PUBLISHED: MAY 30, 2007

On Thursday, May 24, 2007, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released the 10th Edition of the NGO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law is pleased to have served as the project manager, in partnership with Management Systems International, Inc., for this USAID publication.

USAID marked the 10th anniversary of the index with an event highlighting both the significant progress made and challenges faced by civil society over the past decade in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Doug Menarchik, Acting Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Europe & Eurasia, spoke at the event and noted, “The NGO Sustainability Index is an important tool for USAID and the donor community in that it allows us to focus resources and efforts to areas of civil society reform most in need of attention.” (USAID Press Release, May 30, 2007)

The Sustainability Index tracks NGO sector progress in 28 countries in Europe and Eurasia. This year’s report identifies significant progress in Central Europe and highlights ongoing challenges to long-term development in parts of Eastern Europe and Eurasia. This year’s edition also features a Ten-Year Retrospective discussing significant trends with respect the dimensions of NGO sustainability observed over the Index’s ten year history, as well as an article by Czech NGO leader David Stulik reflecting on the lessons learned about NGO sustainability in the Northern Tier of Central and Eastern Europe and how they might be applied in other countries of the region.