| The Center for International Private Enterprise is a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy. CIPE has supported more than 1,000 local initiatives in over 100 developing countries, involving the private sector in policy advocacy and institutional reform, improving governance, and building understanding of market-based democratic systems. CIPE provides management assistance, practical experience, and financial support to local organizations to strengthen their capacity to implement democratic and economic reforms. CIPE programs are also supported through the United States Agency for International Development.
Mission
To strengthen democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform.
Business Model
Continue learning about our mission in this paper, Helping Build Democracy that Delivers, which clearly states CIPE's methodology of fostering democracy abroad.
Objectives
- Promote development of the legal and institutional structures necessary to establish and
maintain open market-oriented societies.
- Increase business participation in the democratic process.
- Support private voluntary business organizations and freedom of association.
- Implement programs that enhance business knowledge and strengthen the entrepreneurial culture of the private sector.
- Increase support for and understanding of the rights, freedoms, and obligations essential to a
democratic private enterprise system among government officials, businesspeople,
and the general public.
- Expand access by the business community to information necessary for informed decision-making.
Emphasis on Institutional Reforms
CIPE was founded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1983 in the belief that economic freedom and
political freedom are intertwined. The idea that progress comes through a combination of political and
economic liberalization has gained weight over the years and is becoming more widely recognized.
Facilitating democratic stability and economic reform is not an easy task. Democratic consolidation
is not achieved through simply holding elections, establishing a free press, and recognizing human
rights (although these remain necessary components). Functioning democracies require opportunities,
between elections, for the public to provide input into the policy process. Functioning democracies also require a private sector that is capable and willing to provide an outside voice in the democratic
policy process.
CIPE maintains that countries need to build market-oriented and democratic institutions
simultaneously, as they are essentially two sides of the same coin. Without a functioning market system,
democracies will remain weak. Likewise, without a democratic process, economic reforms are unlikely to
succeed.
Approach
CIPE works in four principal areas, helping the business community to become a leading advocate for
market-oriented reform and democratic governance. These include: a grants program supporting grassroots
networks in developing countries, an award-winning communications strategy, capacity building programs,
and technical assistance through field offices. One of the unique attributes of CIPE is its ability to
creatively employ concepts like transparency, accountability, fairness, and responsibility in
institutional reform, laying the foundation for democracy at all levels of society.
CIPE partners with business associations, think tanks, and other private sector organizations in
countries where there is both a need for progress and an opportunity for reform. CIPE’s institutional
approach to development recognizes that changes will not occur overnight and a long-term commitment is
needed for reforms to succeed.
Long after a country or a region disappears from the headlines, important work remains in order to
prevent reforms from being overturned at the first sign of difficulty. CIPE enables its partners to
develop and become leaders of sustainable development initiatives in their countries. At the same time,
CIPE also supports key reformers in places where serious progress has yet to take hold.
CIPE recognizes that successes in one region may provide a model approach for another. CIPE and its
partners continue to apply lessons learned across regions, creating new approaches in countries at
various stages of democratic reform.
CIPE's Grant Program
CIPE’s grants program provides management assistance, practical
experience, and financial support to business groups and think tanks to strengthen their expertise while accomplishing key development goals. The four-step Grants Management Program includes:
- needs assessment and agenda setting
- development of a business plan (program of work)
- progress monitoring
- comprehensive evaluation and follow-up
CIPE grants are used to advance policy advocacy, business services, educational programs, and other
development goals. Most grants include communication and advocacy components to build policymakers’
support for reform. Grants range from full-scale programs with national business associations and think
tanks to integrated small grants that reach grassroots organizations throughout a country.
All grantees are indigenous to their local areas. To qualify, the grantee organization must have a
grassroots constituency and a detailed action plan.
Nearly all projects funded through CIPE require the grantee to provide matching funds to facilitate
the program’s implementation. Utilizing grant funds from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), CIPE leverages additional funds from the private sector and other organizations to maximize efforts to strengthen democracy and market-oriented
reform.
Field Offices
Over the years, CIPE has established field offices to coordinate large-scale technical assistance
programs. Currently, CIPE maintains six field offices to provide an on-the-ground presence in key
transitioning areas and to coordinate wider regional efforts. Click here for
contact information.
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