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NGO Umbrella
Grants
Croatia: Economic and
Community Revitalization (2001-2004)
Photo: Mercy Corps |
The Economic and Community Revitalization Activity in Croatia, or
ECRA, aims to achieve sustainable returns on economically and socially
revitalized war-affected municipalities. This program, when combined
with effective cross-border outreach and strong public information
efforts, focuses on building economically and socially vibrant communities
that entice residents to remain in generally under-populated parts
of Croatia and encourages those who may have left to return.
The three-year, $17 million
program, jointly implemented by Mercy Corps and the Urban Institute,
awards subgrants to 16 international and local nongovernmental agencies.
The program focuses on building a sustainable, market-oriented economy
geared toward creating jobs and improving economic output in selected
war-affected municipalities, an acknowledged essential pre-condition
for encouraging and sustaining the return of community residents.
Specific project activities are focused on establishing producer/processor
business linkages, primarily in the livestock and dairy industries,
and in providing sustainable financial and business development and
support services. The program also assists communities to identify,
prioritize, and address local needs related to public infrastructure
and community services, thereby improving communal quality of life
and hastening the reintegration of returnees. The third component
of the program seeks to address housing needs through self-help home
rebuilding and commercially financed home improvement activities.
As of early 2003, 5,400
people are actively participating in 84 community-based initiatives
and 2,100 others have received legal services for property restitution
and securing social benefits. Economic development activities being
implemented by ECRA partners have leveraged $356,529 in external financing
for cooperatives and individual farmers and $940,993 in current and
forward sales contracts. The program has also created and sustained
a total of over 1000 jobs since its inception in November 2001.
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