Pivotal Place: Western Balkans Guidelines

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) has been engaged in grantmaking in the Western Balkans since 2001. At that time, in light of the region’s long history of instability and the recent conclusion of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, the prospect of a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Europe hinged, in part, on the Balkans’ successful transition to a post-Communist and post-conflict era. During its first years in the Western Balkans, the Fund’s grantmaking aimed to nurture healthy democratic processes, support regional initiatives to debunk persistent myths and prejudices, and encourage development of a vibrant civil society. The Fund’s work in the Balkans, and especially in Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo, builds on its 20-year experience in Central and Eastern Europe, supporting transition processes and helping to create conditions for their accession to the European Union.

The countries of the Western Balkans are now focused on realizing their own European integration aspirations, as accession brings with it the promise of stability and rule of law—necessary prerequisites for long-term peace, prosperity, and democracy. To support that vision, the Fund will help create the enabling legal, fiscal, and political environment for EU membership, giving special attention to democratic practice and sustainable development requirements. Engagement and leadership of youth in building a sustainable future for the region, facing the past, and establishing a truth and reconciliation process will continue to be part of the RBF’s support in the region.

The RBF will continue to work closely with civil society groups, governmental institutions, and other funding organizations to highlight the richness of the region’s ethnic, gender, age, cultural, and racial diversity and to promote the values of a tolerant and inclusive society.

The RBF is pursuing the following goals and strategies across the Western Balkans region:

DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE

Goal: Improving the Performance, Transparency, and Accountability of Government

Strategies:

Enhancing the capacity of civil society to monitor the quality of public sector governance and service delivery.
Strengthening the investigative and educational practices of media and nongovernmental organizations.
Strengthening the capacity of government and nongovernmental institutions to conduct sound policy analysis.

Goal: Building Civil Society Capacity and Effectiveness to Strengthen Participatory Democracy

Strategies:

Strengthening the organizational and financial capacity of the civic sector.
Stimulating indigenous philanthropy and solidarity in society.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Goal: Building a Culture and Practice of Sustainable Development

Strategies:

Contributing to participatory and inclusive approaches to the design and implementation of strategies for sustainable development.
Supporting educational reforms to include sustainable development concepts and practices as part of curriculum.
Introducing and encouraging energy efficiency and environmental protection approaches in economic and infrastructure development.

PEACEBUILDING

Goal: Strengthening Constituencies for Reconciliation and Enduring Peace

Strategies:

Supporting efforts to establish and disseminate the truth about atrocities and mass violations of human rights during the years of conflict in the region.
Contributing to regional initiatives that engage diverse states and communities in conflict transformation to create conditions for enduring peace.