The Conference “Partnership Forum: Partnership between civil society and business sector in BiH – challenges and opportunities” was organized within the framework of the People to People component of the TACSO project. The purpose of the conference was to gain insight into the opportunities and challenges in development and maintaining successful economic activities and partnerships with companies, as mechanisms for improving the sustainability of CSOs. Conference objectives were:

1. To develop recommendations for the support measures and mechanisms for improving the sustainability of CSOs;
2. To examine existing models of cooperation and partnerships between companies and CSOs in BiH, to present examples of good practice in the region and BiH and
to define recommendations for improving partnerships;
3. To present relevant research in the areas of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship as a good model to achieve greater sustainability of CSOs;
4. Investigate the areas in which CSOs can have advocacy actions, which will contribute to more sustainable economic activities and successful partnerships with companies.

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The key features of the practices and legislation related to CSOs sustainability, philanthropy and models of cooperation between CSOs and companies in BiH, Serbia and the Region of Western Balkans and Turkey were presented at the conference by the resource organization Smart Kolektiv. Representatives of the donor community have presented some of the most successful and active programs for supporting economic activities of the CSOs.

The discussions were organized in a way that enabled participants to provide individual inputs and actively participate in small groups discussions. Highlight of both conference’s days were lively and engaging discussions, during which participants of the conference analyzed key factors, needs and role of different stakeholders in improving the sustainability of the CSOs. Dynamic discussion resulted in a set of recommendations and steps to be conducted in different areas: skills and knowledge, internal management, legislation and financial mechanisms.

TACSO People to People project is funded by the European Union.