About Us

For over 31 years, the NGO Center has been at the forefront of developing Armenia’s civil society, empowering CSOs, youth, and women, while promoting participatory governance and local self-governance.

Based in Vanadzor for the past two decades, we have extended our reach as a regional NGO to impact the entire nation. Through our specialized training, expert consultations, grant programs, and dedication, we have helped CSOs across Lori and all of Armenia build a more sustainable environment. Furthermore, the NGO Center’s community spaces have served as a central pointfor diverse organizations to bring their own initiatives to life.

Many NGOs often express that visiting our office feels like coming to their "Paternal Home," a term in Armenian culture representing a space of unconditional support and belonging.

Where We Stand Today

Over the past five years alone, we have invested over €2 million into the development of civil society in Armenia. Yet, despite this extensive impact, all our work has been donefrom rented spaces, without a permanent location of our own.

Today, the NGO Center has successfully raised 19,999,550 AMD, with the goal of purchasing a 100-120 sqm property. This space will be a stable, open, and accessible hub for the entire civil society community. In Vanadzor, a space of this size costs an average of 30,000,000 AMD.

Through this campaign, we aim to raise the remaining 10,000,000 AMD (approximately $25,000) to secure our future and ensure that our 31 years of experience continue to create long-term, sustainable impact.

Your support will help us extend our 31 years of experience to serve even more people and communities throughout Armenia.

Project Goal

The goal of this project is to create a permanent locationfor the NGO Center by acquiring a space in Vanadzor. This facility will serve as a central hub for developing civil society in Armenia.

Owning our own space will enable us to:

• Expand our Reach: Expand and enhance the availability of free training sessions and meeting spaces for civil society organizations (CSOs). Ensure Institutional Stability: Guarantee the long-term sustainability of the organization’s operations.
• Optimize Resources: Remove rental expenses so we can reallocate those funds toward our main programmatic efforts and content-driven work..

Build a National Platform: Establish a significant regional hub that serves all stakeholders and interest groups on a national level. This office will become the center for collaboration, education, and civic participation, playing an essential role in promoting innovative initiatives and enhancing community engagement.

The Challenge

Throughout our history, we have strategically chosen to focus our financial and human resources on achieving programmatic impact, intentionally avoiding investments in our own infrastructure. As a result, the NGO Center currently operates without a permanent office, which has created a significant barrier to our long-term institutional stability and our ability to expand our impact.

Due to the absence of permanent capital assets, a considerable portion of our current funding is used to cover rental expenses. This situation inherently reduces the resources available for our core mission and diminishes our program effectiveness.

Given the current circumstances, having a stable and permanent physical space has become a strategic necessity rather than just a goal. This space will not only serve the NGO Center but will also continue to be an open platform for civil society actors across Armenia.

Today, thanks to our strong reputation and the dedication of our team and members, the NGO Center has successfully raised approximately $53,000. These funds are specifically allocated to ensure the organization’s sustainability and to acquire a permanent facility that will support our future operations.

Expected Outcomes

The successful implementation of this project will lead to the following results:

• Long-term Institutional Sustainability: Owning our office will eliminate the ongoing uncertainty of rentals and secure the NGO Center’s institutional foundation. This stability will help us shift toward strategic, long-term planning, allowing us to focus entirely on our substantive impact.
• Enhanced Programmatic Impact and Quality:By eliminating rental costs, we will allocate significant resources to program implementation and the development of new initiatives. This will directly improvethe quality, reach, and impact of our services for CSOs, youth, and women.
• A Permanent Infrastructure for the CSO Sector: Our space will be the permanent centerfor CSOs, providing continuous training, consultations, and professional support. This will further encourage systemic development and stabilization of the NGO sector throughout the country.An Accessible Learning Environment for Vulnerable Groups: The center will be a safe and inclusive space for training and empowerment programs specifically for disadvantaged families in the Lori region, displaced people, and youth.
• New Opportunities for Civic Participation and Collaboration: The office will be an open platform for meetings, discussions, and joint initiatives, promoting cooperation among differentstakeholders. This will strengthen civic engagement and build trust and dialogue at both the local community and national levels.

We stand strong in our belief, but our journey can only reach its full potential through the invaluable support of our community.

Budget

Please find the fundraising budget here.