How can Community Foundations (CFs) contribute to Agenda 2030? More specifically, what can be the role of CFs in advancing the SDGs, at global, national, and local levels?
Through this project, we aim to explore how could CFs accelerate progress towards the SDGs by both mobilizing local resources, strengthening local capacities for achieving the Goals, and engaging in national, European, and global debates on the SDGs, while bringing at the table valuable local perspectives, not least of the most vulnerable groups they serve.
Project Duration: 2021 - June 2023
Team
Adela Rusu, M.A.
Adriana Cârnu
Ana-Maria Chirila, M.A.
Lev Fejes, Ph.D.
Silvia Fierăscu, Ph.D.
Sorin Cebotari, Ph.D.
Ștefan Cibian, Ph.D.
Adela Rusu, M.A.
Adela is an independent expert on development cooperation, management and organizational development of networks in the non-profit sector, with particular interest in sustainability, non-governmental diplomacy and empowering leadership. Adela Rusu holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in European Studies, both from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Bucharest, Romania and was awarded a scholarship at the University of Verona (Italy). Between 2008 and early 2020, Adela was the executive director at the Romanian NGDO Platform – FOND, being actively involved in monitoring the national and European development policies, ensuring representation at national and European level (both in the NGO community and different institutional settings), fostering regional cooperation among NGOs in the Black Sea region (with focus on enabling environment and building resilience of civil society) and strengthening the capacity of Romanian NGOs in this field.
Adriana Cârnu
Adriana Cârnu – is a Consultant for the World Bank office in Romania, expert in facilitation of community development processes. After pursuing a leadership destiny in AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization, Adriana Cârnu has been investing energy and passion in the field of community development and education since 2004. In 2010 she founded Sigma Association together with her team, a platform that emerged from the intention of having an impact on the social architecture of the rural communities in the South East of Romania. The NGO has initiated and implemented projects and activities that revolved around community development innovation, as well as in the social inclusion policies and education, enriching the area with an absorption of 2,5 million euros for the growth and development of the local region. She has initiated and invested her energy in steering volunteering projects, youth workers development and education, but also research and piloting in the field of education, developing non-formal education enabling instruments for teachers. Her overall experience revolves around project management, grant writing and implementation, learning and development. In terms of processes, her main community mantra is that the well-being of the community should be decided by the entity itself with the agents of change holding space for the dynamics. That is why her passions revolve around process designing, coaching groups, hosting and harvesting group transformation.
Ana-Maria Chirila, M.A.
Since the beginning of her career, she has been an active participant in the community while supporting the activity of the Institute and the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation. She holds a BA in Biotechnical Systems Engineering and an MA in Environmental Engineering. Ana-Maria considers that community engagement is an important part of one’s life, therefore, it is important that we create and collaborate, as we are sharing life experiences every day. Ana-Maria is passionate about exploring new places and sports, such as endurance biking, swimming, and hiking.
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Lev Fejes, Ph.D.
Lev holds a doctorate in criminal justice from the School of Criminal Justice within Michigan State University (MSU) and an MA in Nonprofit Organization Management from Babeș-Bolyai University. As the Head of Research at the Association for Community Relations (ARC) he is responsible for coordinating the organization’s research efforts related to philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. He is a founding member of the Initiative for European Democratic Culture (ICDE) think-tank, and a Research Fellow at the Făgaraș Research Institute and Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD).
An enthusiast of research methods, at ARC he utilizes his research experience developed at the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP) within MSU in designing and implementing studies aimed at furthering the understanding of philanthropic behavior in Romania and at informing decisions with regards to the development needs of Romanian NGOs. In his other capacities, Lev pursues various topics related mainly to urban safety and policing.
His area of expertise includes anti-counterfeiting strategies, consumer behavior, corporate social responsibility, philanthropy and public policy. His main academic research interests relate to criminology, product counterfeiting, policing and urban safety. He is also interested in more applied research on the topics of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility and is passionate about turning the world into a better place for each and all.
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Silvia Fierăscu, Ph.D.
Dr. Silvia Fierăscu has a PhD in Comparative Politics and Network Science from Central European University. Her research focuses primarily on quality of governance, political-business relations, and statistical analyses of network data. Silvia is involved in various interdisciplinary projects, translating complex problems into real-time applications for organizational management, political communication, and better governance.
