Belarus 2012

Civic Education
$36,100
To educate Belarus' future leaders through western-style curricula and teaching methods. The organization will support students’ independent study of civics, history, economics, law, journalism and politics in Minsk and several regions.

$27, 290
To provide teachers with informational, methodological, and operational assistance in undertaking and promoting independent civic education initiatives. The organization will maintain its resource center for teachers, publish six issues of its informational bulletin, develop a multimedia DVD of teaching materials, support teachers' civic education initiatives, upgrade its website, and conduct a series of thematic meetings for educators.

Democratic Ideas and Values
$19,830
To strengthen the capacity of young analysts and think tanks. During an important election year, the organization will conduct research, produce several publications, and organize public discussions in the regions on such topics as Belarus-EU relations and the relationship between democratization and a market economy. The think tank will organize public events, create video podcasts, and publish a series of articles and booklets.

$20,230
To foster civic activism and freedom of information in Grodno region. The organization will convene a series of meetings and organize competitions to encourage youth to become active in preserving historic landmarks. The NGO will also produce historical publications and organize a series of independent cultural events.

$21,420
To provide a public space for independent, cultural events promoting youth activism. The organization will hold approximately 150 cultural events, including meetings with prominent public figures, lectures and discussions, concerts and other musical events, theatrical productions, art exhibitions, trainings and movie screenings.

$62,250
To encourage independent analysis and solutions to Belarus' social, political and economic crisis. To support and publicize public policy recommendations by young researchers, the NGO will organize calls for proposals, support research projects and policy papers, and publicize their findings at public events and through the media.

$95,174
To strengthen independent culture, civic activism, and national identity. In cooperation with leading independent cultural groups, the organization will organize more than 150 concerts, book readings, historical excursions, art exhibitions and other cultural events throughout Belarus.

Freedom of Information
$13,000
To publish a leading independent journal of ideas. During an important election year, the organization will print 750 copies of a unique monthly publication and subsidize its subscription costs to libraries and institutions of higher learning.

$85,200
To produce an independent, online newspaper. The media outlet’s website serves as a source of objective political, economic and social information for civil society and ordinary citizens. In an important election year, about 100 new pieces of material will be added each day, including 10 articles and five multimedia pieces.

$48,380
To defend freedom of information. The organization will monitor, document and disseminate information about media rights violations, as well as provide support to local journalists and media.

$30,972
To increase access to independent Belarusian publications. The organization will expand its free online library of important books, journals, articles, and documents on Belarusian politics, human rights, civil society, history, literature and culture.

$24,953
To support and safeguard independent news and information websites. The organization will expand its online service that secures and supports independent Belarusian media outlets. The NGO will continue to provide safe, reliable hosting and technical support for participants, develop new websites, upgrade and enhance current websites, and provide trainings for media professionals and legal and tax consultations for media outlets.

$23,315
To improve the quality and quantity of independent youth publications. The organization will conduct trainings for young activists, create a handbook on self-publishing, cover the basic printing costs of up to seven new editions, offer technical and editorial support, and ensure stable monthly print runs 800 copies for five existing publications.

$16,520
To offer objective news and information in Vitebsk region and operate two crowdsourcing new media tools during an important election period. The organization will maintain a popular regional news website and operate two Ushahidi platforms that track events resulting from the country’s political and economic crisis, and election-related developments, including fraud and falsification.

$21,700
To expand an independent online newspaper. During an important election year, the media outlet will update its website daily, increase the number of original articles on political, economic and human rights issues, add new columns, make the site more interactive, and promote it offline and through online social networks.

$26,371
To support youth media and activism. The organization’s website will inform and educate young people about their civil and human rights, as well as commemorate the history of the first generation of youth in independent Belarus and tell their story through a series of multimedia materials. The NGO will also organize trainings, thematic meetings, and a youth festival.

$46,100
To broaden the reach and impact of independent media. The organization will produce pocket books and multimedia DVDs on independent culture and democracy-related topics, and distribute them at launch events throughout the country.

$23,540
To understand public views on democracy-related topics during an important election year. The think tank will conduct public opinion surveys on the attitudes of Belarusians before and after the September 2012 parliamentary elections. The results will be disseminated by independent media and the think tank’s webpage, e-bulletin and print newsletter.

$42,360
To support an independent news website that covers politics, economics, and social developments in Belarus.

$35,400
To produce and disseminate an independent email newspaper. The media outlet will also expand its popular news and information website.

$37,720
To publish an independent newspaper. In the aftermath of the September 2012 parliamentary elections, the weekly publication will increase its print run by approximately 10 percent.

$66,000
To support an independent print and online newspaper. In an important election year, the publication will raise its weekly print run and expand its online version.

$45,000
To publish a leading independent newspaper during an important election year.

$46,800
To print and distribute an important independent newspaper. The publication will produce at least 48 weekly issues during an important election year.

$10,870
To strengthen independent, objective information in Brest region. The organization will maintain and upgrade its news website and provide free legal assistance to readers.

