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Massachusetts Albanian American Society

Albanian American Women’s Organization – Motrat Qiriazi

Press Release: Establishing the Global Albanians Foundation

Supporting Albanian Not-for-Profit Organizations

August 11, 2015

The Massachusetts Albanian American Society (MAASBESA) and the Albanian American Women’s Organization – Motrat Qiriazi (AAWO) are proud to announce their partnership to develop the Global Albanians Foundation (GAF) financed by Albanians living abroad and others who wish to support not-for-profit organizations in Albania, Kosova, Macedonia, and Montenegro.

Why: The not for profit sector receives less and less support from the international donor community as the countries in Southeastern Europe develop. However, there is still a great need for financial and professional support in the not-for-profit sector so that pressing social and economic development needs can be addressed in the future in a sustainable manner. Without the support of Albanians living abroad, it will be very difficult to meet the needs of the not-for-profit sector and civil society in Albania, Kosova, Macedonia, and Montenegro.

How: We propose that creating a Foundation that initially focuses on giving small grants targeting many different not-for-profit organizations throughout the countries in Southeastern Europe where Albanians live is the best way to reach and assist a wide and diverse group of people and organizations.

Work Program: The work will be carried out in three phases over several years with only Phase 1 below being considered for financing at this time. Phases 2-3 are presented here to give an idea as to a possible long-term vision

Phase 1: August 2015-December 2015 — $10,000 for 10 grants of $1000 each

Phase 2: January 2016-December 2017 – same as phase 1 on larger scale

Phase 3: January 2018 and Beyond – Create Global Albanians Foundation

During Phases 2 and 3, larger grants than $1,000 would be considered, of course, depending on the amount of money raised. In addition, we would seek grants and financing from private and corporate foundations, Albanian and non-Albanian private individuals and businesses, and other organizations that might want to use the GAF as a conduit for philanthropic and charitable activities in Southeastern Europe.

Who: A Board of Directors consisting of five people will oversee the work. The Board of Directors will initially include two active members from each of our organizations plus one other person from outside of our two organizations.

The responsibilities of the Board of Directors will be to:

Seek donations from Albanian companies, organizations, and individuals;
Appoint an Advisory Board that will include 10-15 people and at least one person each from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, and Italy;
Oversee financial administration of the work program;
Determine which (if any) specific sectors or themes should be the focal points;
Develop an online template for not-for-profit organizations to submit their proposals;
Review grant proposals prepared by Albanian not-for-profit organizations in SE Europe;
Select grant winners to be supported under Phase 1;
Oversee Phase 1 grant implementation and review project results; and
Develop plans for Phase 2 based on Phase 1 results and lessons learned.

Description of Phase 1:

By September 1 finalize selection of Board of Directors and Advisory Board Members;
By September 15 send out format that not-for-profit organizations have to complete to be considered for Grants;
By October 15 not-for-profit organizations submit proposals for financing;
By November 1 the Board of Directors reviews and approves grants for Albanian not-for-profit organizations; and
By December 31 – Review status of grants under implementation and begin plans for developing Phase 2.

Benefits: We have selected a small grants approach to begin for several reasons:

In addition to providing financial support we would like to develop a s wide of a network as possible with not for profit organizations so that synergies can be created through collaboration;
We believe that Albanians donors living abroad will be much more willing to support a small grants approach that does not favor any particular region or sector;
We believe that with a Board of Directors and Advisory Board comprised of people who are considered leaders and active members of the Albanian Diaspora that it will be much easier to convince prospective donors that the work will be carried out in a professional, transparent, and trustworthy manner
Finally, we have to walk before we can run, so we think with a relatively small Phase 1 at $10,000 we can best build a successful effort slowly over time; and
By coordinating these efforts with the Harvard Albanian Diaspora Program (which has already identified two possible partner organizations — Partnere Per Femijet and Yunus Social Business — that they would like the Albanian Diaspora to work with) we can also benefit in the short and long run through a formal collaboration with Harvard, the organizations that they propose, and the organizations that the Albanian Diaspora proposes.

Shoqata Shqiptaro-Amerikane e Masaçusetsit

Organizata e Grave Shqiptaro-Amerikane – Motrat Qiriazi

Deklarate Shtypi: Krijimi i Fondacionit te Shqiptareve Globale

Ne Mbeshtetje te Organizatave Jo-Fitimprurese Shqiptare

11 Gusht 2015

Shoqata Shqiptaro-Amerikane e Masacusetsit (MAASBESA) dhe Organizata e Grave Shqiptaro-Amerikane – Motrat Qiriazi (AAWO) kane kenaqesine t’ju njoftojne rreth bashkepunimit te tyre per te krijuar Fondacionin e Shqiptareve Globale (FSG), i financuar nga shqiptaret qe banojne jashte trojeve etnike dhe te tjere qe deshirojne te mbeshtesin organizatat jo-fitimprurese ne Shqiperi, Kosove, Maqedoni dhe Mal te Zi.

Pse: Nderkohe qe vendet e Europes Juglindore jane ne zhvillim, sektori jo-fitimprures merr gjithmone e me pak mbeshtetje nga komuniteti i bamireseve nderkombetare Sidoqofte, ekziston akoma nje nevoje e madhe per mbeshtetje financiare dhe profesionale ne sektorin jo-fitimprures, ne menyre qe nevojat sociale dhe ato te zhvillimit ekonomik te mund te adresohen ne te ardhmen ne nje menyre te qendrueshme. Pa mbeshtetjen e shqiptareve qe jetojne jashte trojeve etnike, do te jete shume e veshtire per te permbushur nevojat e sektorit jo-fitimprures dhe shoqerise civile ne Shqiperi, Kosove, Maqedoni dhe Mal te Zi.

