Participation In Non-Commerce Projects

CEF continues to participate in grant competitions while undertaking microfinance activities. In 2002 CEF received a grant from the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC, www.fraec.org), in the amount of $100,000 under the framework of the USA - Russian Far East Active Partnership Program. More than 75% of the granted funds were used to expand the CEF program and provide credit resources to entrepreneurs from the rural areas of Khabarovsk.

In 2003 CEF was invited to take part in the "Enhanced SME Development Program" as a subcontractor to Winrock. While conducting trainings for entrepreneurs, bank and MFO stuff under the framework of this project, CEF established new connections in Sakhalin, Chita, Primorski krai, and Saha (Yakutiya). Three CEF credit specialists passed the courses and became microfinance trainers. In 2006, CEF fulfilled all purposes of ESD project.

In 2004 CEF, together with the Social-Economic Development Fund of Blagoveshchensk, applied for FRAEC fourth round program and was approved. Within the framework of the program CEF has transferred own microfinancing model for use in Blagoveshchensk.

In the beginning of 2006, CEF involved in new project with The International City/County Management Association - CityLinks Alaska- RFE Partnership Program will establish technical partnerships between communities in the Russia Far East and Alaskan cities and organizations to provide access to hands-on technical assistance and use peer-to-peer learning as the basic means of know-how and knowledge transfer. The Program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will take advantage of existing successful local economic development practices that are already in place in Khabarovsk, Sakhalin, Promorsky krai, Yakutia, Amurskaya oblast, Magadanskaya oblast, Kamchatskaya oblast and several others to provide a valuable basis to initiate comprehensive community local economic development efforts in RFE partner communities. The program will build upon partnerships that exist between RFE communities in these regions and Alaskan cities and organizations.