Domain
Office for Cooperation with NGOs was established by the Regulation on the Office for Cooperation with NGOs in 1998 to perform professional activities within the scope of the Croatian Government in connection with the creation of conditions for cooperation and partnership with non-profit sector, especially with associations in Croatia.
A detailed scope of the Office defined by the Regulation on the Office for Cooperation with NGOs (Official Gazette 101/25) on the basis of which the Office carries out activities:
The Office carries out projects to support the development of civil society organizations from the European Union-funded contracts and Central Finance and Contracting Agency.
Since 2005, based on the Operational Agreement with the said Agency, the Office is responsible for programming and monitoring of projects under the EU's civil society sector CARDS and PHARE programs and IPA I component.
Also, since 2007 the Office is contact point for the Europe for Citizens programby which are opened new options for funding of civil society organizations, and local governments in Croatia in order to encourage active involvement of citizens in decision-making processes at European level.
Office for cooperation with NGOs which within a decentralized system of EU funds in the pre-accession period has the role of Project Implementation Unit, will be the intermediate body for the first level of Efficient Human Resources Programme in the proposed new operating structure for the use of the ESF (Under the provisions of the Decision of the Government on strategic documents and institutional framework for the use of structural instruments of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia, Official Gazette 116/2010), with the Ministry of Labour and Pension System as governing body. Programming investments in strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations is part of the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources.
From 2014 onwards, in accordance with the Regulation on Bodies in System for Management and Control of Use of the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund (OG 107/14/, 23/15, 129/15, 15/17 and 18/17), the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) of the Republic of Croatia was defined as one of the bodies in the system of control and management for implementation of the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014 - 2020, in Priority axis 4 “Good Governance”, Investment Priority 11.ii “Capacity Building for all Stakeholders delivering Education, Lifelong Learning, Training and Employment and Social Policies, including through sectoral and territorial Pacts to mobilise for Reform at the national, regional and local levels”, specific objective 11.ii “Developing Capacities of Civil Society Organisations, especially NGOs and Social partner, and enhancing civil and Social Dialogue for better Governance.”
At the same time, the GOfNGOs under the Priority Axis 4 “Good Governance”, performs functions as a Level 1 Intermediary Body, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the aforementioned Regulation.
In the period 2021-2027, in accordance with the Regulation on Bodies in System for Management and Control of Use of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in relation to the aim “Investment for jobs and growth” within the Effective Human Resources 2021-2027 programme (OG 96/2022), GOfNGOs shall further have the role of the Intermediary Body level 1 for the following funding areas: 2. Education and Lifelong Learning, 3. Social Inclusion and 5. Youth Employment. Within the named areas, 6 Calls were envisaged including the publishing plan defined in the Indicative Annual Call Plan - ESF+ (ESF+ web pages).
In the Framework of Swiss Contribution Financial Mechanism of the European Union enlargement process, the GOfNGOs is the Contracting Body for the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of CSOs for the sustainable development of the local community and developing partnerships between the Republic of Croatia and the Swiss Confederation.
Within the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme First Contribution (2015 - 2024), GOfNGOs had been acting as an Intermediary Body and an Executive Agency for Block Grant for non-governmental organisations and Partnership Grant worth a total 7,48 million Swiss Francs.
By signing the Framework Agreement on implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution for the period 2019-2029 between the Republic of Croatia and the Swiss Confederation on 18 October 2022 and by entering into force of the Act on confirmation of the Framework Agreement between the Croatian Government and the Swiss Federal Council on implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution for the selected EU member states on 17 May 2023 the preconditions were achieved for using 7,62 million of Swiss Francs for the Civil Society Programme.
Under the Second Contribution (2019 - 2029) the GOfNGOs is Programme Manager of the Civil Society Programme for which 7,62 million of Swiss Francs were ensured. It will be implemented through 4 Calls that will engage in the topics of Education for Sustainable Development, Promoting of Volunteering, Micro Projects and Service-Learning Programmes
In accordance with the Regulation on the criteria, standards and procedures for financing and contracting programmes and projects of interest to the public good carried by the associations, the Office is working on improving standards for financing programs and projects of associations from public sources.
In carrying out these tasks, the Office works closely with the Council for the Development of Civil Society, to which also provides technical, administrative, professional and financial support in its work.
