Training and consulting services

This strategic project is financed by the European Social Fund and the national budget through the Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013, managed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Equal Opportunities. Funding provided by the ESF aims to develop human resources and increase competitiveness by promoting lifelong learning.

Overall objective: To improve entrepreneurial and managerial skills of at least 420 beneficiaries from Bucharest-Ilfov and South-West Oltenia, mostly young people, to support entrepreneurial initiatives of least 42 of beneficiaries, mostly students, in order to stimulate self-employment and creation of at least 84 new jobs and entrepreneurship in the target regions.

The integrated package of support includes:

• entrepreneurial information and awareness,
• entrepreneurial and managerial training services,
• pre- and post-start-up business consulting,
• Financial support for creation and operation of new businesses.

Expected results and impact:

• Increased courage and self-confidence to launch business;
• New business and management skills for 420 persons, of which 51% youth / students, including new skills in specific areas;
• Financing of up 25,000 euro / start-up and professional support in launching and conducting their business in attractive areas for 42 beneficiaries, of which 22 students;
• Minimum 84 sustainable jobs;
• 2 new centers for entrepreneurship and business start-up support will be created and the centers functional at CEED and IPA will develop their capacity to promote entrepreneurship.

Lead partner:    CEED Romania

Partener:          IPA SA

Duration:          10 months – February – December 2015

Role of CEED România:

• Project management
• Development of the CEED business start-up support center
• Consulting for pre-start-up / entrepreneurial training
• Organization and carrying out the business plans contest
• Grant scheme management – granting and monitoring grants for start-up SMEs

For more details, please visit the project’s website: www.proiect-ideal.ro

Project co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013
Invest în people!

The project Active Women în the Labour Market is co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013, priority axis 6 – Promoting social inclusion, key area of 6.3 – Promoting equal opportunities în the labour market.

Duration: 18 months, in the period May 9, 2014 – November 8, 2015.

The partnership of the project consists of:

• Foundation CEED Romania
• SC IPA SA – company for research, design and production of automation equipment and facilities
• Youth Forum Association

Overall objective
The overall objective of the project is to enhance equal opportunities for 800 women by improving their equal access to employment and professional career development, including entrepreneurship and networking, while strengthening the application of the principle of equal opportunities and gender so as to create an inclusive labour market.
The project will achieve the general objective and the operational objectives thorugh four types of major interventions, which will provide tangible and long-lasting benefits for the 800 women. They will translate into an increased participation of women, under conditions of equality, on the labour market în the target regions.
The project area includes the regions: South-East, South, South-West and Bucharest-Ilfov.

Expected results

• 485 of the beneficiaries will acquire new professional skills and qualification certificates în the ICT field and as sales workers, thus will increase their chances of access to the labour market;
• 315 women will acquire new and improved professional /managerial/ entrepreneurial skills, connected to their current occupations, that will enable them to advance în their career or start-up their business, thus creating new jobs by and for women;
• the use of the principle of equal and gender opportunities will strengthen by increasing the awareness of the 800 women as well as of relevant stakeholders regarding the importance of the legislative requirements and the modalities of implementation of this principle.

For more details access the project web page: www.fapm.ro

DOMENIUL MAJOR DE INTERVENȚIE: 3.1

LOCAȚIA PROIECTULUI

Țara: România

Regiunile: Sud, Sud-Est și Sud-Vest

Județele: Dolj, Olt, Teleorman, Galați, Brăila

DURATA PROIECTULUI: 36 luni

OBIECTIVUL PROIECTULUI

Obiectivul general: Dezvoltarea culturii antreprenoriale, a capacitatilor manageriale si spiritului inovativ ale intreprinzatorilor din Regiunile Sud, Sud-Est si Sud-Vest pt. crearea/dezvoltarea firmelor si generarea de noi locuri de munca in domenii noi, inalt tehnologice si ecoeficiente.

Obiectivele specifice:

• Consolidarea, din perspectiva dezvoltării durabile, a culturii antreprenoriale in Regiunile Sud, S-E, si S-V prin promovarea atitudinii pozitive fata de antreprenoriat si dezvoltarea unei culturi eco-constiente;
• Imbunatatirea competentelor antreprenoriale/manageriale ale intreprinzatorilor, managerilor si angajatilor IMM din regiunile tinta in vederea initierii de activitati independente/dezvoltarii firmelor si crearii de locuri de munca;
• Crearea de sisteme integrate, inovative, sustenabile si replicabile la nivel national de servicii de formare, consultanta si mentorat pt. stimulare antreprenoriat si dezvoltare manageriala;
• Identificarea de noi oportunitati de afaceri in domenii moderne, inalt tehnologice si ecoeficiente si dezvoltarea capacitatii intreprinzatorilor din regiunile selectate de a le materializa in idei de afaceri de succes;
• Dezvoltarea capacitatii beneficiarilor proiectului de a promova parteneriate si de a asimila bune practici europene in domeniul dezvoltarii antreprenoriatului si competitivitatii.

