Strengthened Participatory Democracy
Moldova Inclusive and Participatory Political Processes (MIPPP)
Implementer: Consortium for Elections and Political Processes Strengthening (CEPPS)/IRI, NDI and IFES
Project period: 08/2016-07/2026
Projected Budget: $26.056 million
MIPPP works with political parties, national party leaders and emerging political actors, local government officials, CSOs, citizen activists and election management with the aim of ensuring fairer and more transparent political competition in Moldova that is more representative of, and accountable to citizens. In the first phase of the activity, MIPPP focused on three key areas: promoting more inclusive and accountable political parties at the national level, supporting emerging parties and underrepresented groups as they seek to increase their participation in the political system and enhancing party and government officials’ representation of citizens at local level. In June 2022, USAID extended this award and structured phase two around a new set of objectives: democratic political processes strengthened to be more responsive to constituent needs; democratic norms governing the political process solidified; and civic education and engagement of youth, women, and underrepresented populations strengthened. In 2024, the project was extended to thoroughly operationalize Moldova’s Electoral Code and enhance the capacity of electoral administration, and cover an Election Observation Mission for the 2024 Presidential election and Constitutional Referendum. MIPPP uses consultations, guided practice, leadership training, forums and coordinated public opinion research to achieve the activity's objectives.
Comunitatea Mea (My Community)
Implementer: IREX
Project period: 03/2018-03/2026
Projected Budget: $35.5 million
Comunitatea Mea will strengthen local government in Moldova to become more effective, transparent and accountable to citizens. Under this activity USAID will build local government’s capacity to meet citizens’ needs, achieving four main results: 1) improved quality of and access to municipal services; 2) citizens meaningfully engaged in local governance; 3) decentralization policy reforms advanced; and 4) increased locally-generated revenues and improved financial management practices in local governments. The activity will provide comprehensive assistance to to 127 communities, including towns and villages, primarily targeting local self-government bodies. The activity will also work with central government partners, associations and civil society groups to advance decentralization policy reform, increase LPAs’ financial viability, and address the streamlining of internal processes through digital solutions.
Democratic Transparency and Accountability Program (DTAP)
Implementer: Association Promo-LEX
Project period: 07/2016-06/2026
Projected Budget: $10.55 million
The Democratic Transparency and Accountability (DTAP) Program aims to increase the credibility of electoral processes via election observation and promotion of a conducive enabling environment for political competition. The activity strengthens electoral transparency and accountability mechanisms; enlists actors such as civil society, community groups, rank and file party members, and activists to bring pressure on decision-makers to be more responsive to citizens and engage in fairer and more representative elections and political competition; promote civic activism and human rights education, and combat hate-speech and discrimination.
Civil Society Resilience Activity
Implementer: National Assistance Centre for NGOs in Moldova CONTACT
Project period: 05/2023-05/2028
Projected Budget: $1.49 million
CSRA aims to increase the resiliency of Moldovan civil society by enhancing the ability of civil society organizations (CSOs) to engage with constituents and diversify their resource base. The project will work with local CSOs to raise their ability to mobilize domestic resources in response to community needs and citizen-driven priorities, and to consolidate the capacity of CSOs to engage with Moldovan citizens and relevant constituent groups. CSRA will also work to establish dialogue and trust between CSOs and the corporate sector through joint initiatives and collaboration, to improve philanthropy in Moldova.
MEDIA-M: Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova
Implementer: Internews
Project Period: 04/2017-09/2026
Projected Budget: $14.3 million
MEDIA-M aims to promote the development of independent, professional media that give citizens access to a variety of perspectives, and to create a media sector that is more resilient to political and financial pressures. By focusing on the supply of and demand for objective information, this activity strengthens the ability of independent media to fulfill their role as watchdogs over the government and serve as a space for citizens to engage in public policy dialogue. MEDIA-M’s focus on the legal enabling environment reinforces existing protections for freedom of speech, facilitate better implementation of laws, and advocate for media sector regulation in accordance with international norms.
Model Court Initiative (MCI)
Implementer: Dexis Consulting Group (former Checchi Consulting) Project
Project Period: 01/2021- 01/2027 (Phase 1 and 2)
Projected Budget: $11.1 million
The Model Court Initiative works to improve the performance of courts in delivering quality justice services and to improve the connection between courts, communities, and system users. MCI works toward two Objectives: 1) identifying and supporting Moldovan courts in achieving and maintaining Model Court status through improved services to the public, and 2) supplementary national assistance to facilitate changes needed to improve performance at the individual court level. In implementing its activities, MCI works in partnership with key actors and stakeholders in the justice systems in Moldova, primarily the SCM, the MOJ, the ACA, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), as well as the courts throughout the country and CSOs. MCI selected, through an open call, Balti, Ungheni and Edinet as pilots of Phase 1 of this project to undergo innovative capacity-building focused on court excellence, improved performance, and greater engagement with court users and the general public. During Phase 2 of implementation, the Model Court Project will concentrate on supporting four additional district courts in their effort to become model courts. The new beneficiaries are: Drochia, Hincesti, Straseni, and Criuleni district courts. The initiative is now covering half of all district courts in Moldova and focuses on facilitating overall access to justice by improving the delivery of judicial services.
