Bowman was part of a REC fact-finding mission that visited Latvia in February to learn about the country's situation, to introduce the REC's services to different groups, and to prepare for the opening of a REC office in Riga later this year. The Riga office will support coordinators in Lithuania and Estonia until offices are opened in those countries. The REC team discussed the economic and environmental situation with key people in NGOs, governments, academic institutions, and other international assistance organizations. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania became eligible for REC earmarked grants (up to ECU 20,000 per project) in 1994. They became eligible for REC local grants (up to ECU 3000 per year for organizational support or small projects) in mid-April 1995.

In Latvia there are about 10 major environmental NGOs, including VAK (Environmental Protection Club) which has over 40 branches throughout the country. "We were impressed that the plans and activities of the Latvian NGOs were very well developed and based on voluntary support," says Alexander Juras. "Despite limited funding, they are initiating some good projects. However, we are concerned that their environmental activities appear to be driven more by the interests of the funding agencies rather than a careful assessment of the country's priority problems."