Proiectul va contribui la realizarea obiectivelor Axei Prioritare 3 si DMI 3.1. prin dezvoltarea culturii antreprenoriale in regiunile tinta, stimuland – celor care nu sunt inca intreprinzatori – dorinta de a initia o afacere si dezvoltand – celor ce au demarat deja afaceri – abilitatile manageriale si capacitatea de a utiliza oportunitatile pietei si factorii de crestere a competitivitatii. Prin fructificarea potentialului antreprenorial din cele 3 regiuni si investitiile in capitalul uman, se vor dezvolta si crea noi intreprinderi si noi locuri de munca, proiectul contribuind astfel in mod nemijlocit la atingerea obiectivului general al POS DRU. Prin dezvoltarea afacerilor, in special in domenii eco si energo-eficiente, proiectul va permite membrilor grupului tinta imbunatatirea statutului lor economic si social, realizarea unui standard de viata superior pt. ei si familiile lor si protejarea mediului/resurselor locale. Includerea lor in parteneriate cu firme de succes din regiune va intari capacitatea de asociere, stimuland implicarea in viata economica si sociala si accesul la servicii inovative de sprijin pt. si intre intreprinzatori. Prin continuarea legaturilor si serviciilor de sprijin in cadrul acestor structuri va fi asigurata sustenabilitatea proiectului. Introducerea de noi metode organizationale si realizarea unor parteneriate cu firme puternice din regiune, precum si transferul de bune practici din alte state UE vor conduce la dezvoltarea competitivitatii firmelor din grupul tinta si la o crestere economica generala a regiunilor.

Activitatile proiectului:

1. Management proiect
2. Activitati de vizibilitate si diseminare rezultate
3. Utilizare asistenta informationala/electronica – Creare si administrare portal web
   Se va crea o platforma software (portal de web) care va asigura informarea si publicitatea on-line, consultanta on-line a participantilor, precum si stocarea si managementul tuturor informatiilor legate de proiect.
4. Elaborare studiu oportunitati dezvoltare antreprenoriala
   Studiul va porni de la analiza nevoilor de dezvoltare ale fiecarei regiuni selectate, resursele disponibile si accesate, strategiile si politicile locale, traditiile economice, comerciale si culturale, alaturi de bunele practici europene de dezvoltare antreprenoriala in domenii inovative si ecoeficiente. Pe baza rezultatelor cercetarii, se vor identifica, pt. fiecare regiune in parte, oportunitatile de creare/dezvoltare afaceri in aceste domenii.
5. Formare manageriala/implementare tehnologii noi Grup I
   Cursurile, adresate patronilor/intreprinzatorilor si managerilor/angajatilor selectati, vor avea o puternica componenta practica si se vor axa pe introducerea de tehnici manageriale inovative, generatoare de dezvoltare durabila. Temele vor include: Metode si instrumente moderne de management, inclusiv cu suport TIC; Tehnologii high tech, TIC, ecoeficienta si ecoproiectare; Utilizare energii alternative si regenerabile; Inovare si transfer tehnologic; Proprietate intelectuala.
6. Consultanta beneficiari Grup I
   Consultanta va fi orientata in mod explicit pe aplicarea in practica a cunostintelor acumulate pe parcursul instruirii asistand managerii/angajatii sa dezvolte planuri concrete de introducere a unor tehnologii noi, sisteme TIC, metode de ecoeficienta, reducere consum sau identificare surse alternative de energie, in vederea reducerii costurilor, cresterii eficientei si a competitivitatii.
7. Formare antreprenoriala Grup II
   Instruirea Grupului II se va adresa tinerilor intreprinzatori si persoanelor ce doresc sa inceapa o afacere si va cuprinde teme ca: Management, Plan de afaceri, Surse de finantare, precum si module specifice domeniilor in care au fost identificate oportunitati de demarare a unei afaceri : TIC, Instrumente si tehnologii informatice suport pt. management, Eficientizarea consumului energetic de calitate, promovarea energiilor alternative, Ecoeficienta si Ecoproiectare, Inovare si transfer tehnologic, Proprietate intelectuala.
8. Consultanta in inceperea unei afaceri Grup II
   Participantii la instruirea antreprenoriala care dovedesc interes real pentru inceperea unei afaceri vor fi asistati sa-si definitiveze un plan de afaceri viabil si sa demareze procedurile de inregistrare a propriei firme.
9. Formare parteneriate mentorat intre Grup I si Grup II
   Echipa de proiect va identifica parteneriatele optime de mentorat intre IMM nou infiintate/cei ce doresc demararea unei afaceri si mentori selectati din firmele mature participante in proiect. Programul de mentorat va consta in asistenta directa si individuala acordata beneficiarilor de catre mentori prin diverse canale de comunicare (intalniri, e-mail, telefon, on-line in portal-ul proiectului) si va fi coordonat si facilitat de expertii proiectului pe toata perioada sa de desfasurare. De asemenea, se vor identifica retelele nationale si europene de IMM-uri care pot sprijini beneficiarii dupa finalizarea proiectului iar membrii ambelor grupuri tinta vor fi incurajati sa adere la una dintre acestea.