A detailed scope of the Office defined by the Regulation on the Office for Cooperation with NGOs (Official Gazette 101/25) on the basis of which the Office carries out activities:
- drafting, systematic monitoring, analysis and evaluation of the implementation of strategic programs for the creation of an enabling environment for civil society and the preparation and implementation of measures of other strategic documents covering the activities of cooperation with associations;
- participation in the development, monitoring, analysis and evaluation of the normative framework for the operation of NGOs and other civil society organizations in the Republic of Croatia;
- coordination of work of state administration bodies and other public institutions in the field of harmonization of policies, criteria and standards of financing projects of NGOs and other civil society organizations from the state budget and other public sources;
- provision, if necessary, expert assistance to national authorities in the preparation and implementation of tenders for financing projects and programs from the state budget;
- preparation and monitoring the implementation of the Open Government Partnership initiative National Action Plan
- programming of the European Structural and Investment Funds investment priorities in the civil society area
- programming of investment priorities in the Republic of Croatia civil society area within the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, as well as carries all activities of the Programme Manager of the named Programme including assessment and contracting of projects, verification and payment of contracting projects
- in the role of the National Contact Point carries out the activities of promotion and coordination of the European Union programme “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values” in the Republic of Croatia, informs and educates the programme potential applicants and beneficiaries
- collecting and processing sectoral analyses of state administration bodies - donors, as well as preparing analytical basis and harmonising the needs of beneficiaries bodies with the projections of funding from games of chances
- cooperation in the preparation of programs supporting the development of civil society carried out by the National Foundation for Civil Society Development and financed from the state budget funds available to the budget of the Office;
- development and management of effective monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs of organizations financed from the state budget and other public sources, as well as EU funds and Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme
- preparing analyzes and reports for the Croatian government on expenditure of funds, to support program activities, provided the associations paid from the state budget, other public sources and EU funds;
- designing and conducting a public database on allocated grants for projects and programs of civil society organizations from the state budget and other public sources;
- involvement of associations and other CSOs, as well as citizens in the adoption, implementation and evaluation of public policies
- professional and administrative support to the work of the Council for the Civil Society Development, Council of the Open Government Partnership Initiative, Inter-departmental Committee for Financial Policy of the associations projects and programmes from the State Budget and other expert and advisory Croatian Government bodies in accordance with the special regulations
- provision, if necessary, expert assistance to the Office of the President of the Croatian Government on the issues from its scope;
- preparation and implementation of professional development and training of civil servants and other users in the area of development cooperation with civil society in shaping of public policies, standards of funding of CSOs projects and programmes of public benefit interest and other education from its scope
- organising of the NGOs’ Open Days with the purpose of the promotion of the public benefit interest projects and programmes carried by associations and maintaining the mobile application UdrugeInfo including application UdrugeInfo web page
- preparing a prior opinion of the Office on the associations requests for the Croatian Government sponsorship over public events of associations
- providing information and providing technical assistance to citizens and representatives of civil society organizations within the competence of the Office;
- establishment, implementation and development of international cooperation with the bodies of the European Union, other international bodies and related institutions in accordance with the competence of the Office;
- preparation and implementation of activities of international development cooperation in support of development of civil society;
- preparation, coordination and implementation of projects and programs of the European Union and other international organizations to support the development of civil society;
- implementation of the activities of financial management and quality control of projects and programs for the civil society sector that are financed from European Union funds;
- co-financing projects of NGOs and other civil society organizations who receive support from EU funds.
The Office carries out projects to support the development of civil society organizations from the European Union-funded contracts and Central Finance and Contracting Agency.
Since 2005, based on the Operational Agreement with the said Agency, the Office is responsible for programming and monitoring of projects under the EU's civil society sector CARDS and PHARE programs and IPA I component.
Also, since 2007 the Office is contact point for the Europe for Citizens programby which are opened new options for funding of civil society organizations, and local governments in Croatia in order to encourage active involvement of citizens in decision-making processes at European level.
Office for cooperation with NGOs which within a decentralized system of EU funds in the pre-accession period has the role of Project Implementation Unit, will be the intermediate body for the first level of Efficient Human Resources Programme in the proposed new operating structure for the use of the ESF (Under the provisions of the Decision of the Government on strategic documents and institutional framework for the use of structural instruments of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia, Official Gazette 116/2010), with the Ministry of Labour and Pension System as governing body. Programming investments in strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations is part of the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources.
From 2014 onwards, in accordance with the Regulation on Bodies in System for Management and Control of Use of the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund (OG 107/14/, 23/15, 129/15, 15/17 and 18/17), the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) of the Republic of Croatia was defined as one of the bodies in the system of control and management for implementation of the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014 - 2020, in Priority axis 4 “Good Governance”, Investment Priority 11.ii “Capacity Building for all Stakeholders delivering Education, Lifelong Learning, Training and Employment and Social Policies, including through sectoral and territorial Pacts to mobilise for Reform at the national, regional and local levels”, specific objective 11.ii “Developing Capacities of Civil Society Organisations, especially NGOs and Social partner, and enhancing civil and Social Dialogue for better Governance.”
At the same time, the GOfNGOs under the Priority Axis 4 “Good Governance”, performs functions as a Level 1 Intermediary Body, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the aforementioned Regulation.
In the period 2021-2027, in accordance with the Regulation on Bodies in System for Management and Control of Use of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in relation to the aim “Investment for jobs and growth” within the Effective Human Resources 2021-2027 programme (OG 96/2022), GOfNGOs shall further have the role of the Intermediary Body level 1 for the following funding areas: 2. Education and Lifelong Learning, 3. Social Inclusion and 5. Youth Employment. Within the named areas, 6 Calls were envisaged including the publishing plan defined in the Indicative Annual Call Plan - ESF+ (ESF+ web pages).
In the Framework of Swiss Contribution Financial Mechanism of the European Union enlargement process, the GOfNGOs is the Contracting Body for the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of CSOs for the sustainable development of the local community and developing partnerships between the Republic of Croatia and the Swiss Confederation.
Within the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme First Contribution (2015 - 2024), GOfNGOs had been acting as an Intermediary Body and an Executive Agency for Block Grant for non-governmental organisations and Partnership Grant worth a total 7,48 million Swiss Francs.
By signing the Framework Agreement on implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution for the period 2019-2029 between the Republic of Croatia and the Swiss Confederation on 18 October 2022 and by entering into force of the Act on confirmation of the Framework Agreement between the Croatian Government and the Swiss Federal Council on implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution for the selected EU member states on 17 May 2023 the preconditions were achieved for using 7,62 million of Swiss Francs for the Civil Society Programme.
Under the Second Contribution (2019 - 2029) the GOfNGOs is Programme Manager of the Civil Society Programme for which 7,62 million of Swiss Francs were ensured. It will be implemented through 4 Calls that will engage in the topics of Education for Sustainable Development, Promoting of Volunteering, Micro Projects and Service-Learning Programmes
In accordance with the Regulation on the criteria, standards and procedures for financing and contracting programmes and projects of interest to the public good carried by the associations, the Office is working on improving standards for financing programs and projects of associations from public sources.
In carrying out these tasks, the Office works closely with the Council for the Development of Civil Society, to which also provides technical, administrative, professional and financial support in its work.