Heifer Romania works with legal constituted farmer groups, helping poor farmers in need.
The application procedures are developed by the group (Project Holder) and Heifer staff. These procedures are involving several site visits from Heifer staff, meetings with farmers and contracts with local authority’ representatives.
If the group is suitable for a project with Heifer, the project plan and project proposal are developed. This is depending on Heifer available funds and Heifer local or regional policies.
A Heifer project inception’s phases
• Local or regional association, non-governmental organization
• Preferably an existent association, with an portfolio of activities
• Legally registered
• Scope: rural development projects
• Director committee: 3 – 5 persons
• President (elect through members’ votes)
• The identification is made by the director’s committee and the president, supervised Heifer
• Establish the criteria’s of potential beneficiaries (knowledge in livestock breeding, fodder and animal shelter available, low income, many children, age, unemployment, etc.)
• Organized meeting of members’ association
• Establish the list of potential beneficiaries – made in accordance with their application
• If the association exists, is recommended that the potential beneficiaries to be register as members of this association
• Letter of intent coming from the association
• Letter of presentation of the association (status, scope, administration, members, achieved activities)
• Contact availability through e-mail at office@heifer.ro
• Establish a firs meeting
• The visit will be made by Heifer Romania staff’s members
• The targeted area will by visited and also some representative households of potential beneficiaries
• Private discussions between Heifer Romania team and farmers
• Discussions with local authorities
• The meeting will be organized by Heifer Romania team
• A Heifer presentation will be made to potential beneficiaries
• Questions and answers session
• Open discussions
• The target group identification will by made by the local association guided by Heifer’s team
• Organize meeting with members’ association
• The analysis will be made by the local association guided by Heifer’s team
• A market analysis for animal products will be made
• The analysis of prices, ways of collecting and animal products’ marketing
• Donor’s identification will be made by Heifer Romania
• The local association can identify additional donors
• The project plan will be made by Heifer Romania in cooperation with the local association
• The project plan implies a written project proposal
• Set objectives, activities, indicators, budget, etc.
• The project proposal is submitted by Heifer Romania
• Implies the actual finance appliance
Usually Heifer projects are budgeted for 3 or 5 years. The passing on the gift is monitored 2 years more. Every 3 or 6 months, financial and progress reports are submitted, depends on each specific project.
Most of the projects are required to be audited every year by an independent auditor. During the first budgeted years the livestock are distributed as original placements. The rest of the budget categories included in the project plan could be budgeted every year. After ending of the financed period, project reports are submitted for another 2 years.