Rezultate anticipate*:

• Peste 1.500 de beneficiari informati si constientizati
• 800 manageri si angajati vor participa la cursurile de pregatire manageriala in cadrul Grupei I;
• 300 de intreprinzatori vor participa la cursurile de pregatire antreprenoriala;
• 120 de firme vor fi asistate pentru dezvoltarea unor planuri de introducere tehnologii moderne TIC sau tehnologii ecoeficiente, vor moderniza productia prin introducerea de solutii inovative, vor eficientiza consumul de energie sau vor identifica surse de energii alternative pentru a-si reduce costurile, a-si creste eficienta si a deveni mai competitive, din care 60 vor finaliza planul de implementare a noilor tehnologii;
• 75 de intreprinzatori vor finaliza planuri de afaceri pentru start-up si actiuni conexe (finantare, parteneriate, dezvoltare interna);
• 30 de intreprinzatori la start vor beneficia de mentorat;

Alte informaţii relevante*:

Programa cursului de management/introducere tehnologii noi pentru Grupul I va cuprinde modulele:

1. Metode si tehnici manageriale moderne (2 zile): Noi metode eficiente de management strategic, financiar, marketing, resurse umane si promovarea egalitatii de sanse.
2. TIC si managementul firmei (2 zile): Reteaua locala, aplicatii in Intranet; Site-ul de web al intreprinderii; Sistemul de management al documentelor/proiectelor; Baze de date; Sisteme ERP; Comert electronic; Sisteme de e-Learning
3. Inovare si transfer tehnologic (2 zile): Transfer tehnologic (TT) si difuzarea inovarii; Managementul retelelor de inovare in transferul tehnologic; Oportunitati ale sistemului de Inovare si TT romanesc
4. Propietatea intelectuala (2 zile): Dreptul proprietatii industriale; Creatia intelectuala tehnica si dreptul de inventator; Dreptul de autor; Subiectele protectiei juridice a inventiilor; Proceduri speciale de protecţie a drepturilor de proprietate; Gestiunea proprietăţii intelectuale; Contracte speciale.
5. Reducere consum energetic (2 zile): Metode de eficientizare a consumului de energie electrica; Calitatea energiei electrice; Masurarea calitatii energiei electrice; Surse de energie alternativa; Proiectarea sistemelor complexe de alimentare energetica.
6. Ecoeficienta si compatibilitate ecologica (2 zile): Ecoeficienta si productie curata; Monitorizarea si masurarea ecoeficientei; Dezvoltarea durabila si ecoeficienta; Reciclabilitatea; Legislatie nationala si UE specifice; Ecoproiectarea.
7. Surse de finantare (2 zile): Finantare bancara; Investitii de capital; Fonduri europene.
8. Elaborare plan de afaceri pentru implementare tehnologii noi (2 zile): Scop şi obiective; Descrierea afacerii; Prezentarea proiectului de investiţii; Planul operaţional; Analiza pieţei; Strategia de marketing; Planul financiar.

Programa cursului de antreprenoriat pentru Grupul II va cuprinde urmatoarele module, a caror structura este prezentata schematic:

1. Managementul firmei (3 zile): Management strategic; Manegement financiar; Marketing; Resurse umane, Egalitate de sanse.
2. Tehnologii moderne/oportunitati pentru start-up (3 zile): TIC (instrumente necesare in eficientizarea managementului intreprinderii si domeniul TIC ca oportunitate de dezvoltare a unei noi afaceri); Energo-Eficienta (eficientizarea consumului energetic, asigurarea calitatii energiei si utilizarea de resurse alternative de energie); Ecoeficienta si productia curata (cerinte legislative, standarde europene si oportunitati de demarare a unei afaceri in domeniu).
3. Plan de afaceri (2 zile): Scop şi obiective; Descrierea afacerii; Proiectul de investiţie; Planul operaţional; Analiza pieţei; Strategia de marketing; Planul financiar.
4. Surse de finantare (1 zi): Creditul bancar; Finantare non-bancara; Fonduri europene.

