LENS in co-operation with the IKS and FES Prishtina are implementing the project ” Grassroots Action Support -GRAS ” funded by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen the existing capacities of CSOs in Kosovo and assist them in their effort to represent the interests of the community, by providing them with the necessary skills, tools, and means in their specific environments. The project is mainly related to the CSOs understanding of policy processes, institutions and actors so as to enable them to effectively engage and cooperate with government institutions, especially at local level.
One of the main activity of this project will be to enhance the capacities of civil society organizations through a grant scheme, by providing them with the funding necessary for them to be able to carry out their activities in influencing public decision making through their professional/technical inputs and monitoring the functioning of public institutions. Capacity building will also be provided through coaching and mentoring to assist CSOs in implementing their activities related to the project in general, and provide senior support to leaders of organisations in steering the organisations in the right direction.
The main deliverables from this project will be:
- mapping and needs assessment of grassroot CSOs,
- grant scheme for grassroot CSOs
- coaching and mentoring for CSOs, and
- e-tool to assist CSOs in preparing their project proposals.