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

ABA/CEELI works with Moldovan legal institutions, judges, bar associations, students, and lawyers to strengthen the quality and awareness of legal education and legal reforms, with an emphasis on environmental law, public awareness of the legal profession in a democratic society, and judicial reform. CEELI also develops continuing legal education programs with the Collegium of Advocates and the Judicial Training Center of the Republic of Moldova.

Local Government Reform Project
Implementer: The Urban Institute
Project period: 02/2000 - 08/2007

This project has three main tasks to: help establish legislation empowering local government and implementing regulations that clarify and decentralize authority to the local level; build the capacity of municipal officials to implement legislative, administrative and financial reforms through training in management of municipal services, assets, and strategic planning; and strengthen the capacity of indigenous NGOs and Mayors’ associations advocating local government reform while increasing public participation in the reform process.

Strengthening Democratic Political Activism in Moldova (SPA)
Implementer: Consortium for Election and Political Process Strengthening II 
(CEPPS): The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National
Democratic Institute (NDI)
Project period: 10/2003 – 09/2009  

Strengthening Democratic Political Activism in Moldova (SPA) addresses the issues of political power, democratic initiatives and leadership skills at the grass-roots level.  The program supports the conditions for the political leadership to evolve in communities. It involves local political structures, empower political activists, and build democratic practices from the bottom up. IRI activities focus on: 1) increasing political activism among men and women, both party activists and independents, particularly at the local level; 2) augmenting the effectiveness of local political activists and local party members to achieve specific policy objectives (i.e. to achieve progress on issues identified by voters as important); 3) strengthening democratic local party structures; and 4) fostering concrete reforms within party structures at the national level. NDI strengthens Moldovan political parties by providing assistance and training in: 1) organizing party structures, 2) methods and uses of public opinion research, 3) recruitment and mobilization of members at the local party level, 4) citizen outreach, 5) developing a policy platform, and 6) coalition building.

The Moldova Citizen Participation Program
Implementer: International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)
Project period: 09/2004 - 09/2009

The Moldova Citizen Participation Program (MCPP) will enhance the capacity of citizens throughout Moldova to create tangible and positive change in their own communities through civic activity and democratic practices. The MCPP will mobilize communities throughout Moldova (excluding Chisinau), build the capacity of community activists and NGOs to implement projects that create positive change in the quality of community life, fund local community-based development activities and projects, increase citizens’ knowledge of transparent government processes and procedures, and foster constructive citizen/local government dialogue and partnerships. At the end of the proposed project local communities throughout Moldova will have addressed a variety of their priority development needs by effectively mobilizing their own resources, selecting and supporting local leadership, and collaborating with a variety of public and private sector entities.

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

The Eurasia Foundation grant-making program awarded small grants to strengthen the nonprofit sector’s involvement in reform. Grant proposals are reviewed in business development; business education and management training; economic education and research; public administration and local government reform; NGO development; rule of law; media; and electronic communications.

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

Community Connections (CC) is a U.S. Department of State exchange program being transferred to USAID. It focuses on the public diplomacy goal of exposing participants to U.S. society and promoting reform in Moldova. CC interventions are homestay-based practical opportunities in the U.S. for entrepreneurs, local government, legal professionals, non-governmental organization leaders and other professionals.  Participants are placed with community organizations of similar interest in the U.S. that arrange such activities as hands-on internships with volunteer companies and organizations, site-visits, professional training, seminars, and community-based cultural activities. Community Connections activities will: expose participants to U.S. society; create links between U.S. and Moldovan communities; encourage public-private partnerships in Moldova by including private sector and government participants; and provide professional training and exposure to the day-to-day functioning of a free market system and democratic society.

<< Back to USAID Programs