1. PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
SUMMARY CONFERENCE REPORT
TBILISI: 5TH
APRIL 2013
The “Prospects for Developing Community Foundations in South Caucasus” conference took place
in Tbilisi, on April 5 2013. The conference was organized by the Centre for Strategic Research and
Development of Georgia, with the financial support of Community Development Journal (CDJ) and
the Third Sector Research Centre, University of Birmingham in the UK.
The conference involved forty representatives from the main Georgian Civil Society Organisations
(CSOs), international organizations, as well as CSOs from Armenia and Azerbaijan (see agenda)
using community development approaches in the Caucasus.
The conference was dedicated to the challenges, constraints and opportunities for community
development in South Caucasus region. It was designed in an interactive way. The first part was
dedicated to four presentations by CSOs from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on community
work experience accumulated in South Caucasus countries and an input on UK and European
experiences.
The first presentation was made by the Community Development Coalition (CoDeCo), which unites
9 Georgian CSOs working with Community Development principles. The presentation focused on
the history of the Coalition, the strategic directions of its activities, the results already achieved and
lessons learned (see CoDeCo presentation). The recent publication, prepared by CoDeCo
“Community Work and Community Development” was also been presented to the audience.
The second presentation by Angus McCabe (Third Sector Research Centre, University of
Birmingham) was dedicated to different European models of Community Foundations and asset
based development. A short history of these approaches was presented along with various current
models from East and West Europe and beyond. The main principles, activities, advantages,
financial models, opportunities and challenges facing Community Foundations were discussed (
Community Foundations presentation).
The third and fourth presentations were dedicated to the experience of community work in Armenia
and Azerbaijan (Armenia presentation).
Each presentation was followed by questions and brief discussion. Discussion specifically
concentrated on the following issues: European models of tax exemption and other fiscal incentives
for financing Community Foundations; different legal forms of community ownership; the main
drivers for establishing Community Foundations and mechanisms for start-up financing them in
Eastern European countries, e.g. Poland; mechanisms for decision-making in Community
Foundations and for ensuring their transparency and independence; forms of cooperation between
Community Foundations and Local Governments and the roles of community workers in
establishing Community Foundations.
In the second part of the conference the work continued in three working groups, which discussed
the prospects and opportunities for developing Community Foundations in the South Caucasus.
Each group developed strategies for facilitating the creation of Community Foundations in Georgia.

2. The main topics stressed in the working groups were as follows: the importance of –
 existing strong community groups in the regions, hence the necessity of stimulating and
motivating community members and involving them in the community work
 civil education and increasing culture of philanthropy and community volunteering
 analysing and sharing international experience
 allocating public funds for promoting Community Foundations as well as involving local
administrations and local businesses in the partnership projects
The recommendations, elaborated by working groups, fall into four main categories:
 Promote the development of appropriate legislation to regulate Community Foundations
(e.g. legislation stimulating philanthropy, volunteer work, social entrepreneurship, relevant
tax exemptions etc.)
 Develop policy, long and short term plans and strategies for promoting Community
Foundations
 Develop and consolidate various tools and resources ensuring the establishment,
functioning, management and monitoring Community Foundations
 Establishing pilot community foundations
The first stage action to be taken following the conference is designing a more detailed plan for
piloting Community Foundations in Georgia with the CoDeCo Coalition. This may include: the
study/research of the existing situation in Georgia, the conditions for promoting and sharing
Community Foundation development, learning more from the Eastern European experience
and developing a strategy for establishing Community Foundations in the country.
CSRDG May 2013