The Roma Education Fund: Objectives, Structure and Operations Donor Conference, Paris 3 December 2004 Maureen McLaughlin Nicholas Burnett Jim Stevens Please send comments to

Decade of Roma Inclusion and the Roma Education Fund Decade of Roma Inclusion— –Commitment to reduce disparities in key economic and human development outcomes for Roma Aim to break vicious cycle of poverty and social exclusion –Education best starting point for breaking the poverty cycle Decade countries have set education goals and developed action plans –Expand access to high quality education for Roma –Improve educational outcomes for Roma –Reduce gap in educational outcomes between Roma and non- Roma, include desegregation of education systems Goals ambitious but achievable with concentrated effort –Decade sets the policy framework which the Roma Education Fund (REF) will support

Achieving the Education Goals Policy Changes Demand-side –address economic obstacles to participation –get Roma into school and reduce dropout Supply-side –ensure availability of education –ensure quality education Anti-discrimination – policy –enforcement Financial Needs Very large numbers –€ million a year initially –€ million a year by end of Decade Governments –Assume governments contribute 40% initially, at least 90% in later years External Support –Exs: REF, EU funds, loans

Why Establish a Roma Education Fund? Direct Source of Incremental Grant Finance –Not a Substitute for what Governments will Finance Catalyst and Broker –Of Action by Governments –Of Finance from External Donors Center of Knowledge on Roma Education –Building on experience of OSI and others Monitor, Evaluate and Advocate –REF Annual Report

What is the Value Added? Impact –On policy and catalyst for other partners Predictability and Sustainability –Emphasis on financial sustainability to have impact Policy Relevance –Link projects to policy framework and systemic reform Evaluation and Transfer of Experience –Exchange of knowledge across countries and donors Leverage –Involvement of other donors and source of co-financing Roma Participation –Involved in all aspects of Fund’s operations

Possible Areas and Examples for REF Projects Expanding Access to Pre-school –Combining preschool with parental literacy--for ex, Step-by-Step & Head Start; train Roma as aides Ensuring Full Participation in Basic Education –Remedial and catch-up programs—for ex, mentoring and tutoring; greater involvement of Roma and community in local school decision making; desegregation efforts Expanding Access to Secondary, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning –Design, implement and evaluate grant and scholarship programs— for ex, OSI scholarship program; support for literacy and job training tied to job market

Possible Areas and Examples for REF Projects (cont.) Overcoming Economic Obstacles to School Attendance –Demand-side social policies tied to school attendance— for ex, conditional cash transfers for poor families, including Roma, school breakfast and school lunch programs, fee waivers Assuring Desegregation and Integration of Roma in Education –Build on successful models such as the Vidin program in Bulgaria Improving Teacher Training and School Curriculum –Expand training and recruitment of Roma teachers and aides

Fund Structure Development of Fund –World Bank led preparatory work with consultations and discussions with OSI, Roma, other partners, donors, and experts Commissioned needs analysis in eight countries and study of desegregation experiences in other parts of world Literature review of Roma education interventions Review of donor activities for Roma –Developed draft needs assessment and operational guidelines—still ongoing and open for comment and discussion Legal establishment in Switzerland with simple by-laws, almost final –Council of Europe Development Bank will host –Co-location in Paris (finance and administration) and Budapest (operations) –Set out goals and principles for Fund

Governance Seven member Board –OSI, World Bank, Swiss, Roma, 2 largest donors, largest private donor Board Responsibilities –Fund raise –Set policy –Approve Operations Manual –Approve annual budgets and financial audits Director and small staff –Access to consultants –Evaluation committee

100% Grant Operations Two grant windows –Unrestricted –Restricted Co-financing strongly encouraged Three grant categories –Systematic reform and educational improvements for Roma—expected to be largest category –Piloting and testing of Roma educational interventions –Analysis, policy development and capacity building

Grant Process Applications accepted from public and private entities, including local, regional and national governments, and public-private partnerships –Initial attention on Decade of Roma Inclusion countries Evaluation — meet eligibility criteria and technical review –Finance projects directly –Co-finance – EU structural funds, loans from international organizations Below €500,000 decision authority delegated to Director (Board for larger grants) Independent financial audit, completion report requirement and external evaluation Information on grants widely available on web

Making the Difference The Roma Education Fund can begin to close the education gap for Roma Donors can close the financing gap for the Roma Education Fund We Can Make a Difference We Must Make a Difference Please send comments to