About EPSD
Environmental Partnership for Sustainable Development
The Environmental Partnership for Sustainable Development is a consortium of six foundations in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia dedicated to mobilizing and empowering people to improve their environment, their local communities and societies. Since their establishment in 1991, the Environmental Partnership foundations have invested approximately € 20 million in support of over 8,000 initiatives. As well as providing financial and technical support to local, grassroots organizations, EPSD foundations also implement directed national and regional programs designed to address local as well as regional and cross-border issues.
The EPSD has become a source of long-term sustainability in the region with a constituency of over 500 grassroots organizations in a region of 100,000,000 people. We are constantly working to increase and enhance our delivery capacity on a national and regional level as well and to strengthen our regional cooperation. At the same time, we are working to share our story and experiences to benefit partners in neighboring countries such as Serbia, the Ukraine and Byelorussia. EPSD is also starting to address global issues and take part in the global dialogue regarding the future of our planet.
Our Mission
To promote environmentally, socially and economically sustainable communities by empowering civic initiatives in the region.
Partnership
The word 'partnership' describes the role that the Environmental Partnership plays in building bridges of cooperation between people and organizations, across sectors and national borders to build civil societies and sustainable communities in Central and Eastern Europe. Using a flexible mixture of small grants, technical assistance, networking and training activities as well as special programs, the Environmental Partnership foundations empower individuals, organizations, and communities to participate actively in environmental decision-making. At the same time, they catalyze cooperation among the private, public and nonprofit sectors for environmental problem-solving.
Action
Since 1991, the Environmental Partnership foundations have built a reputation among both domestic and international organizations for providing fast, effective and non-bureaucratic financial and technical support for local environmental action. Their active approach to grant-making, emphasis on small-scale assistance and guiding philosophy of partnership have served as models for other organizations, such as the Regional Environmental Center and the Global Environmental Facility. The experience of the Environmental Partnership Consortium is to empower local communities themselves to decide and address their conservation and development priorities, rather than imposing them from the outside. This is the key to making sustainable development a day-to-day reality.
Results
The Environmental Partnership foundations have supported over 7,200 initiatives to:
- protect over 160 endangered species of flora and fauna
- plant more than 300,000 trees
- insulate 800 homes, schools, and other public buildings
- create over 4600 km of cycling paths and nature trails
- employ 2,350 people (full-time, part-time, definite period of time)
- mobilize and involve over 35,500 volunteers
Current Direction
The EPSD has become a source of long-term sustainability in the region with a constituency of over 500 grassroots organizations in a region of 100,000,000 people. We are constantly working to increase and enhance our delivery capacity on a national and regional level as well and to strengthen our regional cooperation. At the same time, we are working to share our story and experiences to benefit partners in neighboring countries such as Serbia, the Ukraine and Byelorussia. EPSD is also starting to address global issues and take part in the global dialogue regarding the future of our planet.