US-Georgia Partnership Program

["Center for Health, Environment and Justice" <cchw@essential.org>]

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Attention Environmental Education and Health Leaders:

ISAR and Horizonti Announce US-Georgia Partnership Program

ISAR: Initiative for Social Action and Renewal in Eurasia and Horizonti:
Foundation for the Third Sector in Georgia announce an international
partnership program aimed at encouraging cooperation and long-term
relations between nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in the
US and the Republic of Georgia. The program is open to everyone from
grassroots activists to national-level organizers working in the fields
of environmental health and environmental education.

Applicants in both countries must be active members of a not-for-profit,
nongovernmental organization with (501)(c)(3) status in the US and the
status of a not-for-profit organization registered under the Civil Code
in Georgia, and will preferably be leaders within the NGO community. 
The objective of the program is for organizations working on similar
issues with like-minded approaches to become acquainted, identify common
goals and collaboratively turn a shared vision into a concrete project.
Initial ties between partners will be established over e-mail. This
first stage will be followed by a visit to the US by the Georgian
partner, during which he/she will serve as an intern at the US partner's
organization for a ten-day period. During both of these stages, partners
will be jointly developing a project on which the two individuals (with
involvement from their organizations) will work collaboratively. The
project is to be implemented in Georgia, and should be both responsive
to local needs and suitable to the strengths of the partners. 

Full funding is available for the internship, including international
and domestic travel, accommodations, and a small stipend for US host
organizations.  Limited funding is available on a competitive basis for
the support of developed projects. If the partners decide that the
project should include a visit to Georgia by the US partner, funding for
international travel by the US partner is not available; accommodations
and travel within Georgia are provided.  

Georgia is a nation located in the Caucasus region, with roots
stretching back to ancient times. Its language, landscape, and culture
are unique, and Georgia is becoming increasingly renowned for its
treasures  from fine wines to cave monasteries  which have helped
Georgians maintain a distinct identity throughout centuries of invasion
and rule from the outside. Over the past decade, while facing many
hurdles in moving toward a more democratic society, Georgia
has nonetheless witnessed the emergence of an active public-interest
sector. Groups working on both the community and the national level are
addressing the issues that face Georgian society, from homeless children
to energy crises to wildlife habitat loss. Exchange of expertise on an
international level has proven extremely effective over the past few
years, as US and Georgian NGOs have come together in a range of settings
to work cooperatively on problems that are shared by communities in both
countries. ISAR and Horizonti see continued potential for strong
connections between social leaders from the US and Georgia, and believe
that this program will allow valuable new partnerships to be realized. 

ISAR is a US NGO working to promote citizen participation and the
development of the nongovernmental sector in the countries of the former
Soviet Union. With offices in the US and Eurasia, ISAR has over fifteen
years of experience in bringing together community activists from these
regions of the world, through conferences, fellowships, exchanges and
cooperative grants programs; these efforts have focused primarily on
supporting the environmental movement in these regions. 

Horizonti, formerly ISAR-Georgia, is the first indigenous foundation in
Georgia.  Building on the accomplishments of ISAR-Georgia, which was
founded in 1994, Horizonti works to encourage the growth of the NGO
sector throughout Georgia. Horizonti offers support through information,
technology transfer, and training. Its experienced staff work with
activists and NGOs on a wide range of issues, from community outreach to
media relations to organizational management. 

We welcome you to apply. Applications due August 31.  Please contact us
for more information and an application or consult our websites at
<www.isar.org> and <www.horizonti.org>.

In the US:
Michelle Kinman                                                        
ISAR
1601 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC  20009                                                  
Tel: (202) 387-3034
E-mail: <michelle@isar.org>

In Georgia:
Horizonti
Rusudan Shikhashvili
Gogebashvili 33
Tbilisi, Georgia  380008
Tel: 995 (32) 98-75-04
E-mail: <grants@horizonti.org>