BCIF :: About Us :: History

History

Jenny Hyatt, founder and honorary president

Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF) has been supporting informal civil societies and nonprofit initiatives in Serbia and Montenegro since 1999.

BCIF started its work during NATO bombing, when Jenny Hyatt, consultant of social praxis from the Great Britain, gave a speech against the bombing of our country on a peace convention in Westminster Central Hall in London. Thanks to her speech, over 2,000 pounds has been raised for supporting the local initiatives in Serbia and Montenegro. Jenny and her colleagues, British experts for Central and Eastern Europe, have used this means to start up a charity society BCIF UK, in order to provide small donations for local communities in our country.

BCIF UK has worked in Serbia and Montenegro during the first five years, prior to registration of the domestic Fund. By registering in Serbia in 2004, BCIF became one of the few domestic funds, and the only one which deals with the development of local community. British and domestic organizations have worked respectively during the next two years. When the local fund secured its positions sufficiently, BCIF UK completed its mission. After three years of accelerated development, foundation FACT has dissociated from BCIF in 2007. It now operates in Montenegro, while BCIF continues its work in Serbia. During ten years we have acquired considerable experience in working on supporting nonprofit initiatives and organizations in Serbia and Montenegro.