Harghita County Council launches a new programme called Civil Hargita
At the initiative of County Manager Melinda Dobos, Harghita County Council is launching a new programme to support the development and long-term sustainability of civil society organisations. The training series, entitled Civil Hargita, will start in November and is planned to visit every region of our county, targeting organisations engaged in civil society activities.
At the information session held on 22 October, Melinda Dobos stated that Harghita County Council has already played an important role in supporting the civil society sector through its non-reimbursable grant programmes and partnership projects implemented jointly with civil society organisations. The new initiative aims to complement this support by helping organisations acquire the knowledge necessary for stable, independent and long-term operation.
Another key objective of the workshops is to build connections between civil society organisations and, as a result, encourage knowledge sharing.
The first session will take place on 6 November in Miercurea Ciuc. To ensure the effectiveness of the training, the organisers expect 25–30 organisations to participate. The event will be free of charge, but registration will be required. The announcement is expected to be published early next week. Those interested can find information on the Facebook page of Harghita County Council, on the hargitamegye.ro website, and by subscribing to its WhatsApp and Messenger channels.
The workshop will focus on practical ways of raising financial resources, identifying funding and grant opportunities, building relationships with donors and supporters, and sustainably managing organisational resources.
With the help of experts, participants will be able to assess the actual financial needs of their own organisations and develop a concrete action plan to ensure more stable operations.
The County Manager also emphasised that the aim is not simply to organise a series of separate events, but to initiate a learning, cooperation and development process that will strengthen civil society organisations in Harghita County in the long term.
As is well known, Harghita County Council announces its calls for proposals for civil society organisations every year. According to Erika Zonda, head of the Programmes and Projects Directorate, a total of 600 applications were submitted under this year’s calls, of which 332 projects received funding from a total budget of 3.15 million lei. Of these, 78 cultural projects received funding and are being implemented by cultural institutions maintained by the County Council.
The newly launched initiative also provides an opportunity for the County Council to offer even more targeted support to civil society organisations in the future, based on their feedback and experience.
According to the plans, the programme will continue in 2027 in Odorheiu Secuiesc and Gheorgheni, where the focus will be on communication, organisational development and strengthening cooperation among civil society organisations in Harghita County. In Toplița, the central topic of the training will be the stable operation and financing of civil society organisations.
Miercurea Ciuc, 22 October 2026
