The government last year continued to implement the Civil Society Development Strategy for 2012-2015 during the year. As a result, CSOs were able to maintain active dialogue with the authorities and continued to strengthen citizen participation in the consultation process on numerous amendments to various laws and policies, including the Law of Public Associations, Law of Foundations, 2 Percent Law, Law of Social Assistance, and a government decision to establish a 40 percent quota of representation of women on political parties’ electoral lists, IPN reports, quoting the 2014 CSO Sustainability Index in Moldova, published by the Center for Organizational Training and Consultancy, with the support of USAID.
The Ministry of Justice registered 998 organizations in 2014, fewer CSOs than in 2013. As of October 2014, there were 9,225 CSOs registered with the State Register of Non-Commercial Organizations. This number includes foundations, public associations, private institutions, and religious groups. The legal environment for CSOs progressed in 2014. New laws and regulations were adopted and the implementation of existing laws improved.
Organizational capacity continued to increase in 2014 as CSOs have started to view organizational development as a real need, not just a donor requirement. CSOs now pay more attention to internal management, rules, and procedures, as well as appropriate distinctions between managerial and administrative functions and governance functions. At the same time, CSOs have started to improve their legitimacy by involving representatives of local public authorities, businesses, and communities in organizational governance and management.
In 2014, FHI 360 and the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) launched a new USAID-funded program in Moldova that provides organizational development support to selected CSOs. The East Europe Foundation and Swedish Organization for Individual Relief - Moldova also supported CSOs’ organizational capacities in 2014 by helping CSOs develop internal policies, train staff, and enhance professional skills.
Human resource management within CSOs did not change significantly in 2014. Retention of skilled staff continues to be a problem. CSO managers typically contract individuals for services instead of hiring full-time staff. Many staff members thus do not benefit from social insurance and other benefits guaranteed by labor law. Many CSO staff members are hired through contracts for the provision of services, rather than labor contracts. A majority of Moldovan CSOs use volunteers to implement programs and projects. CSO financial viability improved in 2014. Diversification of financial resources increased. In particular, government institutions began to acquire services from CSOs and allocate more resources to them.
There is some other government support to the sector as well. For example, the state National Health Insurance Company granted funding to Angelus Moldova, a medical foundation, to maintain palliative care services. The Ministry of Youth and Sport continues to provide small grants to youth CSOs through the Youth Bank, which operates in all districts in Moldova. Funding from the private sector comes mostly from telecommunications companies and supports charitable causes during campaigns around Easter and Christmas.