Si: Ne propozojme krijimin i nje fondacioni, i cili fillimisht do te perqendrohet ne dhenien e granteve te vogla neper vendet e Europes Juglindore ku banojne shqiptare, eshte menyra me e mire per te prekur dhe ndihmuar nje grup te madh dhe te larmishem njerezish dhe organizatash.

Programi i punes: Puna do te zhvillohet ne tre faza pergjate disa viteve, dhe vetem Faza 1 me poshte eshte ne konsiderate per financim ne kete kohe. Fazat 2-3 po prezantohen me poshte per te dhene nje ide me te qarte te nje vizioni afatgjate te mundshem.

Faza 1: Gusht 2015 – Dhjetor 2015 — 10,000 USD per 10 grante prej 1,000 USD secili;

Faza 2: Janar 2016 – Dhjetor 2017 – Njesoj si Faza 1, por ne nje shkalle me te gjere;

Faza 3: Janar 2018 dhe me tej – Krijimi i Fondacionit te Shqiptareve Globale.

Gjate Fazave 2 dhe 3, grante me te medha se 1,000 USD do te konsiderohen, natyrisht ne varesi te fondeve qe do te mblidhen. Gjithashtu, do te kerkojme grante dhe financim nga fondacione private dhe ngakorporatat, individe dhe biznese shqiptare dhe jo-shqiptare, dhe organizata te tjera qe mund te deshirojne te perdorin FSG si nje ndermjetes per aktivitete filantropike dhe bamirese ne Europen Juglindore.

Kush: Nje bord drejtues i perbere nga pese njerez do te mbikeqyre punen. Bordi Drejtues fillimisht do te perfshije dy anetare aktive nga secila prej organizatave tona si dhe nje person qe nuk do te jete anetar i asnje prej dy organizatave.

Pergjegjesite e Bordit Drejtues do te jene te:

Te kerkoje donacione nga kompani shqiptare, organizata dhe individe;
Te caktoje nje Bord Keshillues qe do te perfshije 10-15 anetare dhe te pakten nje person nga secili prej shteteve, Shqiperi, Kosove, Mali I Zi, Maqedoni, Greqi dhe Itali;
Te mbikeqyre administrimin financiar te programit te punes;
Te percaktoje cili (nese ndonje) prej sektoreve/tema specifike duhet te jene kryesore;
Te krijoje nje format online per organizatat jo-qeveritare qe te dorezojne propozimet;
Te shqyrtoje propozimet per grante te pergatitura nga organizatat jo-qeveritare ne Europen Juglindore;
Te perzgjedhe fituesit e granteve qe do te mbeshteten nen Fazen 1;
Te mbikeqyre zbatimin e grantit te Fazes 1 dhe te studioje rezultatet e projektit, dhe;
Te zhvilloje plane per Fazen 2 bazuar ne rezultatet e Fazes 1 dhe mesimet e nxjerra.

Pershkrimi i Fazes 1:

Deri ne 1 Shtator, te finalizohet perzgjedhja e anetareve per Bordin Drejtues dhe Bordin Keshillues;
Deri ne 15 Shtator, te dergohet formati qe organizatat jo-qeveritare do te duhet te plotesojne per t’u konsideruar per grante;
Deri ne 15 Tetor organizatat jo-qeveritare te dorezojne propozimet per financime;
Deri ne 1 Nentor, Bordi Drejtues studion dhe aprovon grantet per organizatat jo-qeveritare shqiptare, dhe;
Deri ne 31 Dhjetor – Studimi i statusit te granteve qe jane nen zbatim dhe fillimi i planeve per zhvillimin e Fazes 2.

Perfitimet: Ne kemi perzgjedhur menyren e dhenies se granteve te vogla per disa arsye:

Perveç dhenies se mbeshtetjes financiare, ne do te deshironim te krijonim nje rrjet sa me te gjere me organizatat jo-qeveritare ne menyre qe nepermjet bashkepunimit te krijojme sinergji.
Ne besojme se donatoret shqiptare qe jetojne jashte do te kene interes me te larte per te mbeshtetur nje perqasje nepermjet granteve te vogla qe nuk favorizojne ndonje zone gjeografike apo sektor te caktuar.
Ne besojme se me nje Bord Drejtues dhe Keshillues te perbere nga individe qe konsiderohen udheheqes dhe anetare aktive te Diaspores Shqiptare, do te jete me e lehte te bindim donatore te ardhshem se puna qe do te behet do te zhvillohet ne nje menyre profesionale, transparente dhe te besueshme.
Perpara se te mesojme te vrapojme, na duhet te mesojme te ecim, dhe besojme se me nje Faze 1 relativisht te vogel prej 10,000 USD mund te ndertojme nje inisiative te suksesshme me kalimin e kohes, dhe
Duke koordinuar keto perpjekje me Programin e Harvardit per Diasporen Shqiptare (i cili ka identifikuar dy (2) organizata te mundshme partnere qe ata do te deshironin te bashkepunonin me Diasporen Shqiptare — Partnere Per Femijet dhe Yunus Social Business, ne mund te perfitojme brenda nje kohe te shkurter dhe ne nje plan afatgjate nepermjet nje bashkepunimi me Universitetin e Harvardit, organizatat qe ata propozojne dhe organizatat e propozuara nga Diaspora Shqiptare.