Our Stories

Through the Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) Program in Serbia and Montenegro which ran from 2001-2009, IRD worked with community groups to renew civil society, rehabilitate the local infrastructure, and enhance economic development activities.

Montenegro’s development of communities and civil society were an important achievement. In Serbia, the program contributed more financial resources to communities, individuals, and small enterprises than any other donor program, touching nearly every municipality in the country in many different ways. In both countries community groups are now trained in new skills such as proposal development so they can obtain funding for projects from a variety of sources, particularly the European Union. Associations and cooperatives formed under CRDA are still operating, expanding, and earning income. And new medical equipment, maternity wards, and hospitals are now used to diagnose and treat women’s health conditions.

Achievements in Serbia
- Water now flows in towns that had lacked running water for over two decades.
- Local development plans were designed by six municipalities.
- Infrastructure improvements have led to foreign investment in some target municipalities.
- Small and medium enterprise grantees continue to benefit economically, such as a thriving shoe factory that was able to expand its space and staff.
- A renovated agriculture development center now supports more farmers and associations than before.
- The Belgrade Youth Center is being rehabilitated so it can once again be a focal point for cultural events in the city.Several kindergartens and schools were reconstructed and a new kindergarten was built in Valjevo.

Another indicator of CRDA’s success was the steady rise in the percentage of project costs met by clients. IRD has implemented 1,024 projects valued at more than $23 million (CRDA Share). The community matching contributions are more than $15 million (39%), provided by CRDA municipalities and communities in cash or in-kind, as well as by CRDA grantees, and are well over the USAID-required 25 percent minimum.

Achievements in Montenegro
- Olive groves, vineyards, and related industries were revitalized.
- Social infrastructure was improved, including schools, health facilities, sports centers and fields, recycling centers, historical monuments, sidewalks, public lighting, and rural reservoirs.
- Advancement of ecotourism included new visitor centers at Skadar Lake and coastal hiking trails.
- Support allowed agricultural associations to procure equipment for improving harvests.
  • At the community level, the programs helped put in place methodologies to solve problems and prioritize activities for competitive advantage, fostered greater citizen participation in civil society, facilitated communication and cooperation between different community sectors through community committees and local economic development teams, and facilitated the development of different social sectors.