The RAF-funded Green entrepreneurship program assists 7 environment-based NGOs create and manage their own social enterprises. These social enterprises are briefly presented below.

Agri-business based enterprises

Hilita Association for Orchard and Vineyard Owners

is a social venture which produces and distributes traditional fruit jams and vegetable preserves under their own brand registered as a local geoghaphical product trade mark. The enterprise initiated by a group of 12 women in Costuleni, Iasi, collects local fruits from association members and producers in four neighboring villages, and sales traditional products at specialized fairs. The social enterprise creates income for local farmers and helps them effectively use their local fruits, which would otherwise be wasted.

Székelygyümölcs Association

The Székely Fruit enterprise is processing and selling traditional fruits from orchards, forest fruits and mushrooms from the area. Owned by an association of more than 300 small farmers and forest owners, the enterprise creates job and income opportunities for other community members, especially disadvantaged groups of women and Rroma ethnics, while building responsibility among the forest owning communities to sustainably manage their resources. Thus it helps develop the local economy in Odorheiu Secuiesc region.

Tourism based enterprises

Wild Time Green Tours

is an ecotourism travel agency specialized in providing tailored touristic packages in Retezat mountains area, created by Agent Green Association. Relying on a local network of producers and rural B&B owners, the agency promotes responsible tourism among children, university students and individuals. Retezat mountains shelter the last intact forest landscape south from Polar Circle, an internationally protected natural area that needs careful, integrated management.

Greenway Tour Agency

is a community-based social enterprise created by the EcoLogic Association that capitalizes the natural and cultural resources from Maramures region. The enterprise is a local ecotourism network provider that offers thematic trips and service packages combining rural, cultural and mountain tourism. The services aggregate traditional village housing, food and crafts producers from seven villages and protected areas visits.

Apuseni Experience

is a social enterprise owned by the Center for Protected Areas and Sustainable Development Bihor. It sells guided tours in Meziad Cave and leisure services in the adventure park outside the cave. The development of the cave has triggered the use of other local resources in the area by engaging local craftsmen and food producers from 18 communities in providing quality natural products and services for tourists.

Rowmania Ecotourism Center

is a social enterprise initiated by the Romanian Ecotourism Association (AER) and Ivan Patzachin Association. It offers touristic experiences in Danube Delta centered on “canotca” rentals (onto several itineraries ranging to from 2-3 hours to an entire day and guided tours). “Canotca” is a new rowing boat model born from the traditional Danube Delta craftsmanship, designed by the famous international sportsman Ivan Patzaichin. The economic activity is developed around these services but the center is working to further expand its activities to ecotourism, certification of local guest houses and marketing traditional products. The social enterprise is part of a national “slow tourism” initiative that will use ecotourism as an economic vector for developing local communities.

ProPark

The Foundation for Protected Areas ProPark established an enterprise that provides four types of professional specialized services in order to contribute to a high quality protected area management system at national level: specialized training courses for protected area managers, Junior Ranger educational camps, consulting services in nature conservation, and teambuilding packages in protected areas for corporations. The income gained by the enterprise will ensure the funds necessary for the Foundation to provide grants for protected area projects or scholarships for protected area managers.

See the project’s brochure.

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development in Romania – CEED Romania is implementing the project Rural Economic Education and Development (REED), funded by the Romanian-American Foundation.

The REED project is a key component of the program Rural Development through Entrepreneurship and Association, an ample development plan through entrepreneurship and association for rural areas in Romania, initiated and funded by the Romanian-American Foundation. The program aims to encourage rural entrepreneurship by enabling small and semi-subsistence farmers to acquire business and management skills and to gain access to capital. This goal is being addressed by providing business development support to farmers, by piloting four rural associations and by contributing to the elaboration of the 2014-2020 Romanian National Plan for Rural Development.

Rural Economic Education and Development (REED) aims to develop the entrepreneurial skills or small farmers in Romania, leading to job creation and development of human capital and businesses in rural areas. The project provides training, advisory support services and networking opportunities to economically active farmers from 40 communities throughout Romania. The selected communities will start from the proposal of Microfinance Institutions and will be done by CEED based on rigorous criteria, including the number of active farmers, their interest in business development and growth potential, the support of local authorities, pursuing a balanced geographical distribution.

800 economically active farmers will be trained, and 1500 persons will be assisted via direct, individual advisory services to improve the economic results of their farms and to access microfinance or other sources of capital for farm development. In addition, they will have networking opportunities with their peers from the target regions that will enable them to expand their horizon, learn about and replicate best practices.

All services will be provided directly in the rural communities, are practical, hands-on, and adapted to the specific needs of the farmers. Several of the most active Microfinance Institutions in Romania have already agreed to support the project activities on-site, on a voluntary basis.

