LEAD International Opportunities and Investment Fund (SOIF)
approved the LEAD CIS request for 2008 Core Grant to expand its training and project activity and strengthen LEAD CIS visibility on Russian and CIS arena and less financial dependent on LEAD International.

LEAD CIS is the part of the LEAD International network from 1991.

The first LEAD CIS Cohort was selected in 1992.

LEAD CIS Regional Program covers 12 countries within Commonwealth of Independent States with large spectrum of commonalities and differences as well.

The LEAD CIS host institute - Russian legal entity Non-Governmental Non-profit “Development and Environment Foundation” known as DEF was established in 1992 and re-registered in 2000 and 2007.

DEF core activity is LEAD CIS management and legal assistance, according the Russian legislation.
The DEF activity is governed by its Board. The Board considers and confirms the Foundation main directions, long-term programs and fundraising policy, take part in associate recruitment and confirm the final LEAD CIS Cohort List.

There are presently 162 LEAD Fellows in LEAD CIS, including 44 from CIS States, 55 from different regions of Russia and 65 from Moscow. LEAD CIS Fellows represent all social spheres: academia, business, mass-media, non-governmental and governmental sectors.

LEAD CIS Fellows are involved in numerous projects on renewable energy issues, desertification, and public involvement in environmental impact assessment (EIA). Three Fellows are presently members of LEAD CIS Regional steering committee.

Through the projects LEAD CIS and DEF actively collaborate with WWF, UNEP, UN Convention on combat desertification, UN Convention on climate change, Regional Environmental Centers (REC) in Russia and Central Asia (Kazakhstan), Ministry of natural resources and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation, British Embassy and British Council, Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Geography, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Kola Research Center), Moscow State University, Astrakhan State University, Ministry of environmental protection of Armenia.

Some of these project's overhead help DEF and LEAD CIS to support training and other LEAD related events using not only LI financial support.

The SOIF Core Grant is given to help LEAD CIS during year of 2008 organizes the process of Cohort 13 training and creates a strategy for future LEAD CIS development in more self sustainable and less dependent financially on LI way.

The LEAD CIS Regional Member Program 2008 overall aim should be its Visibility Expansion and Projects Management Improvement within the frame of LEAD Strategic Plan and LEAD CIS Strategy for 2007-09 and beyond.

The specific instrument to do this is mobilization, evaluation and straitening LEAD CIS network of fellows, staff and board members, partners and friends of LEAD for Regional program visibility expansion.

Geographically the MP activity will focus on the Russian Federation, other CIS countries and Mongolia. There is a preliminary agreement to have one or two Mongolian associates in the list of LEAD CIS Cohort 13.

LEAD CIS plans to mobilization MP network to influence on CIS region & Mongolia sustainable development based on cross-cultural and cross-sectoral approaches.

The growing LEAD CIS influence and visibility as the key regional NGO will be used for sustainable development issues within the CIS region and Mongolia.

One the LEAD CIS goal is to carry out regional projects in area of socio-economical and scientific aspects of climate change and leadership. For this LEAD CIS will continue to improve its capacity of knowledge and consultancy team.

Project proposals writing, communication with international, regional and Russian grant makers and possible donators will be one of the main LEAD CIS activities.

According to LEAD CIS Strategic plan the MP will seek as many as possible candidates and select more then 10 candidates for Cohort 13 from mid-career leaders satisfactory to Lead International criteria. The process of recruitment will start December 2007 and should be finished to the end of January 2008. The cycle of the Cohort training will be the same like in 2007 which means 3 regional and one international session.

LEAD CIS host institution “Development and Environment Foundation” will use its wide connections and authority to continue effective cooperation with institutions and organizations in order to survey means and other kind of support for maintenance of LEAD CIS projects. DEF will continue to promote and supervise as well as to render all conceivable assistance to LEAD CIS Fellows staff and board members, donors, partners and friends of LEAD from Russia and some other CIS countries in all their undertakings and activities.

During the year of 2008 first regional training session is planned for the end of February 2008 (5-7 days), second – July-August 2008 (6-8 days) and third - November 2008 (4 days). All sessions will be jointed by delivering of the basic knowledge on sustainable development and evolving of leadership skills. Successfully graduated associates will attend the ITS in Mexico.

One of the goals of 2008 should be the attempt to develop the principals of sustainable development world outlook and to present it to general public as one of the result of successful LEAD CIS movement in the region. In the complicated circumstances of the post soviet area LEAD CIS will be a broadcaster for LEAD Community world outlook and will continue to expound the call for the sustainable development approach among wide sections of the population.

During year of 2008 LEAD CIS plans to deliver high-level sustainable development training using its capacity and publish a booklet “LEAD CIS - 15 years of success” implementing of Intercohort meeting (October 2007) decision.

One of specific topics for 2008 is to reshape LEAD CIS Board and involve new active Regional Steering Committee members to MP governing and supporting.

The top priorities for LEAD CIS during year of 2008 are:

• capacity building in the framework of new strategy of LI;
• continued LEAD training process;
• completion of Cohort 13 training;
• strategic and financial plan development;
• Fellows networking and LEAD CIS office support .

LEAD CIS SOIF Application Form >>