Community Connections Program
Implementer: World Learning for International Development/Center for Social and Economic Development (CSED)
Project period: 09/2005 – 09/2010

The Community Connections Program is an exchange program that promotes public diplomacy through shared ideas and values between Moldova and the United States. The program organizes practical training opportunities in the U.S. for Moldovan legal professionals, community leaders, and government officials that create links between U.S. and Moldovan communities; encourage public-private partnerships in Moldova; and provide participants with exposure to the day-to-day functioning of a free-market system and democratic society.

Internet Access and Training Program
Implementer: International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)
Project period: 09/2005 – 09/2010

IATP provides local communities with free access to the Internet and to extensive training in all aspects of information technology. The centers in Moldova will concentrate on local governance and e-government initiatives and web sites for increased accountability and transparency. Target groups include local government officials, journalists, students, local NGO representatives, professors and healthcare providers, but all citizens of Moldova are welcome to IATP's free services.

Media Program in Moldova
Implementer: International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)
Project period: 09/30/2008 - 09/30/2011

The Media Program in Moldova (MPM) provides technical assistance to an existing, informal network of local television stations. The program will help partner stations share locally produced programming and improve their opportunities to generate revenue through building skills in journalism, advertising, and management at both the station and network levels.

Moldova Citizen Participation Program
Implementer: International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)
Project period: 09/2004 - 03/2011

The Moldova Citizen Participation Program is building the capacity of citizens to create tangible and positive change in their own communities through civic activity and democratic practices. The program achieves this by providing training, mentoring, and funding for citizen-initiated projects and strengthening the capacity of NGOs and citizen groups to mobilize their community, advocate for change, and hold government accountable.

Moldova Civil Society Strengthening Program
Implementer: Academy for Educational Development (AED)
Project period: 10/2009 - 10/2012

The Moldova Civil Society Strengthening Program will strengthen representative democracy in Moldova through support for a constituent-driven, sustainable civil society sector. The proposed program will provide on-site technical assistance towards: (i) enhancing the skills of civil society organizations to effectively represent citizen interests; (ii) improving the governance and management of civil society organizations; (iii) strengthening the legal and fiscal framework for civil society; (iv) promoting the diversification of financial resources available to civil society organizations.

Reform and the Nonprofit Sector
Implementer: The Eurasia Foundation
Project period: 05/1993 - onwards

The Reform and the Nonprofit Sector program is promoting Moldova’s democracy and market economy by strengthening the role of civil society organizations. Through grants and technical assistance, the program supports the development of civic organizations, mass-media, local government reform, public administration, and businesses. Priority areas include promoting citizen oversight of government and reform policies, European integration, fighting corruption, and working for free and fair elections.

Rule of Law
Implementer: American Bar Association/Central and East European Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI)
Project period: 09/1994 - 12/2009

The Rule of Law program is working with judges, lawyers and law students to strengthen the rule of law and public confidence in the legal system in Moldova. The program sponsors law student legal clinics and a network of attorneys and specialized NGOs who represent clients on a pro bono basis and conduct public education on legal topics. The program also provides skill and substantive law trainings for judges, lawyers, and law students and publishes “know your rights” brochures, practice guides and legal assessment reports. Additionally, the program is working with its partner organizations to improve their capacity and sustainability.

Strengthening Democratic Political Activism in Moldova (SPA)
Implementer: International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
Project period: 01/2008 – 11/2011  

The Strengthening Democratic Political Activism program works with the Moldovan Parliament, political parties, independent activists, youth and the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) to share international experiences on democratic political organizing and elections. At the local, rayon, and national levels, the program is cultivating new political activists who can formulate and pursue concrete political objectives based on the needs of constituents. In cooperation with the CEC, the program supports a free and fair democratic election process, in line with European and international standards.

Agriculture Policy Project
Implementer: Abt Associates, Inc./ACDI/VOCA
Project period: 08/2006 - 12/2009

The Agricultural Policy Project is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry to strengthen and restructure the Ministry so it can effectively support the development of a market-based agro-industrial sector in Moldova. Project activities include the development and implementation of a restructuring plan based on international best practices and facilitation of public awareness and discussion.

Better Opportunities for Youth and Women in Moldova
Implementer: United Nations Development Program
Project Period: 10/2004 – 09/2010

The project will establish a network of self-sustaining transitional living and educational "halfway houses" in Moldova. The purpose of the network is to reduce the vulnerability of returned trafficking victims and state boarding school and orphanage graduates to the criminal trade in human beings in Moldova by providing safe, affordable, supervised learning and living environments where they will have access to life-skills, job and employment training, health services and counseling, and tangible work experience that can prepare them for meaningful employment in Moldova and successful (re) integration into the community.

