Grant Program Coordinator, Tuzla Community Foundation, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, E-mail: ismet@fondacijatz.org

Key characteristics and information about the CF-s and community philanthropy in your country:

Tuzla Community Foundation (Tuzla CF) is the first local (community) foundation established in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the overall goal to support democratic development of Tuzla City through mobilization of citizens, especially young people to engage actively in the development of their local community. As philanthropic organization, Tuzla CF, also works in the field of promotion of culture of giving and volunteerism in Tuzla region, in order to stimulate local giving and match community resources with the community needs.

Area of your particular interest in the CF development/ CF management/ practice:

Community organizing, grant program support and philanthropy are all areas that CF develops and are closely related. Right now I´m very interested about program development and philanthropy.

Your experience with the CFs and your professional relevance to the theme of CFs:

I joined Tuzla Community Foundation team in 2009, as youth worker and community organizer. My responsibilities included coaching several, large, youth groups in 7 local communities of Tuzla City, organizing more than 100 youngsters, a number of youth actions, trainings, camps and other activities. Two years ago, after TCF expanded its scope of work, I was promoted to a grant program coordinator and I became responsible for planning, organizing, implementation and monitoring all activities in TCF grant programs. Now, from this perspective, I can say: ˝that experience was useful˝. I had an opportunity to work as a youth worker and a community organizer and be directly involved in process of working closely with local stakeholders and citizens. In that period I learned a lot about community and this experience helped me to better understand community and the issues, better understand planning processes. This experience helped me in creating programs which support community development and improve quality of life.