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Sorin Cebotari, Ph.D.
Dr. Sorin Cebotari is a researcher in sustainable development. At the moment, Sorin is a senior research manager at weTHINK. Europe where he coordinates a research team focusing on the energy and construction sectors in Central and South-Eastern Europe. Also, Sorin is an external consultant for European Climate Foundation, where he coordinates the project InfoClima.ro
Aiming to improve public discurse on climate change. As a Marie Curie Fellow he researcherd the impact of renewable energies on perypheralyzation in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Key areas of interest: sustainable development, circular economy, perypheralyzation and polarization in CEE, regional development, renewable energy.
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- Sorin, Cebotari, “Romanian electricity market in the light of fast development of renewable energies: General presentation and critical assessment”, Institute for Regional Studies, Center for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Science. Molnar Nyomada Ltd., 2015
- Sorin, Cebotari; Marius, Cristea; Ciprian, Moldovan; Florin, Zubascu; “Renewable energy's impact on rural development in northwestern Romania”, Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol 37, Feb 2017, pp. 110-123
- Sorin, Cebotari; Jozsef, Benedek; “Renewable Energy Project as a Source of Innovation in Rural Communities: Lessons from the Periphery”, Sustainability, Vol 9 (4). 509, March 2017.
- Sorin, Cebotari; Melinda, Mihaly; “Towards a Progressive Local Development Approach-Insights from Local Community Initiatives in Hungary and Romania” in Regional and Local Development in Times of Polarization, by Thilo Lang and Franziska Gormar, Palgrave Macmillan, doi:10.1007/978-981-13-1190- 1_11, Jan 2019.
- Sorin, Cebotari; Thilo, Lang; Tomas, Hanell; “Translating Scientific Results: Encouraging Reflective Policies as a Chance for Change” in Regional and Local Development in Times of Polarization, by Thilo Lang and Franziska Gormar, Palgrave Macmillan, doi:10.1007/978-981-13- 1190-1_15., Jan 2019.
- Sorin, Cebotari, “Against All Odds: Community Owned Renewable Energy Projects in North-West Romania”, ACME 18(2), 513-528, May 2019.
Ștefan Cibian, Ph.D.
Dr. Ștefan Cibian is a member of the Board and the executive director of the Făgăraș Research Institute.
Stefan teaches courses related to international relations, international development, international organizations, peacebuilding, and postcolonial Africa at the M.A. in International Development at the Political Science Department, Babeș-Bolyai University and the M.A. in International Public Affairs at the Political Science Department, University of Bucharest.
Previously, Stefan worked as an Academy Fellow at Chatham House – The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Africa Programme and Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, the Association for Community Relations, and Central European University.
His research interests include international development, community development, Africa-CEE-EU relations, development policy, international relations theory, peacebuilding, fragile states, the link between research, policy, and practice, higher education policy, and global affairs. Regarding his geographic focus, Stefan is primarily concerned with Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, the European Union, and transatlantic relations.
Stefan is an Executive Committee member of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) and is a member of the International Studies Association, European International Studies Association, Central and Eastern Europe International Studies Association, and UACES. Stefan also focuses on civil society development in CEE. He is the President of ARCADIA – The Romanian Association for International Cooperation and Development and GRASP, and a Board Member with Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation (FCTF), UiPath Foundation, the Association for the Practice of Transformation, and the Romanian Federation of Community Foundations. Stefan is a member of the following networks: Bosch Alumni Network, BMW Responsible Leaders’ Network, and Mercator Foundation TEFF Alumni Network.
Stefan received his Ph.D. in political science and international relations (2012) and his M.A. in public policy (2006) from Central European University. He holds a B.A. in political science (2004) from Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and a B.A. in law (2005) from the 1st of December 1918 University, Alba Iulia, Romania. Stefan also studied or conducted research at Salzburg University, the University of Ljubljana, and UCLA.
FRI PublicationsExpert CommentsNews and mass-mediaOther publicationsEvents
Central & Eastern Europe and EU-Africa Relations after 2020 (Chatham House Research Paper, 2020)
Central and Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects for Sustained Re-engagement (Chatham House Research Paper, 2017)
Analyzing the European Development Fund: An English School Account of How Presumed Statehood Undermines (Development in) Sub-Saharan Africa (Ph.D. Thesis, Central European University, 2012)
