Who is SNV?

SNV Balkans is part of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation an independent not-for-profit Foundation, founded over 40 years ago, originally fully funded by the Dutch Government in order to promote overseas development.Over the past ten years SNV has sought funding from a wider variety of sources, including bilateral donors, agencies, consortia. A substantial part of our funding still comes from the Dutch Government (DGIS). We work closely with the Dutch Embassies (EKN), who are also involved in development projects.

Read the full story of our origins and development here.

What does SNV do?

• We work in countries at a national, regional and local level. We have 11 offices in 5 countries in the Balkans, and 33 offices internationally in Africa, Asia and South America.
• Over 75% of our staff are local people.
• This combination of local knowledge and international expertise is a powerful force in delivering results for our clients and partners.
• SNV is values driven, which means that our priority is to work with marginalized sectors of the communities we work in. In order to do this we work with both public and private sector organisations in order to deliver improvements to the quality of life of local people.
• We are committed to accountability and transparency in our work.
  We focus on measurable results based on well-researched and documented programmes. 

What are SNV’s values?

We care about the development of marginalized and poor people in society.We build capacity of local actors according to their needs and demands, to improve basic services and freedoms, strengthen organisations and businesses, and increase employment and incomes.
We aim for sustainable (life long) impact and inclusive and equitable processes.
 

What areas does SNV target?

We target work in rural development across a wide variety of sectors including forestry, agriculture, tourism, environment and bio-diversity, non-wood products, workforce, water management. Cross-cutting themes of governance, SME development, gender, and workforce are key competencies. All of our work is strongly oriented within EU priorities.
 

How does SNV work to produce results?

• We work at national, regional and local levels, with the public, private and civil (NGO) sectors.
• We build capacities within the enabling (regulatory, statutory) environment.
• We then work all along the value chai—establishing associations, regional and national organisations— to achieve results for employment, income and working back from market demand product development, and marketing. EU localisation is a major focus of our work.

Our approach is to work with partners, on our own, or with Local Capacity Builders, to provide both technical advice in thematic fields and facilitate in process consultancy, developing multi stakeholder processes. 

How do we measure our results?

We are committed to accountability and transparency in our work. We focus on measurable results based on well-researched and documented programmes. We measure results through our client and partners’ satisfaction, and through our outputs and impacts.

Who does SNV work with?

• As a Foundation SNV is able to work with donors, consortia, agencies and so on, to implement agreed programmes.
• We have half a century’s experience of delivering to clients. 

How long will SNV be in the Balkans?

• SNV has been in the Balkans for almost 20 years and is fully committed until 2015.
• A continued presence beyond this time is envisaged but will be dependent on our adjusting strategy to   co-partner in externally funded programmes.