Business Development for Youth Economic Empowerment in Moldova
Implementer: UNICEF
Timeframe: 05/2008 – 05/2010

The Business Development for Youth Economic Empowerment in Moldova project, developed by UNICEF, seeks to address widespread youth unemployment and migration in Moldova. The goal of the project is to enable disadvantaged young women and men (aged 18 to 30) living in rural areas and small towns to gain skills that will lead to increased socio-economic empowerment. The overall objective of this activity is to scale-up existing job opportunities for young people by implementing innovative income-generating activities; helping young people identify business ideas and establish businesses in partnership with local financial institutions. Project activities will help the targeted population build entrepreneurial skills through information, training, capacity building and grants. Youth will receive support in developing business plans, applying for financing, and setting up business operations.

Business Regulatory and Tax Administration Reform Project
Implementer: DAI/NATHAN Group
Project Period: 09/2007 – 09/2010

The Business Regulation and Tax Administration Reform Project seeks to improve the business environment in Moldova by implementing reforms in the business and tax sectors. To achieve this, the project is working with the Government of Moldova to reduce administrative burdens on the private sector, streamline tax administration, reduce opportunities for corruption, improve access to government information, and strengthen public-private sector dialogue.

Competitiveness Enhancement & Enterprise Development (CEED)
Implementer: Chemonics International, Inc.
Project period: 09/2005 - 09/2010

The Competitiveness Enhancement and Enterprise Development project seeks to enhance the competitiveness of Moldovan enterprises in three industries: 1) information technology; 2) textile and apparel; and 3) winemaking. CEED accomplishes this by fostering improvements in enterprise marketing and sales skills, increasing productivity, and improving operations and financial management practices through focused technical assistance. The project is also increasing access to finance to enable businesses to make capital investments, acquire working capital, and expand their operations. In time, CEED will help companies engage in strategic planning and form collaborative ventures to develop sustainable industry clusters.

Credit Enhancement Program
Implementers: Fincombank
Project period:08/2005 – 08/2010

The Development Credit Authority (DCA) loan portfolio guarantee program enables Moldovan banks to grant credit to farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by facilitating their access to capital, cash markets and technical knowledge. The DCA creates a mechanism to provide risk-sharing alternatives and overcome major obstacles such as the lack of financing to farmers and SMEs for short, medium- and long- term loans.

Farmer-to-Farmer – Agriculture Volunteers Program (AVP)
Implementer: Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) 
Project period: 09/1999 - 09/2013

The Farmer-to Farmer program mobilizes skilled volunteers to assist individual farmers and farmer cooperatives in grassroots initiatives that impact agribusiness development. Roughly 35 volunteers, many of whom have over 20 years of farming and business experience in the U.S, participate every year. Volunteers work side by side with Moldovan farmers in assignments that help local farming communities with strategic marketing, development of farmer cooperatives, assistance with developing budgets and work plans, and training local trainers in financial management and record-keeping. The program works closely with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its Women’s Committee to strengthen the representation of women in agriculture and agribusiness.

Western NIS Enterprise Fund
Implementer: Western NIS Enterprise Fund
Project period: 06/1995 - onward

The Western NIS Enterprise Fund, a private equity fund with a management portfolio of $150 million, promotes the expansion and strengthening of privatized Moldovan businesses by providing capital, management and marketing assistance, and information systems for new and/or existing enterprises. The Fund makes equity investments and debt transactions including direct loans to entrepreneurs and lease-financing for equipment and/or property to those companies that demonstrate strong prospects for growth and a high rate of return on investment.

Women’s Career Development Program
Implementer: Pro-Business Nord
Project period: 07/2009 – 03/2012

The Women’s Career Development Program will empower vulnerable women with the capabilities to make independent strategic life choices and to improve their economic welfare. The program will identify, train, and find employment opportunities for at least 300 vulnerable and disadvantaged women from northern Moldova and will ensure the self-sustainability of the program by creating an income-generating social enterprise that benefits the community.

Reform in Customs and Police Administration
Implementer: Department of Justice, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP)
Project Period: 04/2007 – 12/2009

DOJ/ICITAP is working with the Moldovan Customs Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs to develop training strategies and methodologies for addressing and countering corruption. To this end, ICITAP is improving the investigation capacity of the government through personnel trainings and providing equipment and information technology to corruption investigation units. Internally, ICITAP will work to reform personnel procedures and ensure that the Customs Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs establish and enforce standards and ethical rules. ICITAP will also work to help the government implement the European Union’s “New Computerized Transit System” (NCTS) which will have significant impact on the ability of the Moldovan government to anticipate, track, and prevent shadow shipments.

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