The services will involve 40 local resource persons that will be trained and coached so as to be able to continue providing similar services in their communities after the program closure.

It is expected that the local producers will be able to increase product sales, reduce production costs and improve product quality, thus increasing the sustainability of their farms, improving their access to markets, and creating new jobs. This will generate a beneficial impact in their communities.

The pilot project started in September 2012 with the careful selection of the 40 target rural communities throughout Romania, and it will be implemented during the next three years. The selection took into account a balanced geographical coverage as well as Microfinance Institutions coverage for potential access to capital.

Project description: The project was funded through a strategic grant awarded under the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013, managed by the Ministry of Labor, Family and Equal Opportunities. The financing is provided from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the national budget. ESF financing aims at developing HR and increase competitiveness.

CEED Romania – Lead partner (grantee) implemented the project in partnership with MBM Software & Partners, a young and dynamic software company.

Duration: 34 months: July 1, 2010 – April 30, 2013

General objective: to develop the entrepreneurial and managerial skills through intensive use of IT&C in business in view of promoting establishment  and development SMEs and generating jobs in Romania

Specific objectives: The development of entrepreneurial culture in Romania; Improving managerial and entrepreneurial skills through practical training, advisory services and use of ITC technology in business; Support existing & new SMEs to increase their quality & productivity by providing access to ITC-based practical business management tools – “Virtual SME Demonstrator”, an ITC platform.

Beneficiaries: 1081 entrepreneurs, would-be entrepreneurs, managers and employees from towns and cities of 8 development regions of Romania.

Key project activities:

• Management training with a focus on use of ITC tools in business;
• On-line business advisory support and Access to ITC management tools to entrepreneurs through 2 ITC platforms (Virtual office for entrepreneurship support, Virtual SME Demonstrator);
• Entrepreneurial training for start-ups (including CNFPA certified training);
• Information and promotion events.

Outputs:

 Impact: 30 companies or sole entrepreneurs were registered and thus approx. 40 new jobs were created.

Project description

The project was funded through a strategic grant awarded under the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013, managed by the Ministry of Labor, Family and Equal Opportunities. The financing was provided from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the national budget.

Duration: 27 months:  June 1, 2010 – August 31, 2012

Scope: The project covered 6 of the 8 development regions of Romania.

General objective: to increase the adaptability and competitiveness of the the road transportation sector through skills development for the employers, managers and improved effectiveness of the companies operating in the sector.

The project had 3 main components:

a) a strong training component covering:

• training of  managers (150 entrepreneurs & managers trained)
• training of sector experts (20 UNTRR staff trained – ToT)
• training for key employees (320 mid level managers trained)

 b) advisory / consulting services to adopt innovative methods to improve company competitiveness  and flexibility; (20 companies assisted)

c) promotion of new, innovative  concepts and practices related to adaptability, EU best practices and stregthening of partnerships among sector payers;

Partners: CEED România was the Lead partner (grantee) and it implemented the project in partnership with UNTRR, The National Uniunon of Road Transporters in Romania – the most significant employers association in the sector.

Beneficiaries: 1310 persons: entrepreneurs, managers, professional drivers and other employees from the road transport sector.

Results and impact:

• 104 training courses for 1383 employees
• 155 courses on management and labor organization for managers.
• A corpus 30 of national experts of the partner association were certified as trainers
• 10 debates with social partners and Government representatives
• A survey on best practices and models of adaptability and flexicurity in EU and recommendation on their implementation in the road transport sector in Romania
• Recommendations for a new law on transport
• 20 companies were assisted to develop and implement effective reorganization plans
• Materials prepared and disseminated to members of UNTRR on: information on road and legal provisions for various countries, driving and rest times to implement EU regulations for road transport, Prevent program on minimum road security requirements.

The results have exceeded expectations due to the high interest of the firms, of managers and their drivers.

Program presentation

Social Entrepreneurship represents the convergence of modern business practices, traditional non-profit models and social value creation.

Just like the entrepreneurs who revolutionize business models and practices, social entrepreneurs act as agents of change for our society. With wise insights and bold ambitions, they seize opportunities and invent new approaches thus creating sustainable solutions that benefit our society.

What really sets social entrepreneurs apart is that they are driven to improve our society instead of personal gains. Armed with the innovative spirit and dynamism shared by their business counterparts, and strong social purpose within, the social entrepreneurs are in the pursuit of novel ways to solve problems that plague our society.

This was a one-year project financed by the American Cultural Center of the United States Embassy in Romania, and implemented by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development in Romania (CEED Romania).

The program aimed at developing social entrepreneurship in Romania through volunteer mentoring support provided by business and NGOs experienced managers.

