ADVOCACY APPROACHES FACT SHEET