On December 12, the Exhibition Hall of the National Parliamentary Library hosted the Civic Auction of Ideas, organized by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) within the Community Development Programme. 

The 'Auction of Ideas' also called the Giving Circle, is a widely recognized method of crowdfunding worldwide, and serves as the platform for civic groups and small size organizations to showcase their projects to potential donors and secure resources in real-time. Last year, CSRDG organized the idea auction for the first time, and collected a remarkable total of 20 900 GEL, instead of the targeted 15 000 GEL. 

The event gathered representatives of international donor organizations, media, state authorities, civic and business sectors. The guests were introduced with presentations of the projects selected for the auction. They successfully presented their projects in a positive light, captured the audience's interest, and received financial support. In total, at this year's idea auction more than the targeted 15,000 GEL, in particular 22,300 GEL was collected.

The projects presented were:

1. Organization — Caucasus Onco Society HOPE, Project — “Your life is in your hands” 

Caucasus Onco Society H.O.P.E. represents an organization of cancer patients, one of the main activities of which is psycho-social rehabilitation and support of cancer patients and their family members. Its activities are mainly carried out within the capital city and due to limited resources, it is less able to cover other regions. 

With the project to be presented at the auction, the organization wants to cover three regions of Georgia (Adjara, Imereti and Kakheti). In particular, conducting free training/workshops (with art therapy elements) for cancer patients and their family members. In this way this initiative aims to assist oncology patients in perceiving on one hand "stigmatized cancer" - as a generalized problem and on the other hand - viewing "real cancer" - as merely a challenge, so that they can discover their own and unique resources to deal with it. 

The organization, with the support of the "Idea Auction" audience, raised 7,000 GEL to achieve its goals.

2. Initiative Group — “Come up on the Fourth “, Project — „ART is what unites us“

The group "Come up on the Fourth" is a collective of individuals from various art fields, dedicated to promoting art development across different age groups and particularly focusing on vulnerable groups, especially children.  The group operates in a space on the fourth floor of a residential building in Tbilisi furnished by the group itself. The space includes a stage with seating for 60 people.

In Tbilisi, there is a lack of free art classes for children and young people, especially those from vulnerable families. It is very difficult for creatively talented children in the region to introduce their work to a broader audience, especially in the capital.

The funds raised from the Auction will be used to furnish the space and purchase materials for art therapy classes for children from vulnerable families. Additionally, Space will also regularly host new creative groups and individuals. The "Fourth Floor" stage will also serve as a venue for three theater troupes from municipal schools.  A sum of 7,000 GEL was raised for them through the idea auction.

3. Organization — “The Road to Peace”, Project — „Guardians of the Boundless Border“

The organization's mission is to promote a healthy life in regions and villages through the development of rock climbing. 

Just a kilometer from Tskhinvali – Georgia’s occupied territory, in the village of Nikozi (an area adjacent to the conflict zone), successful and talented little athletes – passionate climbers live and they have always dreamed of a gym and normal training conditions for years.

After seven years of persistent effort, the organization was given a non-functional building in the countryside from the local municipality for its activities. With the combined efforts and donations, the organization managed to undertake partial repairs to the building. However, these efforts were not enough for creating a fully functional sports space. The walls still need to be plastered and handrails installed, and the building’s bathrooms remain unfinished. The improvement of these conditions is crucial for the development of these young athletes. 

The organization's mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people in rural areas and villages through the cultivation of rock farming. To support this mission, 8,300 GEL was raised for them at the "Ideas Auction."

To popularize and promote the concept of crowdfunding, a new initiative was launched as part of CSRDG's community development program. This initiative includes the idea auction, which has now become a traditional event.

In Georgia, Crowdfunding or public financing is gaining more interest, prompting a growing number of individuals, groups, and organizations to actively participate. Several online platforms are also playing an important role, enabling society to fund diverse social and environmental projects.

The Event was organized within the framework of the European Union (EU) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) funded project ‘Civil Society STAR Initiative: CSOs as Sustainable, Transparent, Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia’. The project is implemented by the Consortium led by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and composed of the following CSOs: Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), and Institute for European Politics (IEP).

Photo Gallery