The document discusses partnerships between non-profits, businesses, and local governments in the Carpathian Euroregion. It provides examples of partnerships facilitated by the Carpathian Foundation, including programs to develop youth skills in partnership with businesses, bring creativity to schools partnering with educational institutions, and connect charity to a marathon event. The Foundation emphasizes principles of open communication, autonomy, long-term relationships, and evenly shared investments in partnerships.

1. Prospects for the V4 countries project activities with Ukraine and
Belarus in the field of cross-border cooperation. Attraction
authorities and civil society organizations to the cooperation
Principles, experiences, lessons learned
in Carpathian Euroregion
«Intersectoral partnership for border territories development:
European experience for Ukraine and Belarus»
International conference - Chernihiv, 17 March 2017

2. Presenter introduction
Laura Dittel
Masters and doctorate in public administration and public policy
Director of Carpathian Foundation - 22 years
Experienced non-profit leader with strong knowledge of civic
activism and social inclusion approaches, work in cross-border and
international networks and personal engagement in public
campaigns and pro-democratic actions locally, nationally and
internationally
German Marhall Memorial Fellow (1999), Hubert H. Humphrey
Fellow (2014/2015) – Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public
Policy, Syracuse University, New York, USA + Embassy of Slovakia to
USA, Washington DC, USA

3. History
The Carpathian Foundation
created in 1994 as a cross-border/international structure in
Carpathian Euroregion
Founded by the EastWest Institute, New York, NY, USA
Supported by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Flint, Michigan,
USA
Aiming to enable and support cross-border cooperation and
development of inter-ethnic relations in CE
Contributing to development of civil society and building of local
democracy
Since 1994 distributed more than 2,1 million of EUR

4. •1993 – established as an informal territorial unit
enabling cross-border cooperation mainly between
local and regional self-governments
•Bordering and most underdeveloped areas of five
countries: Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and
Ukraine
•Culturally and ethnically diverse region with relatively
high percentage of disadvantaged population requiring
special attention
•Overall population over 15 millions, territory
Carpathian Euroregion - our space

5. Carpathian Foundation Slovakia today
•Unique regional non-profit serving mainly Eastern Slovakia
•Provides financial support, training and advisory services to active people and non-profit
organizations in order to help improve living conditions in the region
•Flagship themes are community – based poverty alleviation and corporate social
responsibility concept development
•Supports local collaboration, partnerships on the local, regional and cross-border level and
community engagement into solutions to local issues
•Important cross-border direction – support and development programs in Ukraine

6. Society – stable three-leg chair
Well functioning system as a whole based on cooperation and
mutually beneficial partnerships, which are well balanced and
provide each part the same level of satisfaction.
State – Businesses – Non-profits

7. Cooperation on local and regional
level
With local businesses/corporations
•Grant programs – jointly developed, financed by businesses and
administered by the Foundation
•Joint actions in development of individual philanthropy (Carpathian
Trek)
•Piloting projects and solutions, development of new approaches
(Itrampoline for All)
•Development of CSR strategies

8. Cooperation on local and regional
level
With local businesses/corporations - experiences
•Companies with „mothers“ in USA – excellent understanding of CSR
– integral part of business culture
•Companies with foreign capital – willingness to cooperate and use
the PR advantage of cooperation
•Locally or nationally owned companies – depending on the owner
and managers

9. Cooperation on local and regional
level
With local and regional self-governments
•Development of local and regional development strategies
•Grant programs – program financed by regional self-government
and administered by the Foundation (Terra Incognita)
•Grant programs administered by the Foundation – grants given to
local self-governments, good performance of municipalities as
grantees

10. Cooperation on local and regional
level
With local and regional self-governments - experiences
•Regional self-governments – very reserved cooperation with the
non-profits in general + partisan political influence
•Local self-governments – sharing best practices, cooperation in
implementation of local projects, networking, very open
communication and collaboration with non-profits in general in
smaller communities

11. Cooperation on local and regional
level
Carpathian Foundation welcomes it because:
•It opens new possibilities/thinking/opportunities
•Helps to achieve synergic effect/ better result
•It is important/necessary for creating a good balance needed in
open societies
•Some issues can’t be solved without involving other sectors
•It’s not enough to not harm, it’s important to cooperate

12. Principles of partnership for Carpathian Foundation:
•Principle of openness: open and direct communication helps to
solve urgent problems/challenges, prevent misunderstandings, etc.
•Principle of autonomy: each partner keeps its independence, each
partner does what he/she knows the best.
•Principle of long-term relationship: vision of building a relationship
with long-term horizon
•Principle of evenly shared investments: partners contribute with
the same level of input.
•Etc.

13. Application of partnership principles in practice:
•Support within the grant programs: supported organizations
cooperate with their partners on the local level.
•Partnerships in the own projects: utilizing capacities of other
organizations and institutions for the benefit of joint idea /
projects / region.

14. Application of partnership principles in practice:
•Development of relationships with corporate donors and
supporters: support of the idea of sustainable community is the
basics of our communication with the business partners.
•Cooperation with the schools: offer of work experience / volunteer
internship for students: using of non-profit organizations potential,
answering the needs of students and organizations.

15. Examples of most recent projects
implemented in partnerships

16. Itrampoline for All – active intervention and cooperation
with local business/employer
• Increase chances of young people
on the IT sector job market by
development of their skills,
competences and experience
• Engagement of employers and
schools into the process
• Partners: T-Systems Slovakia, IT
Services Hungary, Christliches
Jugenddorfwerk Deutschlands
Gemeinnutziger EV, Germany

17. MyMachine Slovakia – program for/with schools
• Bringing back creativity into
schools, making the learning more
fun and promotion of technical
education
• Connection of three level of
schools – elementary, secondary,
university
• Partners: MyMachine Global, 4
elementary schools, 4 secondary
schools, 2 universities

18. Run With Your Heart – cooperation with International
Peace Marathon, Košice
• Charitable component of the
oldest marathon run in
Europe
• Development of individual
philanthropy via sport
activity
• Partner: organizer of the
Košice International Peace
Marathon – Progress
Promotion

19. Laura Dittel
laura.dittel@karpatskanadacia.sk
Director
Karpatská nadácia - Carpathian Foundation
www.karpatskanadacia.sk