The first cornerstones of the community foundations movement were laid by the Association for Community Relations. For over ten years, ARC has been radiographing communities, inspiring leaders and people with initiative, and helping establish and develop foundations.

ARC was set up in Cluj-Napoca in 2001 by a small group of people who believed that the well-being of a country depends on the prosperity of local communities. Since then, ARC has supported and developed philanthropic behavior in Romanian society by creating and improving mechanisms through which people, informal leaders, companies, and NGOs can meet, work and generate a positive change.

For a better future, communities need a new generation of leaders who know how to connect people and build on existing local resources. ARC followed its mission to support these leaders who, in their turn, are meant to discover people with initiative from their own communities and start building together.

Through the National Community Foundation Development Program, ARC accompanies these organizations in their set up and in the first years of operations, supporting them in developing strategies for their impact in the community. “The foundations are built by local leaders, and all we do is help them to find their own voice and priorities. And perhaps to not reinvent wheels already invented by others: how to organize community events, how to allocate money transparently, how to attract citizens, authorities, and companies”, says Dana Pîrţoc, Director of ARC.

ARC operated on a 10 years strategy of support for the field and facilitated the engagement of long term partners and donors for the Romanian CF movement. For the next phase of program development, ARC will enable thought leadership and self-support in the movement and will continue to play a role in attracting allies.