Community Fund Opens Playground
Children in the town of Radnevo have a new playground, thanks to their parents’ volunteer work and the Happy Childhood Project of the local grassroots organization “Iniziativa Za” (“Initiative For”). USAID provided matching support for local philanthropy efforts. USAID/Bulgaria Democracy Officer Gene Gibson inaugurated the new playground on August 17.
“Iniziativa Za” built the playground and installed the playground equipment with funding from the Stara Zagora Community Fund and a matching contribution by the USAID Community Fund and Social Enterprise Program, implemented by Counterpart International. The municipality of Radnevo provided the land for the playground and prepared it for construction.
The Stara Zagora Community Fund was created in 2003 to mobilize local resources for addressing community needs. Its active presence has helped to stimulate local philanthropy, community initiatives, and public-private partnerships. Since 2003, the Stara Zagora Community Fund has raised more than $78,000 from local sources to support more than 15 projects. With the matching support of USAID, the Fund has provided more than $144,000 for community projects.
Community funds can play a particularly energizing role in former socialist countries such as Bulgaria where traditions of philanthropy are generally underdeveloped. Bulgarian community funds have raised half a million dollars from businesses, citizens, and local governments since the inception of the USAID Community Fund and Social Enterprise Program in 2001.
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| A boy in Radnevo enjoys a new playground built as a collaborative initiative of a
grassroots community organization |
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