YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The Eurasia Foundation is initiating a new grant-issuing a program aimed at strengthening business-associations in Armenia. The USAID is rendering financial assistance in the implementation of the program. The Foundation organizes seminars to explain the terms of the program. 120 representatives of organizations that wish to participate in the grant competition attended the first seminar.
The program stipulates the terms of the competition–grant components–selection criteria–and decision-making procedure.
The program provides for three types of gran’s: seed gran’s (up to $7,000 to form new business associations); starter gran’s (up to $15,000 to support the initial activities of newly established associations); development gran’s (up to $30,000 to enhance the activities of existing associations).Except for the first type–the other two types of gran’s are intended exclusively for organizations which have the status of public organizations–i.e. do not pursue the goal of gaining profits.
The next seminar is to be held on August 20–10 days before the deadline for applications. The results of the competition will be announced on October 5 1999.
