Partner countries and regions of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) identified a strong need for better coordination of funding sources, increased knowledge of funding opportunities among project promoters and improved strategic planning for regional development. With the Donors’ Conference Framework, Priority Area 10 “Institutional Capacity and Cooperation” provides guidance and recommendations for establishing a platform for exchange and coordination on public and private funding. The framework is expected to be further replicated in the Danube Region.
AIM OF THE DONORS’ CONFERENCES
The Donors’ Conferences are a platform for:
- furthering the exchange between public and private funding programmes and project promoters
- supporting a more strategic use of funding (e.g. better alignment of funds; prioritising of project ideas)
- facilitating communication and coordination among public and private funding programmes and instruments
TARGET GROUPS
- Politicians and public administration responsible for regional development
- Public funding programmes (e.g.: EU programmes, programmes from national development cooperation agencies, UN organisations and other international organisations, national/regional funding programmes; National Banks)
- Private funding programmes (e.g.: Foundations, private banks, crowd funding initiatives)
- NGOs/Civil Society Organisations; regional and local public administrations and service providers; research and academia; SMEs; other project promoters
DONORS’ CONFERENCE PAPER
With this paper, Priority Area 10 “Institutional Capacity and Cooperation” seeks to provide guidance and recommendations for establishing a platform for exchange and coordination on public and private funding, increased knowledge of funding opportunities among project promoters and improved strategic planning for regional development. Public administrations, civil society organisations, regional or international organisations in the Danube Region that are interested to increase capacities for regional development and project implementation are encouraged to take up the Donors’ Conference Framework concept for further replication.
DONOR’S CONFERENCES
Donors' Conference | Moldova
The pilot donors' conference aimed at promoting cooperation in the Danube Region through better exchange and coordination between public funding organisations, private funding institutions and project promoters.
Donors' Conference | Ukraine
The second Donors' Conference took place in Odessa back-to-back with the National Participation Day discussing European and international funding opportunities for Ukraine.
Donors' Conference | Bulgaria
The third edition of the Donors' Conference took place in Bulgaria in advance to the 5th Danube Participation Day addressing funding from development cooperation and EU Programmes.
HOW IT STARTED
Developing the idea of Donors' Conferences in the Danube Strategy
The idea of the framework was created based on the results from the National Participation Days and lessons learnt from Priority Area 10’s pilot initiative Danube Financing Dialogue as well as based on the findings of the pilot Donors’ Conference in Chisinau (MD) in 2017 – the “Danube Financing and Capacity Building Dialogue”. The format was jointly developed by Priority Area 10 “Institutional Capacity and Cooperation”, the Danube Civil Society Forum (DCSF) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment of the Republic of Moldova. The latter was the host of the first Donors’ Conference in Chisinau (MD) in October 2017.
