Alari Rammo Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations

 Three types of NGOs  nonprofit associations  foundations  civic partnership associations (not registered)  Altogether more than registered organisations  About half of them are housing and other cooperation associations  Many informal groups and networks  Many created by public sector (hospitals, theatres, Enterprise Estonia etc) 2

 Non-profit Associations Act  Establishing and managing NGO is relatively easy  Foundations Act  More control and transparency  Income Tax Act  List of non-profit associations and foundations benefiting from income tax incentives (ca 1600 organizations) 3

 Mutually complementing roles of public authorities and civic initiative – equal partnership  Principles of their cooperation – independence of NGOs  mechanisms and priorities for cooperation in shaping and implementing public policies and building up civil society in Estonia – joint commitee  Approved by Riigikogu at 2002 after 3-4 years of compilation, debating etc. 4

 Similar to Canadian Accord; English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish Compacts; also Croatia, New Zealand  Available in English  Activity plans (current: Civic Initiative Development Plan in Estonian only)  NENO is the main implementer of these activities from NGO side 5

 For implementing EKAK, government’s activity plan ,  Formed at 2003: over 30 representatives from NGOs and ministries, reformed 2007, smaller, higher level  Reporting on its work to the government every year  Every second year a public discussion on the issue of civil society development has to be held in the Parliament  Served by Ministry of Interior 6

 Major rise in civic education and citizen action, and strengthening of involvement democracy.  Introduction of the co-operation based on partnership principles between the public sector and nonprofit sector, promotion and wide implementation of good co-operation practices and creation of co-operation network.  Guaranteeing of a functioning support system for civic initiative. 7

 Mapping of the conditions necessary for the nonprofit sector and its sustainability, development of the classification system for citizens' associations and systematization of the statistics.  Mapping, improvement and strengthening of the co- operation and support structures.  Large-scale promotion of the Code of Ethics of the nonprofit sector.  Revision of the legal acts related to citizens' associations and, if necessary, drafting of the amendments.  Elaboration of the mechanisms for involving the representatives of citizens' associations in the development and implementation of the policies of different areas and legislation in general. 8

 Mapping, systematization and improvement of the system for financing citizens' associations from public budgets and informing the general public thereof.  Improvement of the information channels and feedback mechanisms between the public sector and the society.  Development of the order for concluding and implementing co- operation agreements between the public sector and the nonprofit sector.  Elaboration of the general standards for offering public services and the principles and quality standards for transferring public services to the nonprofit sector.  Examination and updating of the civil education curricula and training materials, organizing of the in-service training for teachers of civic education.  Starting of the state-financed broadcasts and programs in mass media concerning the joint activities; 9

 Democratic governance and management  Civic courage and care  Sustainable and responsible utilization of assets and resources  Accountability and reporting  Openness and transparency  Independence and avoiding the conflict of interests  Keeping to one’s word and respect to the ownership of ideas  Tolerance  Available in English & Russian 10

 Good practice of involvement (2005, State Chancellory)  ENG:  Good practice of delegating public services’ delivery to NGOs (2006, NENO)  Good practice of funding (to be concluded 2008, NENO)  Good practice of voluntarism 11

 Better management of EKAK  Department for the ministry; bureau with NGOs  Raising NGO’s abilities  Management, legitimacy, accountability, involving it’s stakeholders, organizational capacity etc  Civic education  Long-term plan for the ministry of education  Voluntarism  Voluntary Action Development Plan (2007)  Public funding  National Civil Society Fund (started 2008) 12