The Act Locally Centers network has increased by ten new organizations selected by the Competition Commission to participate in the PAFF's “Act Locally” Program. Thanks to the funds they will receive, new Act Locally Centers will be able to award grants at the local level for implementation of projects activating local communities. New ALC met at training workshops held at the PAFF's Representative Office in Poland on April 8 and 9.
The following ten organizations joined the Act Locally Centers network in the 8th edition of the Act Locally Program:
– Centrum Inicjatyw Lokalnych (Local Initiatives Center) of Zawiercie in Silesian Voivodeship,
– Fundacja Aktywizacji i Rozwoju Młodzieży (Youth Activation and Development Foundation) of Staszów in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship,
– Fundacja Sztuki, Przygody i Przyjemności ARTS (ARTS Art, Adventure and Fun Foundation) of Myślenice in Małopolskie Voivodeship,
– Fundacja „Wrzosowa Kraina” (‘Heather Land’ Foundation) of Chocianów in Lower Silesia Voivodeship,
– LKS „Dwernicki” Stoczek Łukowski (‘Dwernicki’ Stoczek Łukowski Popular Sports Club) of Stoczek Łukowski in Lubelskie Voivodeship
– Lokalna Grupa Działania „Brama na bagna” (‘Gate to Swamp’ Local Action Group) of Zambrów in Podlaskie Voivodeship
– Lokalna Grupa Działania „Równiny Wołomińskiej” (‘Wołomin Plain’ Local Action Group) of Tłuszcz in Mazowieckie Voivodeship,
– Partnerstwo Borów Niemodlińskich (Niemodlin Forest Partnership) of Niemodlin in Opolskie Voivodeship,
– Stowarzyszenie Lokalna Grupa Działania „POLCENTRUM” (POLCENTRUM Local Action Group Association) of Stryków in Łódzkie Voivodeship.
At present, the Act Locally Centers network comprises 60 organizations operating all over Poland and covering almost 600 communes. Local grant competitions organized by them support financially initiatives that meet the needs of residents and encourage social activity. The beneficiaries of local grant competitions include nongovernmental organizations and informal citizen groups, on behalf of which applications may be submitted by organizations and local public institutions (schools, community centers, libraries) operating in localities of up to 20,000 inhabitants.
The newly selected Act Locally Centers met at the Polish-American Freedom Foundation’s Representative Office in Poland on April 8 and 9, where they learned more about the “Act Locally” Program’s history and mission and about other programs carried out by the PAFF. They also discussed important issues, such as cooperation with self-government, fundraising, legal issues, local grant competition organization and appointing the Competition Committee.
“Act Locally” is the Polish-American Freedom Foundation’s Program, since 2000 managed by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland. The objective of the Program is to assist and encourage local communities by lending support to civil initiatives that serve solving local problems, foster developmental aspirations of village and small town residents and contribute to building social capital. Within the current 7th edition of the Program, in three decentralized local grant competition rounds (in 2010, 2011and 2012) a total of almost PLN 7.5 million has been awarded in grants for 2,047 projects, in which over 29,000 volunteers were involved. Since the start of the Program, over 5,340 projects have been supported with the amount of almost PLN 23.5 million. Including the grant recipients contribution, their total value was almost PLN 53 million.
