During the workshop on "NGOs Utilising Funding Programmes”, organized by the Office of the Commissioner for Volunteerism and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in collaboration with the Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus, NGOs had the opportunity to learn about funding opportunities offered by various European programmes.
As part of the event, NGO’s were briefed on how to identify and exploit the opportunities at hand by utilizing the right tools. During the workshop, Microsoft Cyprus informed the representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations about free software that Microsoft offers to NGOs.
Speaking about making the most of funding programmes, the Commissioner for Volunteerism and NGO’s, Yiannis Yiannakis, noted: "The utilization of funding programs, especially European ones, is part of the mandates assigned to me by the President of the Republic of Cyprus. It is very important to utilize funds, not only for economic reasons, but also in order to gain new experiences, learn good practices, and create a network with foreign partners”.
In a statement read by Mr. Yiannakis on behalf of the President of the Republic, President stated: "Due to the economic crisis, the government has fewer mechanisms for supporting NGOs. Utilising European programmes gives to NGOs important tools in order to raise substantial funds to implement their goals and enhance their operations ".
The Head of the Communications Department of the Representation of European Commission in Cyprus , Thea Pieridou, noted that: “The aim of the workshop is to give the opportunity to Cypriot NGOs to identify opportunities available via European programmes and raise funds that will help them excel in their work".
Speaking on behalf of Microsoft’s Citizenship Lead in Cyprus, Laura Anne Ker-Lindsay said: “Microsoft Cyprus offers Office 365 to NGOs in Cyprus allowing NGOs access to Microsoft’s best-in-class cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools. This enables them to spend fewer resources and time on IT, while giving them the chance to focus on their goals. NGOs operate in the same way as any other organization or business although; many lack the resources to implement the latest technology. The donation of Office 365 to NGOs gives them the chance to be innovative, more effective and productive in their daily mission to serve society”.
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