Press releases
With five million from OKD Foundation, non-profit organizations received 35 times more from the EU
02.02.2012
OSTRAVA (1st February 2012) – The unique program of OKD Foundation, which helps nonprofit organizations and municipalities with the preparation of projects for the EU, is extremely effective. The Foundation supported the preparation of community projects by amount exceeding five million, up to now the organizations received from the European funds 188 million crowns as a support of these activities, which is 35 times more. As a part of the For Europe Program, non-profits can apply for a grant in the current grant round, which has a deadline 24th of February. Foundation has published detailed information on the web www.nadaceokd.cz.
„Processing of the project for European funds is extremely difficult, people from schools or nonprofit organizations can´t handle this without financial assistance. “We could prepare such as extensive and administratively difficult project only thanks to OKD Foundation,” Jan Nevima from Ostrava Business Academy and College of Social Studies, which made the project for building a multimedia classroom and preparation of special educational programs for students and teachers from the Foundation grant of 45 thousand crowns, explained the purpose of For Europe Program. For this they obtained nearly 7 million from the European Union.
Further specific examples? Ostrava primary school, which hired for 15 thousand crowns from OKD Foundation, a specialized company to prepare a project for the EU, already received over 3 million from Brussels for improving the school education. The civic association Life without Barriers received more than 28 million from Brussels to build a center for handicapped citizens, thanks to 50 thousand crowns from the Foundation grant. Group of towns and villages from Karviná district received a grant of CZK 300 000 from OKD Foundation for processing the documentation of bicycle route along the Olše river; approved grant from European funds exceeded 75 million crowns.
"People in non-profits have great ideas that could improve the environment, the life of the elderly, sick people or children. But the funds of the European Union are mostly inaccessible to them because they don´t have the experience needed to prepare a valuable application. But they can receive assistance within our grants. For Europe Program is very successful, so we have published it also this year," said Jiří Suchánek, the director of OKD Foundation. Organizations can use this grant for education and salaries of its employees, who can get deep into the secrets of grant application preparations and increase the opportunity of their non-profit in the future.
Vladislav Sobol
OKD Foundation spokesman
telefon: 596 262 293
mobil: 725 595 417
e-mail: vladislav.sobol@okd.cz
