Eco-Nord – Leveraging the Capacities of CSOs in Northern Albania for Biodiversity and Environmental Protection

Project Overview

Eco-Nord strengthened environmental civil society in northern Albania by combining institutional capacity development with direct financing for locally led environmental initiatives.

The programme created a platform for knowledge, mentoring, networking and organizational development while enabling grassroots organizations to implement practical biodiversity and environmental actions.

What We Did

A comprehensive assessment of civil society organizations in northern Albania was conducted, followed by training, coaching and technical assistance in project-cycle management, advocacy, lobbying and organizational management.

More than 300 CSO representatives participated in information and capacity-development activities.

A Local Initiative Fund was established through which 95 applications were received and 27 local projects were financed. Supported projects addressed biodiversity conservation, environmental education, hunting and fisheries management, medicinal plants, natural-resource management, waste and air quality, policy monitoring and community awareness.

Key Results

A total of 102 civil society organizations benefited from information, training or coaching, with 27 organizations receiving direct sub-grants and another 17 participating as implementation partners.

Activities reached 13 municipalities across the four northern regions. The Local Initiative Fund methodology developed by ALCDF was subsequently adopted for other EU-supported initiatives, demonstrating the programme's broader contribution to civil-society grant management in Albania.