The institutional capacity of the Center for the
Study of Democracy is, among other things, the product of a
critical mass of non-resident contributors from both the public and
private sectors and of a particular effort to maintain high
standards of administrative and financial management. These two
factors have also contributed to CSD's financial and political
independence which has allowed it to become one of Bulgaria's
leading policy institutes.
The Center's extensive cooperation with non-resident experts in
its policy analysis projects is an important contributing factor to
the credibility and, hence, impact of its research. It is an
established practice for CSD's Programs to involve governmental and
private sector specialists in both the production process of papers
and their discussions. In addition to enhancing the quality of the
analytical output, bridging this dialogue contributes to the
sustain-ability of the reform process through the joint effort of
state institutions and nongovernmental bodies.
Having worked under a wide variety of reporting requirements,
CSD's administration and accounting departments have accumulated
valuable experience. This has made the Center a reliable partner
for many international organizations and bilateral donors working
in Bulgaria as it has given it the ability to implement large scale
projects under the strictest accounting standards. For seven years
now external audits by the leading international accounting firms
have both developed and streamlined CSD's general and financial
management. The experience and knowledge in the field of internal
management and external control has translated into long term
commitment to enhancing the competence and professionalism of the
NGO community in the country and their public standing through
various training, advocacy and legislative projects.
As regards internal control and administration mechanisms, in 1998
the Center reviewed its policy manuals in the areas of governance,
financial management, accounting, personnel, outside consultants
policy and information technology policy. Improvements to the
management reporting system, introduced the previous year, proved
quite useful in providing financial information to senior managers
on a monthly basis. The implementation of a database of over 1,000
external contributors has increased efficiency and
cost-effectiveness.
In 1998, CSD employed 52 staff members of which 35 were
professionals, including part-time consultants, and 17 were support
personnel.
The external audit for 1998 was performed by KPMG.
|