The 14th edition of the NGO Sustainability Index (NGOSI) for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia was released by USAID in November. The Index, produced with the support of MSI technical experts, examines the enabling environment for the NGO sector in 29 countries across seven dimensions, focusing on NGOs’ legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure and public image.
Results of the Index indicated that civil society in the region overall has made significant progress in advocating for democratic reform despite continued concerns for financial stability and organizational capacity. NGO efforts to establish and maintain social services show mixed results.
To read the full Index report for the Europe and Eurasia region and view the interactive data set, click here.
The Index was first developed by USAID and implemented by Mission staff in Eastern Europe and Eurasia in 1997 and rolled out to the Africa region in 2009. This year the Index will expand to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as well as to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The assessment itself is conducted by local NGOs in each country with MSI technical support and coordination, and culminates in a report analyzing the status of the civil society sector within a particular region, both across countries as well as over time.
In November 2011, the State Department and USAID included the Index in its list of common indicators for measuring civil society development. Given the rapid expansion of the Index from its origins in Europe & Eurasia to new regional Indexes in Africa and the Middle East, the Index has become a key tool to assess NGO and donor awareness around civil society issues.
