Institute for the Development of Civil Society

The Instytut Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego (Institute for the Development of Civil Society), operating in practice as the Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego (FRSO, Foundation for the Development of Civil Society), is an independent, non-profit non-governmental organisation based in Warsaw, Poland. Registered in February 1996, it continues the work of the earlier Civil Society Development Programme (CSDP), an intensive two-year educational programme run in Poland and Hungary in 1994–1996. Its mission is to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of diverse forms of social action in Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries, primarily through training, consultancy, information exchange and advisory support. FRSO works at the intersection of the non-governmental, public and private sectors, promoting mechanisms of cooperation among them. It is a member of the Ogólnopolska Federacja Organizacji Pozarządowych (National Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations), Grupa Zagranica and the Stała Konferencja Ekonomii Społecznej (Standing Conference of Social Economy), and is a co-founder and shareholder of Kooperatywa Pozarządowa, a cooperative of legal persons. The foundation is entered in the Register of Training Institutions as a non-public training institution and is authorised to train unemployed and job-seeking persons. It also carries out publishing activity. Its flagship programmes are the Social Economy Support Centres (Ośrodki Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej, OWES), including the Warsaw OWES, the Siedlce OWES, the Podwarszawski OWES, and projects supporting social economy development in subregion 1 and the Siedlce subregion. It also runs the Stołeczne Centrum Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych (Capital Centre for NGO Support) and the Fimango 2026 programme on financial management in NGOs. Through the OWES project in the Warsaw subregion it operates the portal Zlepszejpółki.pl. The organisation provides telephone advice for organisations across Poland and for organisations active in Warsaw, and organises seminars and training courses, including the Mazowiecka Szkoła Usług Społecznych (Masovian School of Social Services) series. FRSO's activities are largely funded through European funds, as indicated by its statement that OWES programmes are financed from European funds. Its website offers accessibility features such as WCAG-compliant contrast adjustment and font enlargement, reflecting its public-benefit orientation. The organisation remains active, with current news, training schedules and contact details published on frso.pl.

The Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego (FRSO) was registered in February 1996, continuing the activity of the Civil Society Development Programme (CSDP), an intensive two-year educational programme conducted in Poland and Hungary in 1994–1996. By December 1997 the foundation had trained 1,500 people from 300 organisations in fundraising, writing grant applications, strategic planning, teamwork and organisational management. Some of the training was delivered through so-called Non-Governmental Institutes – intensive multi-day residential courses. At the request of the American grant-making institution Academy for Educational Development, FRSO provided consultancy to its grantees, helping them develop strategic plans. The foundation's mission is to support a democratic society based on harmonious cooperation in three areas of social life: non-governmental, public and private. FRSO initiates and promotes mechanisms for such cooperation, highlighting the benefits that flow from it. It is a member of the National Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations (Ogólnopolska Federacja Organizacji Pozarządowych), Grupa Zagranica and the Standing Conference of Social Economy (Stała Konferencja Ekonomii Społecznej), and is a co-founder and shareholder of Kooperatywa Pozarządowa, a cooperative of legal persons. Within the project Social Economy Support Centre in the Warsaw subregion, the foundation runs the portal Zlepszejpółki.pl. The organisation is entered in the Register of Training Institutions as a non-public training institution and is authorised to train unemployed and job-seeking persons. It also conducts publishing activity. Its current programmes include the Warsaw Social Economy Support Centre, the Siedlce Social Economy Support Centre, the Capital Centre for NGO Support, support for social economy development in subregion 1 – social services, support for social economy development in the Siedlce subregion 2.0, the Podwarszawski Social Economy Support Centre, and Fimango 2026 – Financial Management in NGOs. OWES programmes are financed from European funds. The foundation provides telephone advice for organisations across Poland and for organisations active in Warsaw, and organises seminars and training courses such as the Mazowiecka Szkoła Usług Społecznych series.

• Civil Society Development Programme (CSDP) conducted in Poland and Hungary; FRSO later continues its activity.

• Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego registered.

• By December 1997, FRSO had trained 1,500 people from 300 organisations.

• FRSO becomes a member of the National Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations, Grupa Zagranica and the Standing Conference of Social Economy.

• FRSO co-founds and becomes a shareholder of Kooperatywa Pozarządowa, a cooperative of legal persons.

• FRSO runs the Zlepszejpółki.pl portal within the Social Economy Support Centre project in the Warsaw subregion.

Independent non-profit NGO and training institution supporting civil society, social economy and cross-sector cooperation in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe.

• Warszawski Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej

  Social economy support centre for the Warsaw area.

• Siedlecki Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej

  Social economy support centre for the Siedlce area.

• Stołeczne Centrum Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych

  Capital Centre for NGO Support.

• Wsparcie rozwoju ekonomii społecznej w subregionie 1 – usługi społeczne

  Project supporting social economy development in subregion 1 – social services.

• Wsparcie rozwoju ekonomii społecznej w subregionie siedleckim 2.0

  Project supporting social economy development in the Siedlce subregion 2.0.

• Podwarszawski Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej

  Social economy support centre for the suburban Warsaw area.

• Fimango 2026 – Zarządzanie finansami w organizacjach pozarządowych

  Programme on financial management in NGOs.

1. 1Strona główna - FRSO.plfrso.pl
2. 2Instytut Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiegowikidata.org
3. 3Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiegopl.wikipedia.org