Annual report 2004
During a year of 2004 Visaginas Community Foundation (VCF) board members
actively participated in various conferences, symposiums and seminars.
January. Participation in a conference which
was supported by Great Britain government - “Business capacity development and
economic restructuring“ in Vilnius. VCF activities were presented in exhibition
that was organized during the conference.
February. Participation in the first
conference of communities’ foundations’ from The Baltic States - „New
opportunities for community development in the Baltics - community
foundations“. The conference took part in Talsi city, Latvia.
June. Participation in a three-day
international seminar in Kaunas city “EU development: role of Lithuania in
politics of international development”.
July. Participation in a seminar -
“Communities’ philanthropy”, which was organized by Kaunas non-governmental
organizations support center.
December. Participation in the first
international symposium of local community foundations in Berlin.
Two members of the Foundation participated in
long term trainings:
- Topic:
“Trainings for boards and councils”. The seminar was organized with a support
of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian BAPP;
- Topic:
“Problem solving for sustainable development”. The seminar was organized by
international foundation “ECOLOGIA” with a support of Dreyfus Health
Foundation.
Members of the Board participated in the
following meetings:
- Meeting with the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria,
H.E. dr. Michael Schwarzinger. Traditions of philanthropy activities and
philanthropy support methods were discussed.
- During
the meeting with Counselor and Consul of the Canadian Embassy to the Baltic States
Mr. Dominique Rossetti, priorities of partnership in an area of support to
nongovernmental sector were discussed.
- Possible
domains of partnership were discussed with Branch director of Denmark Culture
Institute in Lithuania, Mrs. Audra Sabaliauskiene.
- Meeting
with board members of Baltic American Partnership Fund.
- Exchange
of experience took part in Poland with Elblag city community foundation and
representatives of the local authorities.
- Possible
partnership domains were discussed with Kaliningrad community foundation
director Mrs. Julija Trifonova.
During past year two fundraising charity
campaigns were organized and carried out: Charity evening and Christmas charity
ball. First fundraising campaign was carried out with a support from local
enterprise “Hondlitas”. During the campaign the enterprise representatives
publicly announced that it launches its operations in the city, and about ten
newly established employment positions in the city.
Christmas charity ball was organized together
with Visaginas branch of the Third Age
University. During the campaign Visaginas Volunteers of 2004 were awarded –
nominees and supporter of the Foundation of the year 2004. Winners were
presented with diplomas, flowers and remembrances. A charity lottery and
auctions were carried out during the event.
Visaginas city inhabitants participated in
fundraising for support and development of charity activities. More than 200
Visaginas inhabitants supported activities of the Foundation by contributing 2
per cent of their income tax. Among the contributors, employees of the
following city private companies are: “Plasteka”, DKD, “Vilstata” and
“Gandras”.
Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant donated three
used computers - PENTIUM and PC 486 – to be distributed by the Foundation. The
computers were passed to two Visaginas public organizations, to a disabled
child and to association of inhabitants of one apartment house to create an
independent heat supply control system.
In the middle of the year the Foundation
organized a forum of Visaginas nongovernmental organizations, during which NGO
support priorities and most relevant community problems were determined.
In October the Foundation organized and
carried out charity action “A fair of social projects”, aimed to support and on
competitive basis to partly finance initiatives of nongovernmental sector. In
action 28 Visaginas public organizations participated and presented their
project proposals. The project proposals were evaluated during the Foundation’s
board meeting and also during the meeting of public commission that was
established with a participation of Visaginas Community Development Council. 14
organizations received support from the Foundation for project implementation.
The Foundation published 100 copies of its
presentation materials in English language.
Members of the Foundation’s Board actively
participated in implementation of the project, aimed at preparation of
Visaginas Strategic Development Plan. The Board members worked in project’s
Steering Committee and Analytic Group.
With a support of Baltic-American Partnership
Program, the Foundation organized and carried out a seminar for representatives
of Communities’ foundations “A work with interested groups: from loyal
relations to fruitful partnership”.
The Foundation, extending its partnership with
local business representatives, initiated and organized a meeting of Visaginas
businessmen with representatives from Ministry of Economy of the Republic of
Lithuania, Lithuanian development agency for small and medium enterprises,
“Šiauliai bankas” and Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant region development
agency.
