USAID releases the 2010 NGO Sustainability Index

02-11-2011
A key analytical tool that measures the progress of CSOs in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia and reports on the strength and overall viability of NGO sectors in each country in the region.

ECNL's affiliate ICNL is one of the managers of this project.

Overall NGO sustainability for the Northern Tier countries (the Baltic and Visegrad countries plus Slovenia) remained the same as in 2009. Slight improvements were noted in Lithuania and in Slovenia. In the Southern Tier countries (South-eastern Europe) the overall average score for the region stayed the same as in 2009, but Kosovo saw improvements and Albania and Macedonia had slight regressions.

The Eurasia region’s (Russia, West NIS, the Caucasus, and Central Asia) average score also remained unchanged from 2009. Notably, no countries regressed in NGO sustainability in 2010. Several countries, such as Moldova, Russia and Turkmenistan showed improvements.

The report concludes that six countries had improvements in their legal environments; four of these were from ‘sustainability evolving’ countries, but one improvement was also registered in a ‘sustainability impeded’ country.’ In these countries efforts to improve current NGO laws, to address legislation related to volunteers, and to develop mechanisms for government funding are slowly but steadily contributing to the establishment of more comprehensive and favorable legal frameworks for NGOs.

For an in-depth information and country reports visit USAID web site.