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SMART BALKANS: Financial Academy for CSOs

About the project

The SMART Balkans Financial Academy is a regional, accredited capacity-building program designed to strengthen the financial management and sustainability of civil society organizations (CSOs) across the Western Balkans.

Developed by the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) within the framework of the SMART Balkans project, the Academy supports CSOs in improving their financial governance, donor compliance, and long-term organizational resilience. The SMART Balkans project is jointly implemented by the Center for Civil Society Promotion (CPCD), the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), and CRPM, with financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).

The Academy responds to key challenges faced by CSOs in the region, including limited financial capacities, gaps in compliance with donor requirements, and underdeveloped internal financial management systems. These weaknesses often limit organizations’ ability to absorb funding, manage grants effectively, and ensure sustainable impact.

Through a structured and professionally designed curriculum, the Academy provides accreditation-level training in financial and administrative management. It combines expert-led instruction, practical exercises, mentoring, and tailored technical assistance to help organizations strengthen internal controls, improve reporting systems, and align with EU and international donor standards.

The program is officially accredited in North Macedonia and licensed in Serbia as a recognized adult education program, ensuring high-quality standards in curriculum design, training delivery, and learning outcomes.

Delivered in a hybrid format—combining in-person modules in regional hubs with online sessions—the Academy follows a two-month cycle that includes three core modules, mentoring support, and final certification. Participants also become part of a regional community of practice, promoting peer exchange, partnerships, and joint learning.

By investing in the SMART Balkans Financial Academy, partners contribute to building a more capable, transparent, and resilient civil society sector across the Western Balkans—one that is better equipped to manage resources responsibly and deliver sustainable, high-impact results.

 
 

Project modules

  • Legal provisions and the importance of administrative operations;
  • Office tasks: letters, forms, documents, and other types of business correspondence;
  • Human resources: functions, decision-making, role diversification and responsibilities, dealing with issues and conflict situations;
  • Regulations and internal controls;
  • Reporting.

Trainer: Uroš Ćemalović, Blagorodna Ampova.

  • Legal framework for financial operations in civil society organizations.
  • Basic financial concepts in civil society organizations.
  • Income and expenses: revenue, VAT, invoices, cash register, expenses, cash, non-cash expenses, income tax.
  • Types of costs: identifying cost types, operational expenses, recording costs, tax treatment of expenses, expressing costs excluding VAT, VAT exemptions.
  • Procurement procedures: tender processes, contract preparation, contract elements, audits.

Trainer: Snežana-Andreja Arambašić, Emilija Bumbaroska.

  • Project management and grant agreements.
  • Budgeting and fundraising opportunities.
  • Reporting systems (internal, donor-related, planning vs. execution, task allocation vs. adopted work packages, partner responsibilities in a consortium);
  • Monitoring and evaluation;
  • Integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Trainer: Dragana Soćanin, Liljana Tanevska.