During reporting year the Foundations’ website
was maintained and upgraded. In the Foundation’s website, information about
Visaginas public organizations was posted in Lithuanian, Russian and English
languages; Law acts of the Republic of Lithuania, relevant to nongovernmental
sector were translated into Russian language; A report to European Commission
on protection of minorities rights in Lithuania was translated into Russian.
The Foundation’s board members actively
participated in sessions of Visaginas Community Development Council.
In the year of 2004 six meetings of the
Foundation’s board took place. During the first quarter board members carried
out an evaluation of foundation’s work using methodology of work evaluation for
nongovernmental organizations, prepared by Baltic American Partnership Program.
The Foundation’s work has constantly been highlighted by local press and TV.
Financial activities of the Foundation:
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1. Authorized capital 21
000 Lt
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2. For
projects, implemented by the Foundation, grants were received
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from
the following institutions:
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- Baltic
American Partnership Program 2
500 $
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- INPP
Regional Development Council 8
495 Lt
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- U.S.
Embassy Democracy Commission Small Grants Program 8 000 $
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- Open
Society Fund, Lithuania 1
840 $
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- Visaginas
city council 1
745 Lt
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- Dreyfus
Health Foundation 1
380 $
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3. Collected
funds for charity 33
730 Lt
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4. Based
on decision of the Foundation‘s board the following amount
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was
distributed to the following persons or/and organizations: 14 140 Lt
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- To
six children from socially disadvantaged families to buy
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needed
medicines 100
Lt
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- For
awards to nominees of “Visaginas Volunteer of
2004” 1000
Lt
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- Computers
PENTIUM were handed over to the 14 years old
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disabled
girl, youth organization “Center of intellectual games”
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and
to Visaginas association of animal rights protection.
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- Used
PC 486 was handed over to apartment house inhabitants
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that
are going to create an independent heat supply control system.
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- Uzbek
cultural center was partially funded to carry out the first
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international
young pianists’ competition-festival in Visaginas,
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named
by Aldona Dvarionaite 750
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Young Leaders’ School
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to
carry out youth summer project “Robinzons of Visaginas – 2004” 750 Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas sport club „Snaige“
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to
participate in biathlon world championship in France 200 Lt
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- To
organization „Rusakalbiø linija“ to buy methodological
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literature
in Russian language and so improve work of the organization 300 Lt
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- To
informal sports’ organization “Inter veteranai”
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to
support football veterans’ participation in championship
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of
Lithuanian football federation and to develop sports in Visaginas 2500 Lt
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- To
football club „INTER AE “ to support participation in selective
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match
to Lithuanian football championship
250
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas club of constructers to publish a book
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about
first city constructors 300
Lt
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- To
public organization Visaginas Association of people with mental
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disability
to buy table games and embroidery materials 200
Lt
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- Partial
funding to association “Chernobyl” to carry out project
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“Help
for Chernobyl children 1000
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas nongovernmental center of social
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support
to carry out a project
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“Football
for all, health – for everybody” 600
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas Young Leaders’ School
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to
carry out a project “Sustainable summer youth camp“ 750
Lt
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- To
informal youth association „Forum DKD“ to organize annual
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summer
meeting 40
Lt
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- To
Visaginas youth club „Counter-strike“ to support
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Visaginas
team participation in computer games championship
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for
the fourth Lithuanian cup (the team won the first place
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in
their age group)
100 Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas Byelorussians culture center “Krok”
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to
carry out a project “Days of Byelorussians
culture center 500 Lt
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- Partial
funding to Early child development center “Delfinukas”
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to
carry out a project “Psychical and psycho-emotional development
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for
children with limited possibilities”
500
Lt
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- Partial
funding to organization „Draugiška šeima“ to carry out
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a
project „Children – our future“ 650
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas Ukrainians’ association for
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a
project “An egg teaches a hen” 650
Lt
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- Partial funding to Center of Intellectual
games to carry out a project
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“Schoolchildren
championship What? Where? When?”
500 Lt
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- Partial funding To Visaginas painters
club “Kvadratas” to carry out
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a
project “Pedestrian Bridge” 500
Lt
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- Partial
funding to Visaginas Young Leaders’ School to carry out a project
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„Language + photo = European”
750 Lt
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- Partial
funding to informal Visaginas youth group “Gerosios Vilties”
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to
carry out a project „Aitvaras, Pakapikas ir trolis“ 750
Lt
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- To Visaginas Children creativity center
to support projects
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of
children activity 500
Lt
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