Publishing activity remains one of UWB key initiatives to meet information needs of NGOs. Reference sources, periodicals, and other publications featuring NGO topics are in growing demand despite steadily increasing interest in Internet. UWB publications have proved an efficient means of updating NGO community as well as general public on the current developments in the third sector and related areas.

Belarusian Non-Governmental Organizations Directories

( four editions in Belarusian and English. 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002)

Since 1995 UWB has issued four editions of this guide. UWB is the only organization in Belarus that publishes this kind of directory. In spite of the fact that most of our clientele can use an electronic version of the Directory, a lot of NGOs and citizen–based groups have no modern technological facilities; consequently, the paper–based Directory is still in great demand among them. The fourth edition of The NGOs’ Directory (2002) features 2 760 non-governmental organizations, unions of NGOs and some NGO branches. Each NGO descriptive entry includes the following information: NGO name, date of registration, contact person, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, web-site.

        The Directory is provided with the Index to NGOs by Fields of Activity. The Directory also contains charts reflecting regional distribution of NGOs in Belarus and NGO distribution by the field of activity in this country as well as in every region.

        UWB is the only organization in Belarus that publishes this kind of directory. In spite of the fact that each year most of our clientele prefer to use an electronic version of the Directory, a lot of NGOs and citizen–based groups have no modern technological facilities; consequently, the paper–based Directory is still in great demand among them.

Directories of Grantmakers

(three editions in Belarusian)

This Directory is in growing demand not only among NGO people, but also among graduate and post–graduate students who search for scholarships to study overseas, journalists, representatives of small businesses, farmers, etc.

Most Belarusian NGOs face difficulties when searching for funding organization due to their poor knowledge of foreign languages. UWB obtains this kind of data from Internet, foreign funding directories, and information exchange with Orpheus Civil Society Project etc. The data on foreign funding sources are collected, processed, selected and then rendered into Belarusian for a wide range of citizen groups in the republic. Though announcements about current calls and programs declared by foundations are always published in UWNews and are doubled in Mailing List to NGOs and on the Portal, this directory is still popular and needs regular updating and revising.

Manuals for ABC students.

Within the framework of ABC course, UWB published a series of manuals, which carry materials on management and development of NGOs. Topics of manuals were selected in accordance with urgency of NGO issues and our customers' wishes.

Manuals for ABC students. According to the post-course questionnaire, it was inferred that ABC students wished to acquire a full set of training materials. They wish to apply for them in their future work, as they are newcomers in the third sector and feel lack of experience working with NGOs. In addition, UWB feels obligatory to distribute this kind of literature among regional NGOs, as they are limited in training and informational facilities. Within the framework of ABC course, UWB prepared a series of manuals for printing, which will carry materials on management and development of NGOs. Topics of manuals are selected in accordance with urgency of NGO issues and our customers' wishes. they are listed below:

• How to find money

• Partnership: stories of success

Manuals on legal aspects of NGO activities

 (in Belarusian and Russian)

UWB released editions of manuals on the following subjects that are of essential assistance to NGOs:

   • Registration of NGOs;

   • Bookkeeping in NGOs;

   • Labor Relations in NGOs;

   • Licensing Activities in NGOs;

   • NGO Rights and Duties;

   • Civil Contracts in NGO Activity;

   • Rights and Duties of Volunteers;

   • Management of Business Papers and Office Work in NGOs;

   • Judicial System in Belarus;

   • Your Rights as Consumer of Commodities and Services in Belarus;

   • Notary in the Republic of Belarus;

   • Advocacy in the Republic of Belarus;

   • Office of Public Prosecutor in the Republic of Belarus;

   • Out-of-Court Defense of Civic Rights

 Belarusian Non-Governmental Organizations Periodicals Directory

(in Belarusian and English)

The Directory includes comprehensive information on periodicals, such as, information bulletins, newspapers, newsletters, magazines, and journals published by Belarusian NGO’s and available at UWB’s library. It does not carry information on the publications released by political parties and trade unions.

It consists of three parts: the first section gives a list of periodicals accompanied by subject index; the second section contains detailed information on each entry, such as: name, type of periodical (information bulletin, magazine, newspaper, etc.), date of establishing, founder, editor-in-chief, circulation, language of publication, subject, mailing address, fax and telephone numbers, e-mail address, and web-site; the third part provides alphabetic index of listed periodicals.

Magazine "Talaka"

featuring projects implemented by UNHCR Office in Belarus and UNHCR partner NGOs

“Talaka” is the first edition of a kind, dwelling on the implementation of projects carried out by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees partner NGO’s in Belarus. Foreign readers may get interested in the name “Talaka”. “Talaka” is an old collective tradition among Belarusian people to pool their resources in order to perform some work. Together , “talakoj” people built houses, harvested and did other kinds of assistance was rendered to widows, disabled, war wives, and other people in need. Refugees are people who had to leave their homelands due to racial, religious or political persecution. The key function of UNHCR is to see that human rights are observed. We strongly believe that the problems of refugees can be solved by join efforts, “talakoj”, as they say in Belarus.

