Work with Civil Society
MAAC recognizes a number of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Armenia having an impact on corruption in targeted sectors and a strong desire and commitment by a large number of others, throughout the country, to become engaged in the anti-corruption activities. However, even when combined, they represent only a small segment of civil society that can and should be involved in anti-corruption work, directly or as part of their core mission. In particular, assistance is required to enable civil society to play a major role of advocating for and demanding system-level changes in government.
As a strategy MAAC will assist CSOs, including NGOs, professional associations, trade-unions, media-related organizations, public education organizations, think tanks, etc., in implementing innovative projects/activities aimed at reducing corruption risks and manifestations in various sectors of the Armenian society by providing grants, technical assistance and trainings. MAAC’s Small Grants Program will focus exclusively on anti-corruption activities and will include two categories: 1) projects and 2) one-time events.
MAAC will support both opportunities to undertake anti-corruption projects in specific, targeted areas, as well as unsolicited grants for any anti-corruption activities that mobilize action against corruption. Any and all grants will be required to include clear and tangible expected results.
Illustrative target areas include:
- monitoring with follow-up advocacy and/or action to create corrective measures within procedures and institutions to reduce the opportunities for corruption;
- investigative journalism reporting on corruption;
- creating channels for complaint and action;
- political corruption (excluding grants for election-related activities, which are being provided under another USAID project);
- research related to corruption and anti-corruption;
- corruption relating to the private sector;
- joint projects involving both civil society and government partners;
- gender-related projects implemented by NGOs specializing in women issues;
- education related projects implemented by student/youth NGOs;
- Other anti-corruption activities.
MAAC will solicit and award grants using three methodologies: 1) Annual Program Statement (APS), 2) NGO marketplace, and 3) Direct solicitation.
List of MAAC Grantee Organizations
Name of Organization |
Brief Description |
Project duration |
Location |
Freedom of Information Center |
Provide technical support to the Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission Expert Group for the development of the New Anticorruption Strategy and facilitate communication between the Expert Group and civil society. |
5 June - 31 Dec 2008 |
Yerevan |
Civil Society Development Center |
Establish and operate the Advocay and Assistance Center in Syunik Marz. |
30 Sep 2008 - 31 July 2010 |
Kapan (AAC), w/ reception centers in Sisian, Goris |
Transparency International |
Establish and operate Advocay and Assistance Centers in three marzes: Yerevan, Lori and Shirak. Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office is TI partner in Lori; “Asparez” Journalists’ Club is TI partner in Shirak. |
8 Oct 2008 - 31 July 2010 |
Yerevan, |
Partnership and Teaching NGO |
Contribute to the improvement of transparency and accountability mechanismsm/ procedures of the secondary school management/governance bodies in Syunik Marz. |
20 Oct 2008 - 20 Aug 2009 |
Goris |
Armenian Young Lawyers Association NGO |
Establish and Operate the Advocacy and Assistance Center in Tavoush Marz |
30 Sep 2008 - 31 July 2010 |
|
Millennium Communities |
Contribute to decreasing corruption risks in condominium governance through securing application of reporting system defined by law in multi-apartment buildings of Shengavit community. |
24 Oct 2008 - 24 May 2009 (7 months) Extended to 31 July 2009 |
Yerevan |
Armavir Development Center NGO |
Contribute to decreasing corruption risks in the state-guaranteed free maternal and child health services, particularly free birth assistance, in Armavir Marz. |
27 Oct 2008 - 27 Jun 2009 |
Armavir |
The Union of Information Technology |
Contribute to preventing corruption in customs services through legislative improvements in customs regulations. |
1 Nov 2008 - 1 May 2009 |
Yerevan |
| ALT TV (2202-009-ALTT) | Increase the awareness of the population of Armavir region about the major corruption risks in the sphere of healthcare, education, local self-governance, social assistance services and public services. |
8 Dec 2008 - 31 May 2009 |
Armavir |
Achill Center for protection of Drivers’ Rights NGO (2202-010-ACHL) |
Reduce corruption and its risks in traffic regulation through legal awareness and legal protection of drivers and through advocacy and the creation of a database. |
1 Jan 2009 - 1 July 2009 (6 months) |
Yerevan |
NGO Center Civil Society Development NGO (2202-011-NGOC) |
Creating greater awareness among youth about the essence of corruption, its short and long term impacts, and new social attitudes towards the action that youth can undertake to combat corruption. |
10 Feb 2009 - 31 May 2010 (16 months) |
Vanadzor |
