Open Society Institute-Sofia has been managing and providing grants since its foundation in 1990 and has a significant contribution to the development and consolidation of the Bulgarian sector of civil society. In the last 20 years OSI-Sofia has been gaining extensive valuable experience in management, including expertise in developing and implementing detailed procedures for programme/project cycle management based on the principles of good governance and the best practices in awarding grants. Since 1994 the activities of OSI-Sofia regarding the provision of grants have been subject to a separate specialized external audit performed by internationally recognized auditing companies.
Open Society Institute-Sofia, in partnership with Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, is the Operator of the NGO Prtogramme in Bulgaria, funded by the FM of EEA, in the period 2009-2014. Within this programme the two organizations of the consortium have supported over 450 projects and initiatives of Bulgarian NGOs and contributed for increasing the capacity and sustainability of the civil society sector in Bulgaria. The programme is assessed as one of the best managed by the contracting authority – the EEA Financial Mechanism, which is the managing body of all programmes under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area.
As a leading organization, OSI-Sofia has considerable experience and knowledge about the EEA regulations regarding the management of grants for NGOs. The Institute developed an information system for filing electronic proposal for grants which is highly effective and appreciated by the users (97% degree of satisfaction according to the survey). Therefore, the consortium is the first donor outside the country providing and managing the awarded grants electronically, which improves transparency considerably whereas the bureaucratic burden for the beneficiaries decreases significantly.
More significant contracts for grant management:
- Active Citizens Fund in Bulgaria under the FM of EEA 2014 -2021 (2018-2023)
- Students Innovations Programme (2016-2017)
- NGO Programme in Bulgaria under the FM of EEA 2009-2014 (2013-2017)
- Making the Most of EU Funds for Roma (2007-2015)
- Summer Fellowship Roma Program at the US Embassy (2012, 2013, 2014)
- Medics of Tomorrow Roma Scholarship Program (2012-2014)
- Research Scholarships in the Field of Roma Integration Policies (2012)
- Internship Programme for Young Roma in the Private Sector – Bridge to Business (2012-2013)
- Fifth Internship Programme for Young Roma at the National Assembly of R. Bulgaria (2011-2012)
- Pluralism versus Populism in times of Crisis (2011)
- Empowering the Powerless (04/2007 -04/2009; 4/2010 – 5/2012)
