Social Innovation in Central Asia and Eurasia

Social Innovation in Central Asia and Eurasia is sponsored by Eurasia Foundation. Grants focused on civic participation and innovative digital solutions to support transparent governance and social stability in Ukraine.

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png"> Social Innovation in Central Asia - Eurasia Foundation Corporate Social Impact Programs Social Innovation in Central Asia Capacity Building , Civil Society , Youth & Leadership Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) was a USAID-funded initiative to cultivate a vibrant and responsive society throughout the region, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and build a new generation of forward-looking leaders.

The program had four inter-related objectives: Foster a cohort of responsible young leaders; Promote greater public transparency and accountability; Enhance society’s ability to quickly respond to emerging opportunities; and Build the capacity of local organizations to be financially viable and responsive to constituents.

Results as of November 22, 2023 480 young leaders from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan 170 youth successfully graduated CAYLA’s e-learning series 67 Youth Leadership Grants 15 Social Idea Accelerator Grants In 2020, SICA launched the Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) for responsible young leaders who share goals, values, and passion for positive change in their communities.

The inaugural cohort included 163 young leaders from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Within three years, SICA recruited 480 young leaders from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan from more than 2,439 applicants. Each cycle, launched with a CAYLA Regional Kickoff Conference, offered young leaders inspiration, training, and mentorship opportunities.

CAYLA members studied foundational skills in community engagement and leadership via interactive and engaging online activities. After graduating from CAYLA, the participants applied their new knowledge and experience through community change projects, supported with small grants and targeted technical assistance from SICA.

At each step, CAYLA members had an opportunity to network with their peers, local leaders, established CSOs, and government officials to share lessons about effective community initiatives.

POLICY, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH 78 participants from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan 81 professionals completed data visualization training and published compelling visualizations of issues in Central Asia 2 research apprenticeships funded and facilitated in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan 20 Transparency Grants awarded 14 Policy Research Projects awarded The SICA Policy Research School (PRS) offered mentoring, workshops, on-the-job training, and peer-to-peer exchanges for CSOs, think tanks, and independent researchers that build needed capacities for participation in policy development and the role of watchdogs in monitoring the public sector.

PRS engaged its members in an advanced budget monitoring and public procurement transparency curriculum tailored to the policy areas of highest priority for them and aimed at improving ongoing initiatives and designing future campaigns on the budget process.

SICA also awarded grants to support outreach and research projects in Central Asia that strengthened civil society’s role in promoting transparency, public accountability, and policy research.

107 Innovative Solution Grants awarded in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan 18 In-Kind Grants awarded 3 Exchange Network Grants awarded SICA was designed to provide civil society actors with the resources they need to strengthen their work and address the priorities of their communities.

To allow civil society to identify where they see the greatest need for investment, SICA provided resources through ongoing, flexible grant competitions to solicit and support timely project ideas and promote positive citizen participation and social innovations. Projects funded promoted transparency and accountability, revitalized communities, and opportunities and protections for all.

In total, SICA conducted 18 forums, reaching approximately 270,000 people.

INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY 84 organizations engaged as members of the Institutional Development Program from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan 24 institutional development experts trained to use the SICA Institutional Assessment Toolkit 6 civil society workshops Private organizations perform varied and important tasks in Central Asian countries, and SICA developed the skills, tools, and capacities of such organizations to broaden their funding sources and increase engagement with their constituents.

Organizations from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan joined the Institutional Development Program. To support an evidence-based approach for capacity building in Central Asia, SICA developed an Institutional Assessment Toolkit that its experts used to conduct tailored assessments and provide training in targeted areas for growth.

In 2021, SICA began offering Institutional Development Grants to help organizations address capacity gaps and better pursue their organizational missions. Learn more about SICA on the program’s website. This program description is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The contents are the sole responsibility of Eurasia Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Capacity Building , Civil Society , Youth & Leadership USA Pavilion Student Ambassadors at Expo 2017 Astana Kuwait Critical Thinking Project (n-mu)