Justice and Anti-Corruption Reform Activity (JARA)
Implementer: Dexis Consulting Group (Dexis)
Project Period: 03/2023 - 03/2026
Projected Budget: $6 million
The purpose of the Justice and Anti-Corruption Reform Activity (TO3) under the Effective Justice IDIQ is to support the Moldovan Government’s efforts to implement justice reform and promote its anti-corruption commitments. Support contributes to the establishment and operation of a mini-secretariat to monitor the implementation of the Justice Development Strategy for years 2022-2025 (hereinafter referred to as the Justice Strategy) and its corresponding Plan; ensure the finalization of pre-vetting and continuous support to vetting; empowerment of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (APO) to become an independent institution examining high-level corruption cases; as well as support civil society anti-corruption initiatives in pursuing the EU accession agenda.
Moldova - Commercial Mediation and Arbitration (Phase IV) (Program Contribution Agreement)
Implementer: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO)
Project Period: 06/2018 - 12/2024
Projected Budget: $1.5 million
The Project was launched in 2013 to support the implementation of the first Justice Reform Strategy (2011-2015), which specifically focused on strengthening the system of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Moldova and promoting its use in the business community. USAID’s contribution to Phase IV (2017-2024) aims at assisting the Government of Moldova to advocate for the use of commercial mediation on a national scale, as well as improving access to arbitration and raising the level of skills relevant for arbitration. Through the activities conducted under this project, ADR shall be established and become a business norm in Moldova.
Changing the Way We Care (CTWWC)
Implementer: Catholic Relief Services
Project Period: 10/2020-12/2026
Projected Budget: $6.5 million
Changing the Way We Care Moldova (CTWWC) is part of a broader Global Development Alliance which works to promote safe, nurturing family care for children reintegrating from residential institutions and children at risk of child-family separation, by strengthening families, and reforming child care systems. In Moldova, the project works with the Government of Moldova to assist children, including children with disabilities, to stay in or return to families through family strengthening interventions that consider the wants and needs of children, the engagement of local community in reintegration and appropriate family-based care, and the transition or transformation of institutions and other residential care, including the national policy and workforce investments necessary to support these needs. After the approval of the National Child Protection Program (NCPP) and its Action Plan for 2022-2025, CTWWC will support more than 30 actions from the NCPP action plan covering Objectives 1 and 3.
Global Health Program Evaluation, Analysis, Research, and Learning
Implementer: Palladium Group
Project Period: 10/2024-09/2025
Projected Budget: $1.2 million
As a follow-on activity to USAID’s Data for Impact activity (D4I), GH PEARL will continue to develop the Child Protection Information System (CPIS) that was previously developed. The CPIS will connect policy-making authorities and child protection and guardianship authorities in one centralized and easy-to-use information system. D4I support was focused on the development, piloting, and finetuning of the system core modules, i.e., administration, child profile, case management, and analytics and reporting. In addition, it developed and tested a specialized module on child adoption, which centralizes adoption-related data, aiding social workers and child protection specialists in accessing and analyzing information for better decision-making and safeguarding the rights and well-being of the adopted children.
GH PEARL will continue to finetune the CPIS to fully incorporate the feedback from the pilot test in the context of the RESTART reform, expand it with additional modules for two priority services (foster care and guardianship), conduct training workshops and provide mentorship to ensure the users are proficient in using the CPIS, and work with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to set up the CPIS governance structures and institutionalize the CPIS sustainability strategy.
Enhancing Democracy in Moldova via Inclusive and Transparent Elections
Implementer: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Project Period: 08/2017-12/2024
Projected Budget: $3.7 million
Enhancing Democracy in Moldova through Inclusive and Transparent Elections (EDMITE) seeks to achieve the enhanced integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness of the electoral process in Moldova by ensuring a more independent and credible electoral administration and better informed and pro-active citizens. EDMITE, which entered its second phase in 2020, has focused on modernizing IT solutions by increasing the functional and technical capacities of the State Automated Information System “Elections” (SAISE); developing and implementing voter information and civic education programs; strengthening the capacity for effective and coherent oversight and monitoring of political party and electoral campaign financing; and improving the legal and regulatory framework to respond to recommendations made by election observation missions.
Moldova Rural LEADER Project (MRLP)
Implementer: Solidarity Fund PL
Project Period: 08/2020-08/2026
USAID contribution: $3 million
The project goal is to provide Moldovan communities with comprehensive assistance for local development, following the EU LEADER / Community-led Local Development approach, by involving all community actors (representatives of the public, private and civic sectors) and addressing local development challenges. The project will improve the competitiveness and living conditions in rural communities with a strong people empowerment dimension. During the first phase of three years the MRLP program facilitated the creation of 16 new local inter-sectoral partnerships, Local Action Groups (LAGs), thus extending the coverage to 650,000 inhabitants and approximately 50% of the territory. MRLP piloted innovative approaches such as circular economy and Organizational Management Organizations for rural tourism on the platform of LAGs. During the second phase of cost extension, MRLP will focus on professional and capacity development of LAGs to become sustainable in the context of EU accession path, and build the capacity of the National LEADER Network to better and more effectively represent their constituent LAGs for a smarter LEADER.
Small Project Assistance Program (SPA)
Implementer: Peace Corps Moldova
Project Period: yearly contribution
USAID contribution: $268,000
Peace Corps Moldova has cooperated with USAID under a global agreement to implement SPA to provide funding opportunities for the projects developed by Peace Corps Volunteers and their community partners, and capacity building activities for their counterparts. The SPA offers support in improving organisational capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs), positive youth development, and promotion of women’ civic participation.