In order to support its partner municipalities overcome their limited ability to invest own resources into services improvement and other initiatives aiming at economic and welfare development, LOGOS has established an Investment Fund. The different projects are proposed and managed by the municipalities in order to ensure the link with municipal planning and the budgeting cycle. The objectives of the Investment Fund are threefold:

• Improve access and quality of municipal services for citizens and the different communities;
• Improve project management skills and develop municipal ability to access other funds or programmes;
• Support partners in achieving visible and tangible results

The Investment Fund logic and structure

At the start of Phase II, the project first invested into strengthening the technical base of the municipal administrations of the newly established municipalities of Klokot – Vrbovac/Kllokot – Vërbovc, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh, and in the municipalities of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë and Štrpce/Shtërpcë, which were assessed to lack key materials. It secured the availability of essential working equipment (such as computers, printers, copy machines, etc.) and basic training of relevant specialists for operating it. The Quick Start Projects (QSPs) were designed to address urgent needs in public services within a municipality. The aim of these projects was to show viable results and visible improvement in the daily life of citizens. LOGOS made €9.000 available to all partner municipalities for the execution of the QSPs. The main objective of the Municipal Call projects was to improve access and quality of municipal public services for a larger number of citizens and to promote initiatives leading to economic development. Municipal Call projects must support the priorities that are identified in the municipal development plans. In order to receive financial support, the projects proposed by the municipalities had to ensure the participation and inclusion of non-majority?communities and had to be gender sensitive. At least one project per municipality had to target rural communities. Municipal Call projects required that municipalities co-financed a minimum 20 percent of the total project costs. LOGOS partner municipalities were grouped according to their population size and the allocation of funds was based on these groupings:

• Up to €30.000 per municipal call project for the small municipalities of Klokot – Vrbovac/Kllokot – Vërbovc, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh
• Up to €40.000 per municipal call project for the mid-size municipalities of Hani i Elezit, NovoBrdo/Novobërdë and Štrpce/Shtërpcë,
• Up to €50.000 for the large municipalities of Kaçanik/Kacanik, Kamenicë/Kamenica and Viti/Vitina.

During the Second Phase (2010-2012), LOGOS financed at least two Municipal Call projects per municipality (Municipal Call 1 and Municipal Call 2). The rest of the money was allocated on a competitive basis. Municipalities that showed no delay in the implementation of their other projects could apply for additional funds. LOGOS Bridging Phase 2013 finances at least one Municipal Call project per municipality (Municipal Call 3).

LOGOS Phase II supported municipalities in overcoming their limited ability to invest own resources into capital investments with a grant fund
The LOGOS Bridging Phase 2013 used the same rules and procedures for the funds as LOGOS Phase II (they derive from IPA procedures). The grant fund led to a concrete and measurable improvement of living conditions for citizens and allowed LOGOS to condition other activities (which was a useful tool for moving municipalities forward). The fund also contributed to improving capacities in project management, technical monitoring and financial administration. LOGOS Bridging Phase 2013 is considered imperative by LOGOS. We have funded all municipalities in east region of Kosovo such as: Hani i Elezit, Kaçanik/Kačanik, Kamenicë/Kamenica, Klokot Vrbovac/Kllokot Vërbovc, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Parteš/Partesh, Ranilug/Ranillug, Štrpce/Shtërpcë and Viti/Vitina. LOGOS continued to follow the principles and procedures of “tied on-budget support”, as the experience from the second phase does not support “untied on-budget support”. Only projects from approved Municipal Development Plans (MDPs) were eligible. In this way the On-budget Grant Fund functioned as an in incentive to implement the plans drafted in Phase II (specific output 1.1). All projects started to implement the works in May 2013 in order to finish before October 2013 (the end of the construction season). LOGOS Bridging phase 2013 in cooperation with our partner municipalities have completed approximately 16 infrastructure projects including supplies for schools and inventory for municipalities.

Project Cycle Management training and additional specific support

In order to strengthen municipal capabilities to apply for funds and manage the implementation of projects, LOGOS provides both general trainings and specific support/coaching to answer the needs of particular municipalities. As a way to work on the preparation and implementation of the Municipal Call projects and to improve project management skills of partner municipalities, LOGOS facilitated a three-day Project Cycle Management (PCM) training for municipal staff in May 2011. The training focused on the methodology for drafting project proposals. This included topics like problem analysis, project implementation, budget planning and monitoring and evaluation strategies. Municipal officials had to bring prepared project concepts to the training, so their preparations were directly applicable to the drafting of proposals for the Second Municipal Call projects. LOGOS also offered additional support to the newly established municipalities of Klokot-Vrbovac/ Kllokot-Vërbovc, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë and Parteš/Partesh. In order to overcome the limited capacities of these recent municipalities another methodology of project support is applied. This support consists of intensive coaching during the project design process, and constant monitoring and coaching during the implementation phase of the projects.

Project Cycle Management training – May 2011	Municipal workers and LOGOS consultants drafting a proposal for the construction of sidewalks in the municipality of Klokot/Kllokot

 Projects implemented through the Investment Fund

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Relevant press articles

“LOGOS”-i zviceran rinovon objektet e 2 shkollave të Vitisë – Koha Ditore, 13.04.2013
Anulohet vendimi për participimin e vitiasve në projekte komunale – Koha Ditore, 28.02.2013
Përurohen dy projekte infrastrukturore – Website Kaçanik/Kačanik – 28.11.2011
Vitia merr pamje tjetër – Website Viti/Vitina – 26.11.2011
Vitia e Kllokoti mbështeten nga organizata zvicerane “Helvetas Intercooperation” – Koha Ditore – 10.06.2012
Qeveria zvicerane dhe dy ministri ndihmojnë fshatrat e Vitisë, by Ibrahim Sefedini, Koha Ditore,21.05.2012
LOGOS-i financon dy projekte në Kaçanik dhe Han të Elezit, by K.Sallahu, Zëri, 19.05.2012
LOGOS-i Përkrahë Komunën e Hanit të Elezit në menagjimin e mbeturinave , website of the municipality of Hani i Elezit, 18.05.2012 
U nënshkrua marëveshje bashkëpunimi për projektin “Ndërtimi i trotuarit nëpër vendbanimin Llabjan përgjatë rrugës Novobërdë’’, website of the municipality of Novo Brdo 17.05.2012 
Qeveria zvicerane financon urën e re që lidh dy pjesët e Kaçanikut, by Ekrem Raka, Koha Ditore, 7.05.2011
Qeveria zvicerane financon disa projekte infrastructurore të 6 komunave, by Ibrahim Sefedini, Koha Ditore, 6.05.2011
Zvicra i investon 40 mijë euro në shkolla të Hanit të Elezit, by Ekrem Raka, Koha Ditore, 10.05.2011