Formula LLC (2202-012-BNDZ) |
Creating greater awareness among youth about the essence of corruption, its short and long term impacts, and new social attitudes towards the action that youth can undertake to combat corruption. |
18 Feb 2009 - 31 Aug 2009 (10 months) Extended to 31 December, 2009 |
Yerevan |
Kaghni Social-ecological Non-Governmental Organization (2202-013-KGHN) |
Preventing and reducing corruption risks in the health sector by increasing the public awareness about free of charge medical services. |
1 April 2009 - 31 August 2009 (5 months) |
Berd |
Armavir Development Center NGO (2202-014-ARDC) |
Establish and operate the Advocacy and Assistance Center in Armavir (Armavir marz). |
1 April 2009 - 31 July 2010 (16 months) |
Armavir |
Armenian Young Lawyers Association NGO (2202-015-AYLA) |
Establish and operate the Advocacy and Assistance Center (anticorruption centers) in Hrazdan, Yeghegnadzor and Ashtarak cities as well as Advocacy and Assistance Reception Centers in Ararat, Talin and Aparan cities , Armenia. |
1 April 2009 - 31 July 2010 (16 months) |
Hrazdan, Yeghe- |
The Future is Yours Charitable Social NGO (2202-016-FTRY) |
To get the approval of the anticorruption course from the MES and NIE, and to train the 9th and 10th Grade teachers to teach their students the course using the approved guidebook. |
15 April 2009 - 31 May 2010 (13.5 months) |
Yerevan |
Gegharkunik Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2202-017-GCCI) |
Establish an Advocacy and Assistance Center (AAC) in Gegharkunik Marz. |
15 April 2009 - 31 July 2010 (15.5 months) |
Gavar |
Eurasia Partnership Foundation/ Caucasus Research Resource Centers Armenia Program (2202-018-CRRC) |
Publicizing the Armenia 2008 National Household Corruption Survey |
20 April 2009 - 20 August 2009 (4 months) |
Yerevan |
Foundation for Small and Medium Businesses (2202-019-FSMB) |
Reduction of corruption risks in tax system through monitoring the implementation status of recently adopted tax reforms in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) taxation area in Armenia, assessment of legislation and evaluation of enforcement process of reform policy. |
1 July 2009 - 31 January 2010 (7 months) |
Yerevan |
Martuni Women Community Council (2202-020-MWCC) |
Prevention of corruption risks in birth-assistance sphere of health sector in Martuni, Vardenis, Gavar, and Sevan regions of Gegharkunik Marz. |
1 July 2009 - 28 February 2010 (8 months) |
Martuni, Vardenis, Gavar, Sevan |
Harmony NGO for Public Health and Civil Society (2202-021-HPHS) |
Assist in decreasing the level of corruption in the processes of budget preparation and expenditure by Local Governing Bodies (LGB) in Goris, Sisian and Kapan through increasing the accountability of LGBs in the processes of budget preparation and implementation. |
1 July 2009 - 31 March 2010 (9 months) |
Goris, Sisian, Kapan |
Protection of Consumers' Rights (2202-022-UPCR) |
To increase transparency and to decrease corruption risks at Certification bodies and State Quality Inspectorate in a process of regulating the importing, turnover, and monitoring of the sale of inedible products in Armenia. |
1 August 2009 - 31 May 2010 (10 months) |
Yerevan |
Center of Public Dialogue and Development (2202-023-CPDD) |
|
1 September 2009 - 31 December 2009 (4 months) |
Yerevan |
Lori TV LLC (2202-026-LORI) |
The project is aimed at revealing corruption through TV programs. The project will include 15 live TV programs and 15 video materials that will be broadcasted in different communities of Lori region. |
1 October 2009 - 31 May 2010 (8 months) |
Vanadzor |
Armavir Development Center |
To conduct anti-corruption participatory monitoring in four outpatient medical institutions of Armavir region in the sphere of provision of medication for free or on privileged basis to people promoting the decrease of corruption risks. It is anticipated also to conduct a wide campaign of rights awareness in rural and urban communities of the region. |
1 September 2009 - 31 March 2010 (7 months) |
Armavir |
Armenian Public Relations Association (2202-025-APRA) |
To raise awareness of society, media and business about mechanisms of citizen rights protection when they strive with corruption through media campaign consisting of spreading success stories of combating corruption in the courts and by initiation of public discourse. |
October 1 2009 - March 31 2010 (6 months) |
Yerevan |
Loru Mig LTD/ MIG TV (2202-027-LMIG) |
The project is aimed at raising public awareness of corruption phenomena, have less corrupt society and create a public opinion against corruption among population of Lori region. 6 TV talk shows will be produced and broadcasted. |
15 October 2009 - 14 May 2010 (7 months) |
Vanadzor |
Young Doctors of Syunik NGO (2202-028-YDSS) |
The project is aimed at decreasing the level of illegal payments at Syunik region ambulatory- policlinics. The project will be implemented in 6 cities (Goris, Kapan, Agarak, Kajaran, Meghri, Sisian) and 102 rural communities. |
15 October 2009 - 14 June 2010 (8 months) |
Syunik marz |
Formula LLC (2202-029-BNDZ) |
