Project Coordination Group

Introduction

In 1986, on request of the AV Council, the Project Coordination Group was created in response to the need for a formal working group to interact with the Foundation for World Education (FWE) and Stichting De Zaaier (SDZ) for their yearly funding of Auroville projects and programmes. At the same time, there was a request from the AVI Centres to have funding requests from Auroville endorsed by an "officially" recognized Auroville body.

Objectives

To stimulate the development of Auroville by:

• coordinating Auroville's grant proposing activities on an administrative level;

• interacting with FWE and Stichting De Zaaier for their yearly funding of Auroville projects;

• providing assistance in grant proposal writing;

• developing documentation and information material on Auroville and its activities for fundraising purposes;

• developing a fundraising resource centre that provides information on donors and funding agencies in India, the United States, and other countries worldwide.

Criteria for Evaluation of a Project

All projects applying for funding from Foundation for World Education or Stichting De Zaaier must pass through the Project Coordination Group, which decides on priorities according to the following criteria:

1. Need for the Project

• The project addresses a particular need in Auroville.

2. Impact of the Project

• The project promotes unending education.

• The project promotes human unity.

• The project improves the environment.

• The project is of general benefit to the Auroville community.

• The project will help Auroville to become more self-sufficient.

3. Project Holder

• The project holder is an individual, or represents and works with a recognized group in Auroville.

• The project holder has the capacity to implement the project.

4. Collaboration

There are other people currently engaged in work on a similar project:

• In Auroville

• In the bioregion

• The project holder collaborates with these people.

5. Funding, Implementation and Viability

• The project provides reliable budget details, listing all major expenditures.

• The project is able to attract institutional funding from other sources than FWE and SDZ.

• If this project receives funding from other sources, it indicates which sources and for what amount.

• The project clearly explains how the project will be implemented.

• The activity of the project is sustainable after external funding ceases.

Membership

There are presently nine members who have been chosen by the group itself on the basis of the (key) role they play in a particular sector of Auroville's activities and their willingness to join and serve. The members are roughly representing Rural Development, Food & Agriculture, Environment, Development Group, Health, Education, Auroville International and Auroville in general. Although members are drawn from various sectors, everybody is asked to represent the well-being of the larger community and to make decisions from that perspective. There is no term of office.

All decisions are made by consensus. While reviewing the pending projects for the priority list, members who have an interest in a particular project may be asked to leave the room, so that the group can decide on selection without individual pressure from the stakeholder concerned.

The group meets about six times a year and publishes an annual report in the AV News.

April 2002