$17,640
To expand an independent online news and information source in Grodno region. During an election year, the media outlet will update its website daily and post 150 articles a month on social, political, economic and cultural developments impacting the region and country.

$52,085
To help insure the viability of the independent regional press. In an election year, the organization will assist in publishing local and regional newspapers, allowing the publications to increase either their circulation or number of pages while keeping their prices competitive with state-subsided publications.

$55,620
To produce a leading online newspaper. The media outlet will increase its coverage of the country's political and economic crises, upcoming parliamentary elections, and regional news from citizens' perspectives.

$36,292
To improve the quality and quantity of independent publications in Mogilev region. The organization will cover the basic operating costs of producing and publishing regional and local editions, and organize training seminars to increase the skills of local editors and journalists.

$132,980
To print and distribute an independent newspaper. The media outlet will produce 28 issues of its weekly publication and distribute it in 35 districts of the country’s six regions, plus the city of Minsk. The newspaper will inform and educate citizens about the country’s economic and political crisis, particularly prior to the September 2012 parliamentary elections.

$23,360
To support an independent website that covers political developments. The media outlet will expand its reporting in the run up and aftermath of the September 2012 parliamentary elections. During the campaigns, the website will offer information about candidates and platforms, as well as document election-related violations and falsifications.

$23,375
To support youth media and activism. The organization will expand its youth website, publish a monthly electronic bulletin, and organize a festival of Internet videos.

$21,290
To support a leading regional news website. During an important election year, the media outlet will continue to increase its audience and expand its outreach in the Vitebsk region.

Human Rights
$49,973
To promote freedom of movement. The organization will educate Belarusians about the visa liberalization issue and advocate for its positive resolution by recruiting and training a team of young activists, who will carry out an information and advocacy campaign with meetings, roundtables, public appeals, art exhibitions, and a conference.

$28,958
To foster the rule of law and defend human rights. The organization will monitor the treatment of political prisoners, document and publicize violations of their rights, and advocate domestically and internationally for improvements in the conditions in which they are being held. The NGO will promote the accountability of those overseeing prisons, and improve the legal consciousness of prisoners and society as a whole.

$50,812
To train a new generation of human rights lawyers. The organization will train Belarusian lawyers in applying international human rights standards to domestic and international cases. Through a series of trainings, consultations, seminars, and networking events, the lawyers will learn to effectively argue human rights cases before Belarusian courts and the UN Human Rights Committee.

$20,812
To defend political and civil rights. The organization will assist political and civic activists whose rights have been violated, especially in the run up to the September 2012 parliamentary elections, and offer free legal aid to citizens.

$55,000
To promote human rights. The organization will provide legal and humanitarian aid to activists facing persecution as a result of their political and civic activities, particularly long-term political prisoners and their families and activists repressed in the run up to the country's September 2012 parliamentary elections.

$64,865
To monitor, defend and promote human rights. During an important election year, the organization will render legal and other assistance to citizens whose rights have been violated, especially prior to the September 2012 parliamentary election.

$20,000
To advocate for and promote human rights. The organization will continue operating a website that spotlights the crackdown against civil society in 'Europe's last dictatorship.'

$26,690
To defend political and civil rights. The organization will provide legal assistance to political and civil society activists, and free legal aid to citizens.

$52,044
To highlight human rights issues. The organization will assist Belarusian directors in producing short documentary movies on human rights and democracy issues and preparing a further six for production. The films will be screened at selected movie festivals, shown on TV stations and disseminated through various social networks.

NGO Strengthening
$21,780
To support civic initiatives in Mogilev region. The organization will upgrade and expand a regional web portal that offers local and national news and information, publish a bulletin, maintain a legal advice reception room, convene civic discussion meetings and conduct a 'Blogger School' for regional activists.

$24,950
To inform and foster youth activism in Brest region. The organization will recruit and train new volunteers and engage young people in civic campaigns targeting key issues in their communities. The NGO will also produce independent bulletins and an email newsletter, and organize petition campaigns on pressing local issues.

$38,790
To support civic initiatives and independent news sources in Minsk region. The organization will serve as a NGO resource center and support regional and local workshops, meetings, civic actions and independent print and Internet publications.

$19,450
To encourage civic activism at the local level in Minsk. The organization will plan and lead citizens' advocacy campaigns on pressing local issues in Minsk, produce and publicize a toolkit to help residents address local problems, and promote citizens' participation in local decision making processes.

$19,810
To foster civic initiatives in Minsk region. The organization will organize a series of local civic campaigns focusing on environmental issues, publish a monthly bulletin, and conduct a series of roundtables bringing together activists from different sectors to highlight local issues ahead of the September 2012 parliamentary elections.

$20,535
To support civil society in Mogilev region. The organization will produce and distribute an independent newspaper, print a series of local news bulletins, hold meetings on local problems, conduct training seminars, and organize civic actions in the region.