Its goals were:

• To develop the management capacity of 10 social mission driven organizations, thus increasing their future sustainability prospects
• To raise awareness of the social entrepreneurship’ role for personal and community development by creating role models/success stories for the social enterprises’ community
• To stimulate volunteer business mentoring by developing effective partnerships between social enterprise leaders and experienced business owners and executives.

Key activities and results:

• A call for proposals was launched to identify leading social NGOs interested in developing entrepreneurship activities aimed at strengthening their organizations’ financial sustainability and expanding their activities. 11 NGOs were selected.
• Launching conference: The event benefited from the presence of Mrs. Libby Gitenstein, spouse of the U.S. Ambassador to Romania, who delivered opening remarks on the importance of volunteerism and social entrepreneurship. 4 of the project mentors presented their success stories in social entrepreneurship area, providing valuable guidance to mentees. The mentors and mentees then met and shared information, aspirations and goals.

Project results

		11 NGOs were made aware of the social entrepreneurship’ importance and of the ways to start up social enterprises 10 volunteer mentors selected and matched with mentees 10 NGOs received assistance to develop business ideas and start creating feasible business plans
Mentees’ Business Ideas Under mentors and CEED consultants’ assistance, the mentees started to clarify the type of social enterprises they could start, identify the market and assess financial viability. The business ideas developed by the assisted NGOs cover a wide range of areas:
	Manufactura Horezeană Cooperative developed a social enterprise to perpetuate tradition and handicrafts in Horezu area by making and selling Oltenian rustic wool rugs adapted to market trends. The enterprise also offers the opportunity to qualify and employ disabled or unemployed people who want to learn this handicraft.
	Filantropia Severin Association, an organization providing social and philanthropic assistance for poor, will start-up a candle factory to produce candles of worship for both local churches and Christian Orthodox persons who can buy them in Mehedinti local markets, fairs or shopping centers.
	Baciul Vaideean Association, an association of local producers from Vaideeni town, will produce and sell organic dairy products using milk collected from 6 local collection centers. Thus they will support cattle breeding in the area and also stimulate tourism development by promoting local traditions old recipes known by very few people from the region.
	Partnership for Community Action and Transformation, PACT Foundation, is an NGO which contributes to communities’ sustainable development by promoting local and regional initiatives. It will develop an eco-tourism business in rural areas.
	Ateliere fara frontiere, an NGO supporting the social and professional integration of vulnerable people, aimed at starting a small business for recycling polypropylene materials, thus creating jobs for economically excluded people while fighting against waste and pollution.
	The Bistriţa Foundation Biosanta provides financial and psychosocial support for people with low income. The NGO will create a social enterprise that will produce and distribute handicraft products, collect, process and distribute wild berries, provide eco-tourism and social after-school services thus creating jobs and revenues for local unemployed and poor.
	GIROMARIS CONS. Cooperative, developed a construction business under its social enterprise who will provide support services for skills development of unemployed people in the Horezu area and create jobs for persons from under-privileged families.
	Forumul Tinerilor Association, an NGO that encourages regional development through young people participation in projects relevant for the local community, developed a business idea to collect recyclable waste and make revenue that will be subsequently used for supporting youth development.
	Sfintii Martiri Brancoveni, Foundation. The nuns of the Hurezi Monastery started a fruit processing business which will use local resources and traditional recipes, thus creating jobs for local unemployed women, promoting organic food and attracting tourists in the area.
	The Association for Promotion of the Authentic Heritage, A.P.P.A.H.,  promotes local history and cultural heritage in the Horezu area. The social enterprise will produce and sell local ceramic products along with provision of tourism services that will contribute to sustainable regional development.

The business ideas diversity and feasibility demonstrates that social enterprises could be viable, generate revenue for NGOs and, in consequence, ensure organizations’ capacity to pursue independently their social mission and objectives.

The American Cultural Center of the US Embassy in Bucharest – the Donor

Known also as the Public Diplomacy Office, the American Cultural Center’s mission is to promote understanding of U.S. political, economic and social issues, explaining to Romanian audiences both the current Administration’s foreign policy agenda and the complexities of U.S. society and culture.

The Public Diplomacy Office cooperates with other sections of the U.S. Embassy and with Romanian and American institutions and individuals to promote dialogue and sustained interchange between Romania and the U.S. through conferences, lectures, workshops, social media, professional study and orientation visits. It also develops and manages an array of exchanges and programs with the full spectrum of society in Romania, including students, educators, artists and government officials. It also supports civic education, teacher training and English-language training programs. Since 1960, over 4,000 persons have participated in exchange programs and more than 400 Romanian organizations received grants for projects that helped democratic development and economic growth.

