OSCE Mission in Kosovo promotes local ownership of digital tools to support civil society

The OSCE Mission handed over today its Kosovo Funding Portal – a source of funding and training opportunities for civil society organizations (CSOs) – to the CSOs network ‘Platforma CiviKos’, in a move aimed at increasing local ownership and long-term sustainability of digital tools to support civil engagement and public participation.

The portal is a one-stop shop, the first of its kind in Kosovo, that allows CSOs - regardless of their size and location - to access information about various funding and professional development opportunities offered by local and international donors. Developed jointly by the OSCE Mission, CSOs and the software development company ‘Appdec’, the platform also aims to increase the involvement of CSOs in public life and support the establishment of synergies among them.

Since its launch in November 2017, the Kosovo Funding Portal advertised a wide variety of funding opportunities, and remains highly relevant and aligned to the needs of donors and CSOs Kosovo-wide.

“Our Mission is a strong ally of civil society organizations, including organizations that represent non-majority communities, work with vulnerable groups and provide social services. Stronger collaboration and coordination between civil society, public institutions, international community and private sector is very much needed, while digital solutions, such as the Kosovo Funding Portal, can help facilitate this,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“Now the time has come to place a new emphasis on local ownership while ensuring the long-term sustainability of this initiative, which is why today we handed it over to ‘Platforma CiviKos’, a trusted civil society partner. I have full confidence in their ability to maximize the full potential of this tool,” Ambassador Davenport added.

Donika Emini, Executive Director of Platforma CiviKos, said, “The Kosovo Funding Portal, which CiviKos will proudly take ownership of, is an important resource for civil society organizations in Kosovo. It will significantly improve their access to information about available funding and network opportunities. By providing a centralized platform for information related to funding, CiviKos will expand the information service beyond its member organizations. Furthermore, it will be elevated and designed to fit the needs on the ground aiming to bring local CSOs closer and promote their work.”

The Kosovo Funding Portal allows CSOs and donors to register in less than two minutes, and can be accessed here:  https://kosovofunding.org/