The latest report on the NGO sector in Romania shows that trust in non-governmental organizations remains around 50%. Young people have more trust in NGOs, with the trust level being 73% in the 18-29 age group, while it is only 36% for those over 60. (Romania 2024 Report: Non-Governmental Sector, Profile, Trends, Challenges, Achievements, conducted by the Foundation for Civil Society Development).
To maintain this trust, it is important for NGOs to have transparent and consistent public communication. Constant communication leads to greater understanding and awareness of the role that NGOs play in solving Romania’s problems. When the positive impact of NGOs becomes more visible, it can also translate into more support from donors. According to the same report, in 2023, only 24% of the population made at least one donation to NGOs.
In recent years, there have been several initiatives to improve the perception of NGOs and grants for communication. One example is the ” Impact in the spotlight “ project, initiated by the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society and funded through the Active Citizens Fund Romania program. The Civitas Foundation aimed to promote the achievements of NGOs through a series of public activities: NGO festivals (in Cluj and Odorheiu Secuiesc), a journalism competition about NGOs, awareness campaigns for companies, and meetings between NGOs and authorities. In addition, NGOs were encouraged to draft annual reports through a report competition within the project.
Over 4,500 visitors learned more about the impact of NGOs at the civil society festivals organized by the foundation last autumn, and in total, the project reached over 55,000 people, both online and offline: young people from high schools and universities, the business environment, public authorities, NGOs, and the general public.
The project concluded this month with a communication-focused event, where over 20 organizations from Cluj participated. When asked about the biggest challenges in communication, NGOs mentioned the lack of funding and human resources, as well as the difficulty of keeping up with communication trends.
The “ Impact in the spotlight. Building trust in NGOs” project is carried out by the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society Cluj, in partnership with the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society (Odorheiu Secuiesc), with the financial support of the Active Citizens Fund Romania, a program funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The goal of the project is to improve the public perception of NGOs and increase their visibility through a series of coherent and interconnected communication actions.
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About the Active Citizens Fund Romania Program
The Active Citizens Fund Romania program is financed through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The general objective of the Grants is to reduce economic and social disparities and strengthen bilateral relations between the 15 beneficiary states and the donor states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway). The program is managed by a consortium composed of the Foundation for Civil Society Development, the Foundation for Partnership, the Resource Center for Roma Communities, the PACT Foundation, and Frivillighet Norge, acting as the Fund Operator designated by FMO – the Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norwegian Grants.
The Active Citizens Fund Romania aims to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and increase the capacity of vulnerable groups. With a total allocation of 46,000,000 euros, the program seeks the long-term development of the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector, enhancing its role in promoting democratic participation, active citizenship, and human rights, while strengthening bilateral relations with the donor states Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. For more information about the Active Citizens Fund in Romania, please visit www.activecitizensfund.ro. For more information about the EEA and Norwegian Grants, visit www.eeagrants.ro.
