NGO Marketplace in Armenia Highlights Innovative Ways to Fight Corruption

To support the fight against corruption, more than 1,700 Armenians attended the Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Marketplace on April 22, 2009, in the capital city of Yerevan. Organized by Casals & Associates as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) project, the daylong event was an opportunity for Armenian NGOs to compete and publicly display their anticorruption activities.

“We designed this event as an open, transparent and competitive approach for awarding grants for organizations to implement innovative anticorruption activities,” Francois Vezina, Casals chief of party in Armenia, said. “We wanted to bring NGOs together so they could see what each is doing. This was an opportunity for them to meet and discuss projects, challenges and ideas for the future.”

The marketplace served as a one-stop shop for NGOs to “market” their activities; “sell” them to the public, judges and the media; and find out who won—all in one day. The 24 Armenian civil society groups that participated set up eye-catching booths featuring maps, posters, scale models, music, audio-video presentations, leaflets and other means to attract supporters. Attendees—who included students, business owners, retirees, activists and government employees—voted for their favorite NGO anticorruption activities.

“In the marketplace of ideas, you are all winners,” said U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, who announced the eight winning organizations invited for pre-award grants negotiations. “Each of you has enhanced the public’s understanding of how ordinary citizens can take action against fraud, waste and abuse.”

The MAAC project will award a total of $156,000 in grants to be implemented by April 2010, with awards ranging from $12,000 to $25,000.

In addition to great turnout, many participating NGOs were from outside Yerevan, with 11 of the 24 organizations being women-run. Gender and regional diversity were also reflected in the winners-circle, with three of the eight winners stemming from regional organizations and half of them led by women.

Contact

Larry Ott
Director of Corporate Communications
+1-703-920-1234
lott@casals.com