CMB Meets with Senior Program Advisor of the USAID Development Grants Program to Discuss NGO Situation in Moldova.

On November 9^th, 2011 the CMB Training Center staff had a meeting with Shohreh Kermani-Peterson, the Senior Program Advisor for the USAID Development Grants Program.  The Development Grants Program is a USAID initiative that aims to create new partnerships between USAID and NGOs that have had limited or no prior funding from and experience working directly with USAID. A key goal of the DGP is to expand USAID’s NGO network of development partners and provide capacity building support to the new partners. In doing so, USAID will enable a wider range of partners to better meet their constituents needs and contribute to development outcomes.

Mrs. Kermani-Peterson has been on a month-long trip visiting NGO’s throughout several countries in Eastern Europe to evaluate what changes and improvements can be made in the Development Grants Program to make it more adaptable in host nations.  A significant part of this process has involved visiting local NGO’s and asking them how they perceive the overall capacity of NGO’s to be in their country.  CMB was honored to be one of the NGO’s that was visited in the USAID’s visit to Moldova.

CMB staff members gave a NGO assessment presentation and had a great discussion about the NGO environment here in Moldova with the DGP Program Advisor.  The exchange of ideas was beneficial for both sides.  CMB was delighted to assist USAID its evaluation of the Development Grants Program, and looks forward to continuing to contribute to the strengthening of the Moldova NGO sector in the future.