The Resource Center is a digital library of guidebooks, sample documents, and templates for the citizens and Local Authorities (LAs) interested in participatory and inclusive decision-making processes at the local level. This is a collection of the most-frequently-used among practitioners resources, that are intended to help to develop Participatory Mechanisms and Forms in municipalities of Georgia.
The Resource Center is a digital library of guidebooks, sample documents, and templates
The Resource Center offers free-of-charge downloadable templates, that were developed by the practitioners and experts. The templates could be applied in the fields of (I) Participatory Budget (PB), (II) Village Support Program (VSP), (III) Local Initiative (LI), (IV) Participatory Planning (PP), and (V) Other Participatory Forms in Georgia (OPF) to strengthen citizen-driven decision making at the local level and develop the municipality with regard to the benefit of its inhabitants.
Get ready and kick-off the process!
In this section, you can find helpful materials to get ready to launch and subsequently implement the following Participatory Mechanisms and Forms: (I) Participatory Budget (PB), (II) Village Support Program (VSP), (III) Participatory Planning (PP), (IV) Local Initiative (LI), and (V) Other Participatory Forms (OPF) in Georgia.
The materials have been developed by the experienced practitioners in Georgia with the support of the international experts. It is a result of a multiple-year effort undertaken by the local self-government units and civic activists to introduce citizens’ engagement mechanisms in Georgia, including PB.
The baseline documents (i.e. “Participatory Budget Standards”) were developed by a group of Georgian activists supported by the Polish experts. It was done in the framework of the Solidarity Fund PL-project: “Participatory Budget – an instrument for promoting self-governance in Georgia”, implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland.
The selection of materials presents the wide-scope of experience and good practices of the municipalities that have implemented different Participatory Mechanisms and Forms in Georgia successfully. The section comprises, but is not limited, to guidebooks, sample documents, templates, and other materials to support you in introducing Participatory Mechanisms and Forms in your municipality.
In this section, you can find the following materials: gudebooks; legal acts; normative acts (resolutions, ordinances) of the Sakrebulo (so-called drafts); mayor’s orders; examples of relevant protocols; samples of material intended for the information campaign; sample schedules of the meetings with citizens; samples of project proposal’s forms (of the application form); the sample letter on defect; in case of a Village Support Program-samples of the mayor’s order to be attached, along with a schedule for holding meetings; in case of the Local Initiative – the application and agreement forms; in case of Participatory Planning – the scheme-model to including citizens in the implementation investigation process, etc.
Participatory Budget
Participatory Budget Guidebook for Municipalities
The guidebook – Overview – What is the Participatory Budget? What do we want it for? Description of the cycle step-by-step. Practical attachments.
Participatory Budget Standards in Georgia
The guidebook – Basic Principles of the Participatory Budget developed with Georgian practitioners. Practical recommendations.
Practical Handbook on Introducing Participatory Budget standards
Handbook – Standardization of three-year work based on real, Georgian experience in the Participatory Budget.
Sample documents: Rules of the Participatory Budget In Sighnaghi (consensus)
Selection of the project initiatives by consensus. 1) An order of the Mayor of Sighnaghi Municipality on the establishment and determination of the composition of the “Participatory Budget” Council in Sighnaghi Municipality; 2) An approval of the rules (regulations) of the work of the “Participatory Budget” Council in Sighnaghi Municipality; 3) The rules of operation of the “Participatory Budget” Council in Sighnaghi Municipality (regulations); 4) An application form.
Rules of the Participatory Budget in Zugdidi (voting)
Selection of the project initiatives through voting 1) Zugdidi Municipality Sakrebulo Resolution of July 5, 2019 No. 24 on the establishment of Zugdidi Municipality Participatory Budget Council and approval of the rules of operation; 2) The rule of formation of the Participatory Budget of Zugdidi Municipality; 3) The Participatory Budget project initiative application form.
International experience and research on the practice of implementation in Georgia
Research – Regulations – “Participatory Budget” international experience and research on the practice of implementation in Georgia. International history of the program, Georgian regulations, Georgian practice and aspects of implementation.
Village Support Program
Village Support Program Central Legislative Regulations
Central Regulations of the Village Support Program – Procedures and criteria for selection of projects to be funded under the Village Support Program from the Fund of Projects to be implemented in the regions of Georgia provided by the state budget of Georgia. Regulations on the allocation of funds.
Village Support Program Money for Municipalities – Document 2020 – Ordinance of the Government of Georgia
Central Regulation of Village Support Program Funding – Ordinance of the Government of Georgia on the distribution of funds throughout the country.
