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Community Mobilization and Development
Programs: Community Mobilization and Development
Community mobilization ensures citizens participation as stakeholders in decision-making processes – in partnership with local government where possible – to work together to develop their communities. This increased citizen participation in political and economic decision-making depends heavily on community openness to being active participants and partners with government in improving local conditions. It is enhanced when citizens gain practical experience in working together to improve local conditions.
When people feel that they are powerless to bring about change, or when they do not know how to organize themselves and work across sectors to effect change, then citizen participation remains low. ADF’s approach to Community Mobilization and Development focuses on raising awareness within the community on the critical nature of civic participation, facilitating the creation of mechanisms through which the community can plan and manage local initiatives, building dialogue and cooperation with local government authorities and structures, and providing support that complements local resources to improve local conditions.
ADF works with local citizens to form community groups that expand public involvement. ADF facilitates dialogue and cooperation by bringing together stakeholders for civic dialogue and mobilization on key priority issues. Community based organizations (CBOs) receive assistance to increase their impact on public policies and development of their communities. This support includes institutional development to increase management and program outreach capacities, as well as technical and financial support for the development and implementation of local community projects.
ADF works to help build solidarity within communities through working with local groups to overcome ethnic, political, or religious divisions that impede cooperation for the improvement of conditions affecting them all. ADF partners with NGOs and CBOs working in diverse areas such as education, human rights, refugee and displaced populations, micro-enterprise development, small business, agriculture, health, infrastructure and community development.
Iraq Civil Society and Independent Media Program
The Iraq Civil Society and Independent Media Support Program (ICSP), supported by USAID/Iraq contract #GEW-C-00-04-00001-00 from September 2004 through June 2007 is implemented by America’s Development Foundation (ADF). ICSP fosters participatory and democratic governance in Iraq by strengthening civil society’s role in the country’s economic, political and social development. ADF works directly with Iraqi civil society organizations (CSOs) to bolster their capacity to be effective citizen-based interest groups and claim a leading role in enhancing local governance and participating in national policy-making processes. Almost 2000 Iraqi CSOs have directly participated and benefited from ICSP programs and these CSOs have in turn engaged many more thousands of other Iraqi citizens, organizations and government institutions. This successful U.S. NGO-managed program supports Iraqi efforts to strengthen civil society and promote democratic governance...
The Vojvodina Ethno Food and Music Festival 2007
Sixth Vojvodina Ethno Food and Music Festival, sponsored by America’s Development Foundation (ADF), the Executive Council of Vojvodina and the City of Novi Sad took place on August 25, 2007. This festival, organized annually over the past five years by America’s Development Foundation, features 40 ethno music and dance groups on stage and 100 colorful stands of the region’s diverse communities abundantly filled with a delicious variety of ethnic food, beautiful handcrafts, and information on local tourism attractions.
Highlights: Project Summary for Romanians for Serbian Democracy
ADF implemented the Romanians for Serbian Democracy program, locally referred to as the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD), with support from USAID/Romania in 2000-2001...
Highlights Haiti: Democracy Enhancement Project
ADF received funding from the USAID-funded Democracy Enhancement Project (DEP) over a period of eight years, from 1991-1999, to support the development of civil society and democratic governance in Haiti...
Highlights: Haiti Community Mobilization and Development
ADF implemented the Citizens’ Networks (Réseaux des Citoyens) Program funded by USAID from 2000-2002 to foster to conditions necessary for greater influence of civil society organizations on policies, civil society oversight of public institutions and the responsiveness of elected officials...
NGO Financial Management Manual
NGO Financial Management Manual
ADF CRDA-E Final Report
ADF CRDA-E Final Report PDF
ADF Haiti Citizens Networks Final Report
ADF Haiti Citizens Networks Final Report
ADF Angola Increasing Citizen Participation Final Report
ADF Angola Increasing Citizen Participation Final Report
ADF Bosnia - DemNet II Final Report
ADF Bosnia - Democracy Network II Final Report
Community Mobilization Meeting, Serbia
Vojvodina Earth Day
Construction of Children's Playground
Developing School Computer Center