ACTIVITY DATES: April 2006 - June 2009

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC), Citigroup Foundation, Central Bank of Russia

REGION(S): Moscow

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

FSVC has provided AML and CFT support to more than 1,520 people from over 920 institutions through the implementation of 34 linked projects. Project activities contributed substantively to the recently-adopted amendments to Russian AML law.

The project assisted Rosfinmonitoring in developing the methodology for preparing money laundering typologies that, through its adoption by the Eurasia Group for AML/CFT (EAG), will benefit AML systems in all EAG countries.

Based on the strong relations developed with the EAG, the partners are working on expanding the existing GDA to attract more contributing partners and transforming it into a regional program involving other EAG countries.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

FSVC has provided AML and CFT support to more than 1,260 people from over 770 institutions through the implementation of 21 linked projects. Project activities contributed substantively to the recently-adopted amendments to Russian AML law.

The project assisted Rosfinmonitoring in developing the methodology for preparing money laundering typologies that, through its adoption by the Eurasia Group for AML/CFT (EAG), will benefit AML systems in all EAG countries.

Based on the strong relations developed with the EAG, the partners are working on expanding the existing GDA to attract more contributing partners and transforming it into a regional program involving other EAG countries.

ACTIVITY DATES: July 2000 - June 2010

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Institute of Economy in Transition (IET)

REGION(S): Moscow

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
With the support of international experts from the project's subcontractor, Horst Frisch Incorporated, the Institute for Economy in Transition (IET) conducts economic research and disseminates results among key Russian policymakers and the general public.  IET provides recommendations on legislative and economic analysis, draft legislative proposals, and policy studies.  By expanding and strengthening its outreach and development activities, IET is becoming a viable and stable institution with a broad domestic and international constituency for its work on Russian economic analysis and policy advice.  Russian policy makers within the State Duma, federal and regional governments look to IET staff for policy input, advice, and leadership in reform processes.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

IET has produced over 250 comprehensive policy proposals on public debt management, corporate governance and ownership rights, tax reform, the creation of a stabilization fund, the restructuring of state enterprises, trade, and agricultural policies.  IET experts developed specific policy recommendations on the Land Code, the Federal Budget Code, and Customs Code, and IET is working closely with the Ministry of Finance to further streamline budgetary procedures.

IET holds annual international conferences to review and discuss the progress of economic transition in Russia, with presentations from top officials in the Government of Russia and world-renowned economists.  A series of working papers produced by the Institute's experts were published and widely disseminated.

ACTIVITY DATES: September 2003 - September 2010

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Center for Fiscal Policy (CFP)

REGION(S): Adygeya Republic, Arkhangelskaya oblast, Astrakhanskaya oblast, Belgorodskaya oblast, Buryatiya Republic, Chukotskiy autonomous okrug, Irkutskaya oblast, Karachayevo-Cherkesiya Republic, Karelia Republic, Khanty-Mansiyskiy autonomous okrug, Komi Republic, Koryakskiy autonomous okrug, Krasnoyarskiy kray, Leningradskaya oblast, Magadanskaya oblast, Novgorodskaya oblast, Smolenskaya oblast, Stavropolskiy kray, Sverdlovskaya oblast, Tatarstan Republic, Tomskaya oblast, Tyumenskaya oblast, Udmurtiya Republic

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This project supports intergovernmental fiscal and budget reforms in Russia by providing consulting services to all levels of government.  The purpose of the project is to promote values of fiscal federalism such as fairness, transparency, and objectiveness in budgetary relations.  Project activities also focus on improving government spending efficiency in public sectors and supporting government efforts to rationalize the budget process.

Working together with regional and municipal administrations, CFP aims to create a more effective and transparent fiscal system and improve the Russian government's ability to provide public services.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

Under the project, CFP has provided technical assistance to 10 municipalities on various aspects of budget reform implementation.  At the regional level, CFP focused on developing methodology for multi-year budgeting, drafting intergovernmental legislative acts, and elaborating formulas for municipal transfers.

Specifically, CFP conducted 32 training sessions in 27 regions for 2600 regional and municipal officials, including 2 trainings for the North Caucasus regions (110 participants).  In addition, 5 inter-regional conferences on funding for education and social protection systems have been organized by CFP experts.

ACTIVITY DATES: September 2005 - May 2009

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Arizona State University, Graduate School of Public Administration at the Lomonosov Moscow State University (SPA-MGU)

REGION(S): Moscow

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This partnership aims to build a sustainable policy research think tank, the Center for Strategic Innovations, at the School of Public Administration at MGU. Aided by ASU experts, the new Center will develop a Russian Workforce Information System (RWIS)-a database that provides an annual profile of the changing occupational outlook at both regional and federal levels. The database includes information on the labor market, training needs and opportunities, salary trends, anticipated and emerging skill needs, and related policy issues. The partners will also produce collaborative state-of-the-art public policy research on issues of labor migration and non-proliferation.

This partnership will be further supported by formal exchange programs administered by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

The MGU team, together with their ASU partners, developed a fully accessible Russian Workforce Information System website. International conferences on public administration were conducted by the SPA-MGU in May 2006 and 2007.

MGU specialists assisted the Labor Department of the Russian Ministry of Health and Human Services in their preparations for the ministerial meeting of the International Labor Organization.

ACTIVITY DATES: November 2002 - October 2009

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Moscow Public Science Foundation (MPSF)

REGION(S): Khabarovskiy kray, Moscow, Primorskiy kray, St. Petersburg

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This project provides critical institutional support and grant funding to Russian economic think tanks to help them develop high quality and relevant economic policy analysis on key reform issues. Specific recommendations for Russian policy makers are prepared and presented for incorporation into legislation and policy initiatives.  The project also engages independent Russian analysts and the general public in discussions of cutting edge economic policy issues.

Working together with the Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector (IRIS), Economic Education and Research Consortium (EERC) and Open Economy Foundation, MPSF conducts competitive grant rounds for Russian think tanks to apply for funds to strengthen their organizations and develop policy recommendations on economic reforms.  A primary goal is to improve the management practices of economic think tanks in order to expand their client base and help them achieve financial and institutional sustainability. The Program also supports partnerships between Russian and U.S. think tanks to produce joint policy papers, conduct professional exchanges, and organize joint public policy events.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

This is a continuation of an earlier three-year USAID/Russia project.  Under the initial program, a transparent competitive system to award grants to Russian think tanks was developed, and over 100 grants were awarded to think tanks and analysts from across the Russian Federation.

During the current project, 49 regular and 26 quick-response grants, including three to think tanks in the Russian Far East, have been awarded so far. Activities have focused on strengthening institutional support for Russian economic think tanks, wider dissemination of grantee results, and broader policy advocacy targeting government officials and the general public. Summaries of grantee results are regularly published in top Russian economic journals, and 23 roundtables were held to present and discuss grantee policy analyses.

With support from MPSF, a new Association of Russian Economic Think Tanks was established in November 2002 and continues to be active. The Association unites over 20 leading think tanks, with another 15 holding observer status.