Cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has, after the success of the first two phases of the project dedicated to the citizen participation in decision-making processes, continued through the project "Institutional Support to the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities". Basic content of the project is the institutional support to the activities of advocating interests of the SCTM members.
The Project consists of two components. First one is directed towards strengthening the dialogue among local governments on their joint interests, towards raising awareness of local authorities on the significance of the advocacy activities and their role in the process of formulating and advocating their joint interests and, also, towards the establishment of the institutional dialogue between local and national authorities.
Second component of the project is directed towards further strengthening of the SCTM capacities with the aim of implementation of advocacy activities and towards even better organisation of these activities and their further programme orientation, in line with the adopted strategic programme documents of the SCTM in the area of advocating the interests of members of the Association.
The Programme is planned to be implemented during 2010 and 2011, and then extended to two more years, more precisely, until the end of 2013. Total value of the first part of the project is 1.070.000 CHF, as for the other two years there are planned 1.100.000 CHF.