The idea for a low-cost, non-exclusive, peer-driven network for peer to peer activities for European community foundations emerged in informal talks during 2009 and a small volunteer team has been working on it since.

A grant from the Global Fund for Community Foundations is turning this idea into reality. The four volunteers are Ansis Berzins, Valmiera Region Community Foundation (Latvia), Jan Despiegelaere, Community Foundation West Flanders (Belgium), Monika Pisankaneva, Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation (CF support organization -Bulgaria), and Tomas Krejci, Czech Association of Community Foundations (Czech Republic).

The network’s main function is to connect people and organisations and facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges. It will also develop online tools, and additional activities will be based on interest and funding. The aim is to be as practical as possible in terms of using existing events around Europe to provide opportunities to meet in the most time- and cost-effective way.

The most recent TCFN peer exchange, organised in Riga, Latvia, and hosted by the Valmiera Area Community Foundation, was a successful exchange of ideas, stories, and suggestions on how to develop adaptable approaches to poverty. Attendees represented the Global Fund for Community Foundations and TCFN in the first ever formal collaboration between these organisations. Read more about the network here.

You can read about the next event, to be held in Red Deer, Canada from 22-24 September 2010, here.