Village Support Program general information presentation
Village Support Program: Selection of project proposals. A guide for municipalities
Guide for Municipalities – Selection of project proposals through the Village Support Program. The selection of projects is based on the principles: the participation of the municipality and the population, the support of the population, the transparency of the process. The manual contains details of all the principles.
Sample documents: Local regulations of Village Support Program in Ozurgeti municipality
Local regulations of the Village Support Program, practical steps, meetings, and preparation work for the project implementation on the example of Ozurgeti.
Sample documents: Local regulations on the Village Support Program in Zugdidi municipality
Local regulations and practical experience of the Village Support Program on the example of Zugdidi.
Local Initiative
Scheme : Local Initiative model for municipalities in Georgia.
Case study: “Independence Journalists’ house” and the “Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development” (CIPDD)
The involvement of local civil society in the development and implementation of regional or municipal development strategies is a huge step towards real self-government. It is important that the local population sees the priorities set by it as a deed actually done. Local organizations should be involved in this process not only in the planning but also in the implementation phase, and present projects that match the priorities of their regions, cities or villages.
Case Study: Local Initiative in Sighnaghi municipality
The Local initiative was co-financed by the local government In Sighnaghi , which refers to the obligation of certain organizations to finance the repair process of the space allocated by the municipality of Sighnaghi, and to equip it with office equipment.
Case Study: “Green Budget” – Local Initiative in Zugdidi municipality
A new form of a Local Initiative – “Green Budget” is newly introduced in Zugdidi and provides co-financing of citizens’ initiatives for street planting. Zugdidi in the vanguard of ecology.
Legal acts: “Housing cooperative” – Central Legislative Regulations
Central Regulations – The Law of Georgia on Apartment Ownership, which regulates the local program of the local initiative. The program helps to solve the common problems of homeowners through joint initiatives through a significant participatory mechanism from the local government, with the amount of 80-90%.
Legal acts: Government Resolution on Rules for determining the boundaries of land plots
Central Regulation – Resolution of the Government of Georgia on the approval of the rule of determining the boundaries of the land plots including the common property of the members of the condominium. The ordinance helps the residents of the buildings to implement local initiatives with the local participatory financing program after the ordinance determines the land area belonging to the common living space, i.e. the red lines.
Sample docuemnts: “ Housing cooperative” – Municipal regulation in Tbilisi. Owners’ Community Development Promotion Program
A sample of local regulations, on the example of Tbilisi – the implementation of the “Program for the Promotion of the Development of Homeowners ‘Partnerships” and the rules for registration of homeowners’ partnerships, determines the financing of the infrastructural works necessary for the operation and development of the common property of the members of the condominium members within the framework of the “Program for Promoting the Development of Condominiums” approved by the budget of Tbilisi for the relevant year.
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Participatory Planning
Participatory Planning model for municipalities in Georgia
How to involve residents in the implementation of the PP projects allocated for execution in the municipal budget?
Involvement of the population in the implementation of the selected project initiatives.
A brief overview of the Participatory Planning. Areas of community involvement in the planning stages.
Participatory Planning model for municipalities in Georgia
How to involve residents in the implementation of the PP projects allocated for execution in the municipal budget?
Involvement of the population in the implementation of the selected project initiatives.
A brief overview of the Participatory Planning. Areas of community involvement in the planning stages.
Other Participatory Forms
Participatory Mechanisms (forms) prescribed in Georgian Law
All the existing forms of participation are discussed in the local self-government and are presented in the form of a classified list. Their central and local regulations are characterized in the form of extracts from their practical materials. It’s a guide to universal regulations.
Petition: Sighnaghi case study
Interpretation of the petition, central and local regulations. Sakrebulo activities and discussion of a practical example with the experience of Sighnaghi Municipality.
Local regulations of the petition from the regulations of Sighnaghi Municipality Sakrebulo – Excerpts from the regulations of Sighnaghi Municipality Sakrebulo for public involvement, regulations of the petition form.
Legal acts and Case Study: Council of Advisors in Sighnaghi
Civil Advisory Council regulations at central and local levels. Practical sessions and protocol characterization of the processes on the example of Sighnaghi Municipality are discussed.
Local regulations Co-financing of the education program in Gori municipality example
Regulations of local support of Local Initiatives in the form of co-financing on the example of Gori municipality to promote and finance the education field.
Case study and local normative act: Co-financing of the social benefits in Gori municipality
Regulations of local support of Local Initiatives in the form of co-financing on the example of Gori Municipality for the promotion and financing of social activities.
Case study and local normative act: Co-financing of the sport activities in Gori municipality
Regulations of local support of Local Initiatives in the form of co-financing on the example of Gori Municipality for the promotion and financing of sports activities.
