Financial sustainability of the Armenian NGO sector

Abstract

Democracy, one of the basic values that the humanity strives for, can never be achieved unless the society is empowered with active citizens ready to drive for changes and direct policies; to oversee the activities of the government and make the public voice heard; to serve as watchdogs and disallow any possible injustice. Only a robust civil society that is sustainable and self-sustaining can perform its function of fostering democratic development of the countries within which it operates. This research examines the “financial sustainability” dimension of Armenian civil society, making an attempt to reveal and quantify why and how is the financial viability of the Armenian NGO sector so fragile and who can fill up the gaps. It particularly focuses on the role of NGOs and donor organizations themselves in leveraging donor support toward the objective of reducing donor dependence and reorienting NGOs toward building constituencies of support and accountability within the Armenian society and polity.