CEED Romania won a tender launched by Asociatia de Dezvoltare Horezu within their EU-funded project entitled I-DEALIS. The project aims to support creation and operation of social enterprises in Horezu, a rural, under-developed hill region located in the South of Romania.

The subcontract, that CEED executed from March 2011 until March 2012, included:

• 15 days of training on: business planning, business management, HR management, marketing and sales for 25 persons from 20 initiative groups;
•  advisory services to finalize viable business plans, start-up and manage the social enterprises;
• advisory support to I-DEALIS project partners to prepare and launch the business plan contest, and to further support social enterprise managers during implementation of their business plans.

Results:

• 25 persons were trained in business planning and management, of which 19 were certified as business managers; 20 business plans were prepared;
• 17 social enterprises were established; these social enterprises created 108 jobs and sources of income for their members and other rural community inhabitants, i.e. approx. 200 persons;
• 14 social enterprises obtained seed funding in the range of $20,000 – $150,000 per social enterprise. The total amount of financing disbursed within the I-DEALIS project to the winning social enterprises is 3.673.256 lei, i.e. approximately EURO 875 thousand.

The activities of social enterprises are based on use of local resources and traditions: fruit processing and home-made jams, pottery school, manual carpet manufacture, goat and cow milk processing units, beekeeping and honey export, plastic waste collection and processing, wooden furniture manufacture, agricultural machinery services, manufacture of hazel baskets and birch brooms, wild berry collection, typography, civil and industrial construction works.

Project description

The project was funded through a strategic grant awarded under the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013, managed by the Ministry of Labor, Family and Equal Opportunities. The financing is provided from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the national budget.

ESF financing aims at developing HR and increase competitiveness, by promoting long life learning.

Among other dimensions, the WIB project aimed to expand the entrepreneurial culture among women. They were trained in key areas needed for starting and effectively managing a small business. They also benefited of specialized business consulting to further improve their management skills and effectively apply the business knowledge in their businesses, in various sectors such as tourism, handicrafts, processing, etc. Women were assisted to access financial sources for business growth, both from commercial and EU sources. Their businesses will create jobs and diversify the range of products and services needed in their communities. Through establishment of a formal WIB network in these regions, the project helped create strong business partnerships which will enable long term exchange of information, best practices, and commercial relationships.

General objective: To promote an active role for Romanian women in business by helping them start and develop their businesses and other community development initiatives.

Specific objectives: To identify business opportunities for women in the target areas and raise awareness of 4000 women for such opportunities; To contribute to increasing the entrepreneurial spirit among women, throughout 200 communities in Romania; To develop the business skills and knowledge of at least 500 women in business; To create jobs through start and development of women-owned business that are needed in the local communities; To create a formal network for women in business in the target areas.

Beneficiaries: 4000 women entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs, and 200 leaders from the target areas of the project. The later acted as “social entrepreneurs”, resource persons and agents of change for the project.

Project activities carried out by CEED:

• Entrepreneurship and management training packages: the entrepreneurial training package (9 key topics), various sector specific training modules, training of trainers, project design, project management and access to finance
• Business consulting services

ACHIEVEMENTS of CEED activities

The project successfully achieved all its expected results.

CEED participated in the program during January 2009 – July 2011 and reached to the following outputs:

• 506 women trained on how to develop a business plan, start or develop a small enterprise and manage a company; 30 training sessions of 5-7 days each; 24 women graduated a certified Training of Trainers program to become a local resource person and provide further assistance for local community and entrepreneurship development.

• 192 graduates received business consulting services on starting a company or developing current businesses. Main sectors: agro-tourism, micro-farming, meat & milk processing, handicrafts, agricultural product distribution, waste collection, local services (beauty salons, foodservice)

Impact of the assistance provided by CEED:

• 20 new businesses started
• 50 existing businesses developed
• At least $500,000 accessed through bank loans or EU funds
• At least 100 new jobs created

Lead partner:             DEPRO Inovaţie SRL, Romania

Partners:                    The Foundation CEED Romania

Fondul Român de Dezvoltare Socială, Romania

AMFAR Galicia, Spain

Budget:          EU Grant = Euro 4.6 million i.e. approx. USD 7.8 million

out of which approx. USD 30,000 was spent for CEED activities

Duration:        36 months January 2009 – January 2012

Project description

The project was funded through a grant awarded under the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007-2013, managed by the Ministry of Labor, Family and Equal Opportunities. The financing is provided from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the national budget.

ESF financing aims at developing HR and increase competitiveness, by promoting long life learning.

General objective: The Top Class project aimed to promote the entrepreneurial culture, by developing the managerial skills of the Romanian entrepreneurs from Bucharest-Ilfov Region and providing them the opportunity to get in touch with prominent businessmen who can offer them unique and specific guidance and an incredible insight in what it really means a winning mentality.

