Backstopping Civic Engagement in Croatia
Location
Zagreb, Croatia
project period
October 2025 – ongoing/ June 2029
client
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Services provided
Consultancy
Partner organisation
The Civic Engagement Programme in Croatia (2024–2029) is part of Switzerland’s second contribution to selected EU member states, aiming to strengthen social cohesion and reduce social and economic disparities. It promotes democratic processes by fostering civic engagement and enhancing bilateral institutional relations and knowledge exchange between Switzerland and partner countries.
The programme, implemented by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (NGO Office), empowers civil society to engage more actively at the local level through four components: 1) Sustainable Development Education, 2) Strengthening Volunteering 3) Micro Projects 4) Service-Learning Programmes. These components enable civil society organisations, in partnership with local institutions, to implement community-based initiatives via calls for proposals.
While the first Swiss contribution achieved successful CSO projects, its systemic impact on long-term civil society engagement was limited. To address this, the second contribution introduced a fifth component: Programme Implementation and Learning, designed to leverage programme activities and results for greater strategic impact for fostering civic engagement and a more enabling environment for CSOs.
SKAT provides strategic and thematic support to the NGO Office in implementing Component 5: “Programme Implementation and Learning”, aiming to strengthen the Office’s capacity to leverage programme activities for a systemic change that fosters civic engagement and an enabling environment for civil society. Support to the NGO Office focuses on learning and knowledge management, support to producing analytical outputs such as policy briefs and practical tools, enhancing communication, and building trust between civil society organisations, citizens, and government institutions. This is complemented by facilitating knowledge exchange with Swiss Civil Society Organisations and promoting peer learning among Croatian CSOs. Where needed, the mandate also contributes to improving internal processes.