1. Program of Cooperation between Government and the Non -Profit Sector Croatia

2. Specifics (who, when, what?) Civil society organisations with Government office for cooperation with NGOs, Approved by the Croatian Parliament in December 2000, Strategic document that states a framework for co-operation in developing and implementing public policies and building up the civic society.

3. Coordination Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs. Monitoring of implementation Board for the civil society development

4. Important external factor in cooperation Further work influenced by key people leaving the Government’s Office for Co-operation with CSO’s Government appoints new person to head the Government’s Office end of 2004 Founding of National Foundation for Civil Society Development( public foundation founded by the Republic of Croatia by a special act passed by the Croatian Parliament on 16 October 2003).

5. Activity plan 2000-2002 Review of the legal framework (Law on associations) Decentralizations Transparency Creation of models for financial assistance for NGO programs with commonly accepted criteria, and models for evaluation Promoting philanthropy

6. Law on associations A wide participative consultation process, lasting a year resulted in new, less restrictive Law on associations, October 2001 provides for voluntarily registration of associations; requires at least three natural or legal persons to establish an association; places on equal footing domestic and foreign persons as founders; streamlines the conditions for registration of foreign NGOs; and reduces the government's intrusion in issues related to the internal government of an association.

7. Law on volunteering National board for development of volunteering in Croatia (working groups) Working groups (legislative, education, promotion and information, cooperation with different sectors) 1st reading in the Parliament

8. General determinants of the law Defines volunteer and volunteering, user and volunteer organiser Volunteer agreement Volunteers rights and obligations Outsourced with Labour Law, Law on health and retirement etc. Leans on Recommendations and conclusions of legal issues affecting volunteers-

9. Involvement Founding of regional Foundations for Civil Society Development Creating database of regional CSOs Implementing national and four regional seminars "Development of Civil Society in Croatia - Models of Cooperation between the State, Local Authorities and NGOs”

10. Financing Different Government Ministries give yearly financial support (source: State Budget and the State lottery money) The Foundation offers expert and financial support to programs which encourage the sustainability of the not- for-profit sector, inter-sector cooperation, civil initiatives, philanthropy, voluntary work, and which improve the democratic institutions of society and other programs From 2005 Regulatory act on CSO’s being free of paying tax on foreign donations has been changed

11. Statistics Register of nonprofit organisations Lack information on economic units and general societal impact Hard to obtain information on the county level about the register

12. Civic education and promotion Support centers and training organisations – projects (education elements, round tables, publications) Masters degree in “Non-profit Management” Promotion of voluntarism (1st National Conference on Volunteering) Think tank organisation (research) Web portal (Government Foundation) Newsletters (electronic and paper)

13. The support structure Founding of regional Foundations for Civil Society Development Foundation invited all interested CSO’s to participate in the curriculum development Developing education curriculum for the public sector Founded Regional Center for Intersector Cooperation in Zadar (Dalmatia) – it will offer education for intersector cooperation for Croatia and abroad

14. Contacts www.zaklada.civilnodrustvo.hr www.uzuvrh.hr www.centar-za- mir.hr/program_potpora.php www.centar-za- mir.hr/program_potpora.php www.udruga-mi.hr/info.php www.zoe- centar.hr/o_nama_eng.htm www.zoe- centar.hr/o_nama_eng.htm www.smart.hr