Beneficiaries: The project reached 813 beneficiaries from Bucharest and surrounding regions, who were entrepreneurs, would-be entrepreneurs, managers or employees of SMEs:

• Mentees: young existing or would be entrepreneurs,
• Mentors: successful entrepreneurs and managers
• Representatives of business associations and their members

Project activities

This was a 14 month experience sharing program that provided information, training and mentoring to young entrepreneurs, and access to the SEE Top Class community. The activities related to the information, training and mentoring of local entrepreneurs, which brought together the Romanian entrepreneurial community and offered them the opportunity to participate at CEED transnational activities included:

• Entrepreneurial training – a package of 9 short sessions and two series of Certified business management training program;
• 9 Networking Learning Events;
• Mentoring support from acknowledged and successful local entrepreneurs / managers who can credibly share their experiences in a given subject area in training / networking sessions, as well as provide one-on-one mentoring to individual participants.
• Access to the SEE Top Class community

Results:

• 88 existing and potential entrepreneurs were trained in 25 training sessions, of which 32 obtained the CNFPA certificate in management skills;
• 59 beneficiaries of the mentoring program;
• 69 members registered in the Top Class Network;
• 26 participants to exchanges of experience;
• 32 business plans for business start-up were developed.

Impact:

• 9 new businesses created;
• 27 new jobs created;
• The 15 existing participating businesses increased their annual turnover by approx. 23%.

Lead partner:  The Foundation CEED Romania

Partner: The American Chamber of Commerce in Romania

(AmCHam Romania)

Budget:         EU Grant = Euro 100,000 i.e. approx. USD 130,000

Duration:      14 months September 2009 – October 2010

As part of the Global Citizen’s Portfolio initiative, IBM has launched its Service Corps which is a program to develop global leadership skills while addressing socio economic challenges in emerging markets. The project was implemented in several countries, including Romania where partners that implemnete the pilot phase were CEED Romania in partnership with Citizen Development Corps (CDC) Washington.

The IBM consultants cover a wide range of specialties: Project Management, Finance, General Professional, Human Resources, Sales, Strategy Development Consulting, General Professional, and Communications.  Their assignment will consist of direct advisory services and training provided to local organizations and companies upon prior needs assessments.

Timisoara has been selected as the first city to implement the program from July 7 to August 2, 2008. A multidisciplinary team of 9 IBM consultants, covering all area of expertise listed above, was assigned to supply assistance to local companies and NGOs in Timisoara, which were selected by CEED Romania.

The advisory services were provided in house, for a full month, by teams of IBM experts working jointly with a selected team of the assisted company’s employees.

The benefits obtained by client companies/organizations that had access to top of range professional expertise of IBM CSC Fellows include, but are not limited to:

• A quick and practical diagnosis of the company in the area(s) that fall within the scope of work of the specific consulting assignment;
• A practical and applicable action plan with short-term solutions to some of the problems identified and a medium-term strategy;
• Immediate and direct assistance to start implementation of the action plan;
• On the medium term, this intervention will contribute to improved management, operation and performances of client companies that can be measured in terms of increased competitiveness, higher profitability, market expansion, etc.

The workshop held at the Business Centre in Timisoara marked the official launch of IBM’s social responsibility program in Timisoara. The event was chaired by Mr. Mihai Tudor, general manager of IBM Romania, who presented the findings of the IBM Global CEO Study. This study commissioned by IBM Global Corporation showed a dramatic increase in the number of business leaders who see important changes in the future. “The study highlights how the ability to absorb and manage change is the determining factor that creates the difference between successful managers and losers in the global economy”, said Mr. Mihai Tudor.
The event was attended by representatives of local companies and NGOs in Timişoara, local authorities and the media. The organizations selected by CEED as beneficiaries of this program have expressed interest regarding the IBM’s social responsibility program and highlighted the excellent cooperation with CEED Romania.

The PHARE project “Technical Assistance for the development of SMEs in Romania “, financed by the European Union and implemented by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing and the Ministry for SMEs, Trade, Tourism and Liberal Professions, implemented between 1 November 2006 – 30 November 2007, was a development program for SMEs , worth Euro 6.8 million.

Its objective was the development of small and medium enterprises through improved access to business consulting services, access to finance through micro-credit and business information and opportunities.

CEED Romania Foundation has been involved in the preparation and delivery of training sessions in the project. CEED Romania, through its two local trainers, prepared and delivered training modules for 32 training events for a total of 64 days, involving 643 SMEs, in total 1286 man-days.

Firm’s Name:  Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development in Romania – CEED Romania