The Office for cooperation with NGOs is organizing a public debate regarding the draft decision on terms and ways to finance projects and programs carried out by NGOs in Croatia. It will take place on the 3.09.2010 in the Croatian Association of Technological Culture. Following the recommendations of the strategic documents of the Government as well as considering previous experiences, the Office has prepared a draft decision on the conditions and methods of financing projects and programs of general interest for the Republic of Croatia. This draft underlines the definitions of the projects and programs, the conditions that NGOs should fulfill in order to receive funding of general interest, the procedures and principles that the state administration bodies, government offices and other public institutions have to apply for granting funds, the way to achieve better compliance of sectors, the dynamics and methods of financing projects from the state budget; the  modalities of treatment in case of non contractual obligations under the NGO projects and programs (in accordance with existing practices at EU level). It also introduces an information system for monitoring the state budget financing. Based on the public debate, the bill for organizations that support the common good has already been through a broader public and internet debate. However, it can’t currently be adopted without substantial financial commitments. The discussion reveals major differences in the expected effects of the Act by various civil society organizations. This Draft, without trying to be an alternative to the law itself, results from the efforts that the public sector for financing NGOs made in order to complete the bill as precisely as possible before the fulfillment of all conditions for the adoption of the Law. More information about the bill and for interested participants can be found on the website.

[Office for Cooperation with NGOs]