$79,223
To increase the capacity of civil society. Through a series of training seminars, the organization will assist Belarusian regional and local organizations and initiatives in increasing their organizational capacity and improving their communications and outreach.

$23,651
To strengthen and protect Belarusian NGOs. The organization will provide information, advice and legal consultations to assist Belarusian NGOs to legally register abroad. The grantee will create a website to facilitate the registration process.

$19,557
To increase the effectiveness of assistance to Belarusian civil society. The group will convene an international meeting of organizations working in Belarus. The event will bring together up to 90 Belarusian NGO activists with 50-70 international partners.

$39,990
To educate Belarusian citizens about civil society and inspire them to be more civically active. The organization will produce short video documentaries profiling Belarusian civil society activists and organizations. The clips will be broadcast into Belarus, posted on websites, and distributed on DVDs. The organization will also train Belarusian activists on how to promote their civic organizations and initiatives by producing their own videos.

$49,540
To assist civil society initiatives in Gomel region. The organization will support resource centers in the region which assist NGO activities and independent publishing initiatives in 19 districts. The NGO will produce bulletins and other independent publications, and support independent websites.

$47,355
To support civic initiatives in Vitebsk region. The organization assists a network of NGOs and civic initiatives in four districts, produces local publications, conducts roundtables bringing together local activists, and organizes civic actions.

$51,814
To strengthen the capacity of the third sector. The organization will conduct training workshops and provide consultations to grassroots initiative groups, organize study visits abroad for Belarusian civic activists, and support local initiatives.

$24,756
To improve the outreach capabilities of civic initiatives. The organization will conduct training seminars in Belarus' regions for civic activists who are not yet using social media. The organization will also provide online support to activists who are new users of social networks in district centers.

$47,585
To engage new activists in civil society activities. The organization will conduct a summer school for young activists, organize meetings around the country to promote reforms and foster civic activism, produce a monthly bulletin, and maintain a website.

$11,000
To expand civic activism in Brest region. The organization and a NGO coalition will organize civic campaigns advocating for resolution of local problems, hold a cultural festival, conduct a local environmental campaign, convene roundtables for local civic and political activists, and publish a bulletin.

$22,039
To foster civil society in Vitebsk region. The organization will assist the activities of NGO resource centers which are conducting independent publishing, legal aid, and other assistance programs for nascent NGOs and independent publications.

$16,606
To assist civic initiatives in Vitebsk region. The organization will support civic initiatives, organize meetings on democracy-related issues between well-known, national pro-democratic figures and local activists, and oversee a series of independent cultural events.

$30,740
To promoting civil society in Mogilev region. During an important election year, the organization will serve as a resource center for civic activists and organizations, publish an independent newspaper, organize civic campaigns focusing on local issues, and update its website.

$23,360
To assist civic activism among small entrepreneurs. During an election year, the organization will convene expert group meetings on the country’s political and economic situation, conduct awareness campaigns, and produce informational materials.

$10,000
To strengthen civil society in Minsk region. The organization will hold seminars for local activists and journalists, arrange study visits to other regions, and organize visits of legal advisors to NGOs and civic initiatives in the region. The initiative will maintain its website and office, which serves as regional resource center.

$20, 995
To foster civil society in Grodno region. The organization will offer legal aid and education to activists and residents; produce brochures, leaflets, DVDs and other informational materials; conduct trainings and study visits for activists; and hold more than two dozen public events.

$54,160
To assist independent civic initiatives in Mogilev region. The organization and its partners will operate resource centers that serve the region's independent initiatives, publish a regional NGO bulletin, and conduct training seminars for local activists.

$24,804
To strengthen civil society in Vitebsk region. The organization will hold a training workshop for independent journalists, support local NGOs and civil society initiatives, and provide support to regional resource centers.

$36,290
To assist youth and student organizations. The organization will foster youth activism by convening meetings in the capital and regions, conducting training seminars for regional leaders, supporting local civic initiatives, organizing independent cultural events, producing a brochure on youth issues, and operating its website.

Political Processes
$12,470
To foster free and fair elections. The organization will monitor media coverage of the September 2012 parliamentary elections. A team will track the news and analytical presentations of state and independent television programs, newspapers and Internet sites. Interim assessments and a final report will be produced and distributed.

$19,907
To inform citizens about quality of life issues in Brest region before and after the September 2012 parliamentary elections. The organization will foster debate among the electorate on solutions to local and regional socio-economic challenges.

$77,885
To foster free, fair and transparent elections. The initiative will recruit, train and deploy volunteers to polling stations in 52 cities and towns to observe the voting and turnout during the country's September 2012 parliamentary elections. To inform the public about the results of the monitoring, a special issue of an independent newspaper will be produced and distributed.

$16,526
To inform citizens, mobilize voters and monitor the polls in Vitebsk region for the September 2012 parliamentary elections. The organization will foster debate among the electorate on solutions to local and regional socio-economic challenges and monitor voting stations.

Grant descriptions are from the 2012 NED Annual Report.
http://www.ned.org/publications/annual- ... pe/belarus