The European Fund for the Balkans is a multi-year joint initiative of European foundations designed to undertake and support initiatives aimed at bringing the Western Balkans closer to the European Union through grant-giving and operational programmes and, as such, is focused on individuals and organisations from Western Balkan countries.

As a direct follow-up to the International Commission on the Balkans (2004-2006), the Fund embodies the "member-state building strategy" with the development of functioning state administrations and constituency-building as its main priorities.

OBJECTIVES

* to encourage broader and stronger commitment to the European integration of the Western Balkan countries and societies;
* to strengthen the efforts undertaken by a range of stakeholders in this process, with a view also to developing effective policies and practices in the region and in the EU;
* to support the process of member-state building as envisaged by the International Commission on the Balkans, in particular by building constituencies in the societies of Southeast Europe, who will be offered an opportunity to experience and learn about Europe.
 

Source: http://balkanfund.org/index.php/EFB/Fund/About.html, as accessed on June 24, 2009.