18 Small Grant Projects in the LA21 pilot cities – a success story of the LA21 process in Romania
The micro pilot demonstrative projects were the final task of the UNDP(United Nations Development Programme)/CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)/ DFID (The Department for International Development of the UK) Local Agenda 21 Project. Such micro pilot projects were carried out in the pilot cities co-funded by (CIDA): Iasi, Oradea, Rm. Valcea and DFID: Baia Mare, Ploiesti and Targu Mures.
In order to facilitate development of best practices of public involvement and stakeholder participation in the implementation of LA21 strategies in the cities, funding for Pilot Micro Projects has been provided to NGOs and their coalition with other stakeholders.
In the six pilot cities above mentioned there was first a call for proposals, which resulted in different project proposals. Those proposals have been the subject of a first evaluation process performed locally by the Local Steering Committee and the LA 21 local offices. After this evaluation, a short list of proposals have been formulated and submitted for final evaluation to the representatives of CIDA/IISD, DFID/Atkins and NCSD, which expressed their comments and suggestions for improvement. In this respect, meetings with the representatives of the applicant NGOs have been organized in each city, in order to clarify all aspects regarding the proposals.
At the end of the year 2003, all micro pilot projects have been finalized.
The objectives of the implementation of the micro-projects framework were:
- the promotion of effective implementation of the LA21 process in the pilot cities
- ensuring the efficient involvement of the public within the LA21 process
- supporting the creation of communication and cooperation mechanisms between the local public authorities, the private sector and the NGOs
- the creation of opportunities for, and increase of the role of women and local minorities in the local economy
- attracting additional public or private funds for the financing of the projects
- disseminating the results and improving the information exchange between the partners
Thus, the purpose of the micro-projects component of LA21 was accomplished by concentrating on the implementation of the strategic documents of LA21 in concordance with the requirements of the Local Action Plan, and by creating an impact on the decision making process at the local level. Furthermore, the opportunity for developing efficient public participation mechanisms has also been created. In addition, good practice examples regarding project management and accountability were developed at the community level, and the process of elaborating activities linked to the concrete objectives of the LA 21 process was supported.
On the whole, including the demonstrative micro-projects in the LA 21 project proved to be an effective way of promoting public-private partnership and of improving the participation of the local community in the LA 21 process. Thus, the purpose of the micro-projects component of LA 21 was accomplished by concentrating on the implementation of the strategic documents of LA 21 in concordance with the requirements of the Local Action Plan, and by creating an impact on the decision making process at the local level. Furthermore, the opportunity for developing efficient public participation mechanisms has also been created. In addition, good practice examples regarding project management and accountability were developed at the community level, and the process of elaborating activities linked to the concrete objectives of the LA 21 process was supported.
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