Overview
The Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD) is a 10-year, $30-million grantmaking initiative that supports democracy, good governance, and Euroatlantic integration in Southeastern Europe. This award-winning public-private partnership was created in 2003 by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. BTD is structured to allow both European and U.S. partners to join the effort to strengthen transatlantic cooperation in the Balkans. Since its founding, additional contributions from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Belgrade, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Tipping Point Foundation, Compagnia di San Paolo, the Robert Bosch Foundation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark have made BTD a true transatlantic partnership. Grantmaking
Operating from the German Marshall Fund's Belgrade office, BTD awards grants in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia, including Kosovo. BTD also gives regional grants to organizations promoting the benefits of a pan-Balkan network. Policy Dialogue
In addition to grantmaking, the Balkan Trust for Democracy continually works to accelerate the region's integration into Euroatlantic structures and to raise the profile of the Balkans. Together with GMF's Washington Headquarters and its other European offices, BTD connects local actors with European Union, American, and international individuals and institutions in order to build networks and consensus on Balkan issues from a broader, multi-stakeholder perspective. The Bulgaria Fund
The new Bulgaria Fund, also located in Belgrade, is a 3-year, $3-million grantmaking initiative of the United States Agency for International Development and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Created in 2007, it continues the USAID reform agenda in Bulgaria.
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10th Marshall Forum addresses globalization
From October 23-25, 2009, 200 alumni of GMF's Marshall Memorial Fellowship program convened in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the 10th annual Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs. Entitled "Who is in Control of Globalization? Transatlantic Dialogues on New Policy Initiatives," the three-day gathering also hosted grantees, partners, and GMF fellows to discuss the transatlantic relationship in a global context. |
Balkan Trust for Democracy celebrates five years of effective grantmaking
On September 25-26, a diverse group of high-level civic activists, policymakers, and regional experts gathered in Serbia to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD). Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Ðelic proclaimed in his opening speech "we are very proud to have the Trust here in Belgrade." Noting the diversity of the crowd--comprised of Europeans, Americans, and representatives from throughout the Balkan region--Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic stressed in his keynote speech that "building a democratic society is our common objective." Audio of the speech and several discussion panels is available for download. |
Leaders debate Georgian War and Russian Relations
On September 1, the German Marshall Fund of the United States held a debate entitled "The war in Georgia and relations with Russia: What happened and what now?" in Brussels, Belgium, just before an emergency European Summit began.
Leaders debate Russian-Georgian conflict
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