• REC Local Grants provide funding for Regional NGOs

Need a new computer? Want to organize a workshop or seminar on environmental problems and solutions? How about holding a poster exhibition that would increase public awareness of environmental issues? Good ideas, but where to find the money to get these projects started? A good first step is to contact your REC local office. They just might be able to help.

The Regional Environmental Center offers local grants to government-registered NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe that are active in the field of the environment. Grants are available up to an annual maximum of ECU 4,000. Applications are evaluated by a local advisory board that judges each application on a few specific criteria, namely need, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, ability and awareness-raising.

Local grants are now available in all of the REC's 13 countries. The most recent additions to the group of 13 were the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which held there first local advisory board meetings late in 1995. These board meetings are held every two or three months, as announced by the local rep in each country.

Use this handy checklist to ensure your application is filled out correctly.

Application Checklist

• Have you included the appropriate proposal cover page, found in Appendix B of the guidelines?
• Did you remember to sign it?
• Have you written a 2- or 3-page narrative statement that includes a description of the project and your NGO, an explanation the project's link to the program's activities, and an explanation of other financial support?
• Have you prepared a detailed budget in US dollars?
• Have you included the project budget, found in Appendix B of the guidelines?
• Have you included a copy of the NGO's Charter or Statute?
• Have you included a CV for the project officer?
• Did you mail the application to the REC local office before the "cut-off date"?