The information bulletin "United Way News"

( from 1995 in Russian and Belarusian)  

Publishing of UWB's bulletin has been an on-going initiative for eight years.

        General type NGO related information as well as materials targeting specific issues of non-profit operation are presented in the bulletin publications covered NGO life in Belarus, provided analytical materials and announced forthcoming legal updates, presentations of new programs and newly registered public organizations, internships, and partnership opportunities are also featured in the bulletin.

       Special headings of the bulletin are the following:

"Announcements" of the forthcoming events in the Belarusian non-profit sector;

"Programs and Comptetions" – information about programs supporting non-profit initiatives in Belarus;

"Q&A" – questions from the readers and answers by professionals associated with NGO activity regulation;

"Events" – information about projects and events conducted by UWB and other NGOs;

"News" – information about new non-profit initiatives;

"News from Regions" – information about non-profit activity in Belarusian regions;

"Assistance to NGOs" – information about NGOs whose mission is to serve umbrella organizations and assist them in their operation;

"NGO Trainers' Club" – information about training events conducted for NGOs, innovative methods of training and talented individuals working in the field;

"Issue of the Day" – analytical materials, research, and commentaries on the NGO activity in Belarus and abroad;

"Introducing New NGOs" – presentation of new public initiatives;

"Thank You!!!" – gratitude materials to colleagues, partners, sponsors for provided support;

"Legal Update"– information about changes in current legislation regulating NGO activity;

"Library News" – information about UWB's new library acquisitions;

"Our Publications" – presentation of new publications by UWB.

United Way News is aimed at informing first of all regional NGOs and organizations having no access to Internet about hot news pertinent to the third sector.

“Legal Regulations of NGOs in the Republic of Belarus”

(four editions 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001)

The fourth legal edition for Belarusian NGOs is the two-volume reference book “Legal Regulations of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Republic of Belarus”.

        The first volume contains texts of the basic laws and normative legal acts regulating NGOs activity in the Republic of Belarus. The readers could find here the extracts of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the Civil Code; laws "About Non-governmental Organizations", "About Political Parties", "About Trade Unions", "About the State Support of Youth and Children's NGOs". The first part includes the following Decrees of the President of the Republic of Belarus:

 • "Some Measures on Regulation of Activity of Political Parties, Trade Unions, other NGOs",

• "Some Measures on Improvement of the Order of Conducting Assemblies, Meetings, Street Processions, Demonstrations, other Mass Actions and Picketing",

• "Some Measures on Improvement of the Order of Receipt and Use of Foreign Free Aid" etc.

        The lawyers of governmental, commercial and non-profit sectors wrote articles for the second volume. This part includes such Chapters as:

1. Setting up & Registration of NGOs and their Symbols in the Republic of Belarus.

2. Legal Regulation of Representative Office of Foreign Organization in the Republic of Belarus.

3. Order of Executing of Status Activity by NGOs. Control of NGO Activity Accordance with its Charter.

4. Internal and External Control in NGO Activity. Defence of Business Reputation.

5. Organization Work with Documents.

6. Book-Keeping in NGOs.

7. Taxation of NGOs: Calculation, Payment and Book-Keeping.

8. Questions of Administrative Responsibility of Officials of NGOs.

9. Treaty Practice in Activity of Subjects of Civil Relations.

10. Licensed Activities in Work of NGOs.

11. Creation and Registration of Periodical Publications.

12. Intellectual Property of NGOs.

        The experience of the Ministry of Justice and the analysis of NGOs activity shows that the significant part of infringements occurs because of ignorance of law and normative legal acts. There are more than one hundred and thirty of them. These acts are not systematized and therefore it is difficult for general public to be guided in the legislation regulating activity of non-governmental organizations.

       The authors of the present book have solved this problem.

       This edition helps in the realization of citizens' rights for freedom of association and in creation of the uniform law enforcement practice in the area of civil society.

       "Legal Regulations of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Republic of Belarus" will be useful to those who have already created NGOs, political parties and trade unions, it will be a good basis in the organization of authorized activity.

       United Way Belarus sincerely thanks the World Bank and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Without their support the publication of this edition would be impossible.

Encyclopedia of Basic NGO Terms

This publication is the first attempt of collection in one book of terms on various aspects of NGO activity. The encyclopedia contains both general concepts and legal terms, fundraising, organizational development, strategic planning, public relations, modern technologies, and also provides the information on some international organizations.

Each term is given in the Belarusian, Russian and English languages and is an independent lexical-conceptual article. This edition shows terms-phrases in the most frequently used combinations. We hope that this book will be useful both for recently created, and for more mature and skilled NGOs, as well as for all those interested in public life and the 3d sector activity.