The project is aimed at raising public awareness and contributing to decreasing corruption manifestations in Armenia. 7 TV programs “Special Reportage” on corruption issues with highest public importance will be prepared and broadcasted on Public TV. |
16 October 2009 - 15 May 2010 (7 months) |
Yerevan |
Astghik Disabled Children’s |
The project "Guardianship" is aimed at minimizing/eliminating the corruption risks observed in the process of gaining guardianship to protect rights of those citizens who have no capacity to work. |
9 October 2009 - 31 March 2010 (6 months) |
Yerevan |
Support To Communities Benevolent NGO (2202-031-STCS) |
The project is aimed at reducing corruption risks in primary healthcare in Tavush marz. The project is aimed at reducing corruption risks in free of charge Primary Health Care services in 15 villages of Tavush marz through the awareness raising and mobilization of targeted population. |
20 October 2009 - 19 April 2010 (6 months) |
Tavush marz |
Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi (2202-032-YSMU) |
The project will allow to identify the corruption risks in different types of health care institutions through the survey among medical personnel followed by the public awareness raising campaign based on the identified corruption risks. |
1 December 2009 - 31 May 2010 (6 months) |
Yerevan |
Young Family Support Center (2202-033-YFSC) |
The project is aimed to increase the transparency and accountability of the process of community tax collection of Yeghegnadzor, Vayk, Jermuk and Malishka communities. |
17 November 2009 - 16 June 2010 (7 months) |
Yegheg- nadzor, Jermuk, Malishka, Vayk |
NGO MarketplaceMAAC organized a NGO Marketplacein April 2009. MAAC structured the NGO Marketplace process to provide opportunities for capable and credible NGOs and CSOs, which are out of the donor mainstream, to propose programs and have them funded—NGOs that are smaller, regional, represent interests of marginalized populations. MAAC encouraged to participate NGOs with no previous experience in implementing anticorruption programs. Click here to read more about the Marketplace.
Direct SolicitationMAAC will issue a request for applications for a single activity, or it could pre-screen several NGOs to propose on program to be carried out.
Anti-Corruption Forums
To broaden knowledge about corruption-related issues, MAAC will host anticorruption forums with guest speakers including international experts on corruption, government officials implementing system-level reforms, anti-corruption activity representatives, and others who have an anti-corruption message. Invitees will include NGO leaders, public officials, the international donor community representatives, media, students, and others. Forums are held every two-to three months in Yerevan and in selected marzes, as appropriate.
USAID MAAC Activity Organizes Anti-Corruption Forum to Discuss Armenian International Anti-Corruption Obligations
Representatives of state agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, international organizations, and the media discussed Armenia´s international obligations to fight corruption during MAAC´s first Anti-Corruption Forum held on 2 July in the Armenia Marriott Hotel in Yerevan and organized by MAAC, in cooperation with UNDP.
The Forum served as an arena for discussions between interested parties and the Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission on the current state of international obligations, especially as they relate to the new Anti-Corruption Strategy being developed by the Government.
Among the topics discussed were Armenia´s obligations within the framework of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan), and the Council of Europe Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). Also discussed was the role of the new Anti-Corruption Strategy in assuring compliance with these obligations.
The Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan; the U.S. Chargé d´Affaires in Armenia, Joseph Pennington; the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia, Consuelo Vidal; and the Head of OSCE Yerevan Office, Sergey Kapinos delivered opening remarks.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of society's involvement in fighting corruption: “We need public support because if entities opposed to these reforms unite they will become a powerful force,” he said. “If we don’t have public support we won’t be able to prevail in this struggle.” |
US Chargé d'Affaires Joseph Pennington delivers opening remarks
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State agencies, civil society organizations, private sector, international organizations, and the media participated in the forum |
In his opening remarks, U.S. Chargé d´Affaires stated: "The U.S. Government recognizes the important steps the Armenian Government has already taken by becoming signature to several key international obligations. Today´s forum provides an important arena for government, the private sector, and civil society to come together in a joint fight against corruption."
This was the first of a series of forums planned on corruption-related matters that MAAC will organize in Yerevan and the regions.
To view the forum proceedings, please click here.