FPA # Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) S USTAINABILITY OF THE B ALKAN C IVIL S OCIETY A CQUIS – S TRENGTHENING THE P OTENTIAL AND C APACITIES OF CSO S FOR LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY

E ARLY FPA O UTCOMES Mechanisms for monitoring environment for CSDev applied (Monitoring Matrix reports) Successful advocacy initiatives on local level Monitoring and advocacy initiatives integrated in EU Progress Reports First baseline study for the Economic Value of CSOs Strategies for action developed by local CSOs through the Balkan Public Policy Fund Donors on national and regional level coordinate and collaborate with CSOs A regional network strengthened and able to present strategic programs

S USTAINABILITY OF THE O UTCOMES Financial Sustainability Several small independent sources of funding Monitoring Matrix (MM) activities designed to continue beyond 2017 Closely related with the continued support from EU Additional funds have been identified, raised and used during the years of the FPA implementation Institutional Sustainability Highly developed network structure Products and outcomes used by the EC and other stakeholders Project involvement of the members guarantees ownership and strengthens sustainability Supporting national organizations in each country through sub- grant scheme Policy-level Sustainability BCSDN expertise used by Governmental offices in the region Cooperation for the development of a Gov2Gov regional web platform and a self-assessment tool Policy dialogue on national level leads to mutual recognition, trust and cooperation MM feeding into the EU CS Guidelines EE expertise shared in other regions (e.g. BlackSea) Pre-conditions for achieving and maintaining sustainability

R ISKS AND M ITIGATION S TRATEGY Local partners have possibilities for different sources of funding or actions Joint strategic work by the network in the following year Risk 1: Financial Sustainability – No joint-action funding Contacts and cooperation have been established with the relevant EC/public authorities Alternative list of potential participants Risk 2: Policy sustainability – Lack of political will or capacities The monitoring reports should be further developed and the EU CS Guidelines targets brought to the same direction in order to avoid duplication of efforts Risk 3: Development of parallel monitoring system – EU CS Guidelines Viable partnership constructed between the members in the network Long years of work dedicated for peace and stability in the region Risk 3: Unstable political and social environment

O THER P OSSIBLE S OURCES OF F UNDING At present, no concrete source of funding for a joint/concerted monitoring and advocacy action has been identified except for the internal sources of the members’ organizations used for individual components and project’ outputs EU funding on national level for EE monitoring is important for the credibility of the project, for attraction of other support, and for the responsiveness from the authorities and decision-makers