Official welcome of six new organizations that have joined the ALC Network, and presentation of challenges for the “Act Locally” program in 2024 were the main subjects of the addresses given by training session hosts – Polish-American Freedom Foundation Program Director Joanna Lempart, and President of Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland Paweł Łukasiak.

Joanna Lempart spoke about Act Locally and Ecologically, and Young People Act Locally thematic paths of the program. She also encouraged Act Locally Centers to celebrate important Polish anniversaries of 35 years of Polish independence and democracy, 25 years of NATO membership, and 20 years of European Union membership.

Referring to the International Day of NGOs celebrated on February 27 Paweł Łukasiak mentioned how strong the impact of grassroot activities is, and that it is expected that the number of projects carried out under the program over its almost 25 years of operation will soon exceed 16,000.

Olgierd Łukaszewicz, a theater and film actor, and the founder of We the Citizens of the European Union Foundation, spoke about the objectives and rules of European Community in his lecture on 20 Years Of Poland In The United Europe. Constitution For Wojciech Jastrzębowski’s Europe And Its Meaning Today.

The meeting also made an opportunity to present the new Act Locally Centers, that is:

1. Fundacja Żywa Przestrzeń (Live Space Foundation) (Bryńsk, Warmińsko-Mazurskie province),
2. Stowarzyszenie Dolina Noteci (Noteć River Valley Association)  (Chodzież, Wielkopolskie province),
3. Stowarzyszenie Lokalna Grupa Działania Kraina Rawki (Rawka Region Local Group Association) (Stara Rossocha, Łódzkie province),
4. Stowarzyszenie Lokalna Grupa Działania Chełmno (Chłmno Local Action Group Association) (Chełmno, Kujawsko-Pomorskie province),
5. Stowarzyszenie Wrota Wielkopolski (Wielkopolska Gate Association) (Baranów, Wielkopolskie province),
6. Związek Stowarzyszeń Centrum Aktywności (Union of Activity Center Associations) (Mikołów, Śląskie province).

The participants also listened to presentation given by Iwona Janicka, a member of European Community of Practice on Partnership, and a representative of NGOs in committees monitoring EU funds, on European Funds – Introduction And Review Of Sources Of Financing For Environment And Climate Protection. The presentation included the practical element on how to raise funds and look for competitions announced in that area.

Slogans such, as Democracy – Security – Development were a motivation to celebrate locally three important anniversaries and at the same time the main topic of the lecture on 35 Years Of Independence. Systemic Transformation Of 1989 And Celebration Of First Free Elections Anniversary given by Jacek Michałowski, the former Head of the Chancellery of the President of Poland, a member of democratic opposition in Peoples’ Republic of Poland and of the first Solidarity movement.

And Ewa Siemińska, the operational director of Zwolnieni z Teorii Foundation, lectured on how to motivate young people to cat and what methods to apply to empower young people.

The Network members also took part in a set of classes on procedures and standards of the Program, which were conducted by “Act Locally” Coordinator at Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland Paweł Zań.

The next ALC Network on-site training session in Warsaw will take place in 2025.

“Act Locally” program is an initiative of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation which has been managed by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland since 2000, in cooperation with the network of 80 Act Locally Centers. Its objective is to activate local communities. Thanks to civic projects it enhances social capital, stimulates developmental aspirations, and improves the quality of life in rural areas and small towns. Over 15,000 thousand projects implemented under the program involved 5.3 m participants, including about 251,000 volunteers.