Constraints on Russia"s NGO sector

The environment in which these organizations work has also undergone a striking transformation, especially in laying the legal foundation for public activism. This study analyzes the kind of NGOs that USAID is targeting for assistance and the constraints to their further development. USAID targets organizations that have demonstrated the ability to utilize its assistance, and commitment to building their capacities or those of the NGO/civic group sector. USAID"s client-NGOs include public advocates, educators, and service providers working in such fields as human rights, ecology, gender issues, ethnicity, consumerism, and community development. They also include, inter alia, professional and business associations, charities, and groups that represent and aid children, underprivileged families, the elderly and the disabled. Constraints to NGO development include a lack of commitment to outreach; resistance to moving away from one-person management and decisionmaking structures; and difficulty in working in groups (associations, coalitions), with other organizations, and with long-term planning. Civic activists are most concerned about their financial viability, although most organizations employ a range of financial resources. In contrast, foreign grant recipients exert little effort to diversify their funding sources. NGO leaders feel restricted by the lack of information about other organizations -- both national and international -- working in their sphere of interests. Organizations are also troubled by the lack of legislative basis for and legal information about NGO activity, and are concerned about their relationships with local government officials. The study offers some recommendations as to how USAID can prioritize its programming to provide the most useful assistance to NGOs. (Author abstract, modified)