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Frequently Asked Questions

If you cannot find the answer to your question in the Frequently Asked Questions to STGM, please write to us.

There are several types of evaluation form formats. But, you can find a sample here (in Turkish) and revise it in accordance with your needs, if you want.

There are several types of “Pre-Event Information Note” samples or templates which can be prepared in line with your needs and the context of the event. But you can find a sample here (in Turkish) and revise it in accordance with your requirements, if you want. 

Collaboration or establishing partnerships with other civil actors assist CSOs to achieve their goals, increase their influence and further strengthen their capacities by a mutual learning process.

Cooperation and partnership can be developed with civil actors such as networks/platforms at the regional, national and international level in the similar thematic area. Moreover, collaborative works can also be established with an organization which works in the same field.

For more information, please check out to the following resources;

As good at working together, partnerships and collaborations can succeed and they develop meaningful relationships that create effective results. Partnerships are formed by some essentials such as collaborative mindsets, principled attitudes and relevant knowledge. In order to develop solutions and add value, some features should also be adopted such as bridging different contexts, language, working cultures to build a fit for joint. 

Moreover, it should be taken into consideration that collaborations amongst CSOs often occur in an uncertain environment such as a fragile context in an unpredictable political or economic atmosphere. So, they require a high degree of flexibility, adaptability and resilience.

Therefore, development of effective partnerships and collaborations comprise of following steps;

  • Work on shared ambitions,
  • Respect each other’s interests,
  • Pay attention to personal relationships and group dynamics,
  • Organize/set up the partnership in a professional way,
  • Focus on a meaningful/effective process,
  • Support mutual learning,
  • Sustain partnership outcomes.

For more information, please check out PrC Insight Series: Partnership Skills 

Agreements are considered as a key mechanism of partnerships or collaborations, because their role is to govern interactions. They help partnerships to become more effective by allowing partners to cope with relational, performance and situational risks that characterize inter-organisational relationships. The Partnerships Resource Centre and The Partnering Initiative have developed a “Partnering Agreement Scorecard” based on insights from practice and grounded on theory. The tool will be beneficial for any organizations that contemplate setting up a new or reviewing an existing partnership. The tool can be reachable here. Also, “Partnership Agreements Insight Series” document on partnerships/collaborations agreements is available here.

Detailed information of all associations in Turkey can be found in the database of the Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society, searching by city, district and field of activity in Turkish. Additionally, information of associations in Turkey can also be reached at "Dernekara”, searching by location and field of activity.

Detailed information of all foundations  in Turkey can be found in the database of the Directorate General of Foundations, searching by city and district. Additionally, information on scholarship foundations in Turkey can also be reached in the database.

ECOSOC Civil Society Network

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the main bodies of the United Nations System. It consists of 54 United Nations Members elected by the General Assembly. The information regarding CSOs in the world can be reached at the ECOSOC Civil Society Network Database. In addition to the database, the web page of the network also offers areas to communicate with other civil society organizations, to reach the news about the civil society in the world, to reach good practices and success stories from the civil society, and to participate in forums on different topics.

Single Electronic Data Interchange Area (SEDIA) of EC

The European Commission works on an integrated, "one-stop-shop" web-based information management system, called “SEDIA (Single Electronic Data Interchange Area)” for all European Union (EU) instruments related to EC external actions and other EU bodies. Organizations that are registered in the system can access the information of other registered organizations around the world. By "Partner Search" facility of SEDIA, organizations which were previously registered in the PADOR can make a search. Please be informed that the SEDİA is still under development.

PADOR Database

PADOR (Potential Applicant Data On-Line Registration) is the online system in which organizations, who are potential applicants to calls for proposals, register and update regularly information about their profile (legal, financial, etc.). Through the online system, organizations can be searched by using the "Search Organization" tab in the user menu on the basis of country and organization name/keyword, and access the contact information. For those who have not a PADOR registration yet, the informative videos are available under the title of “Videos for EU Supported Projects”  of STGM YouTube channel. Besides, PADOR User Manual V.2.2.3 can reachable here.

Preview image for the video "PADOR Kaydı Nasıl Oluşturulur ? - PADOR'a Giriş (1/4)".

Review of EU Networks for Civil Society Organizations. TACSO, 2011. The book provides brief information about more than two hundred networks and platforms in the EU member states.

European Youth Portal

In this database prepared for young people's volunteering, internship, and job searches, can be searched the basis of the country and thematic field of activity and access brief introduction and contact information of organizations.

It’s recommended to use a plain language in a policy document and following information should be provided;

  • What the problem is
  • Why the problem matters
  • What the solution is
  • What type of significant change is required in law, regulation, and government practices

In other words, a policy document consists of 4 main parts;

  1. The part where the problem is stated
  2. The part where the importance of the problem is explained-emphasized
  3. The part where the proposal for solution is presented
  4. The part where the solution is linked to the legislation

While preparing a policy document, a proper screening, analysis and in-depth research should be conducted for the problem and solution. Moreover, references should be cited so that it’s clear that the effort have been made. And the most important point is the use of headings that can briefly summarize the issue and describe the problem at once.

If the donation section of a CSO's own website is not running for a specific purpose with predetermined fixed amounts, it’s not considered as an act of "aid collection”, so it is not subject to get permission. 

However, if a CSO collects revenue on its own website for a specific purpose under the name of "donation" or if amounts of revenue are determined by a CSO and the system does not allow the visitor to determine the amount of the donation, it’s considered as an  act of "aid collection" and it will be subject to permission.
 

The Copy of the charter (statute) of the association is used for registration to the tax office, opening a bank account or establishing an economic enterprise. It is not necessary to submit the original copy of the charter (statute).

If the property is leased from a natural person, the withholding tax shall be paid to the tax office, pursuant to Article 94 of the Income Tax Law.  If the real estate is leased from a company, the withholding tax deduction shall not be applied, and the rent will be paid against the invoice.

As stated in the press release (in Turkish) of the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations, Ministry of Interior on 09.06.2020, the amendment made in the "Law of Associations" and published in the Official Gazette, dated on 26.03.2020 allows that all kinds of processes of associations can be made electronically.  In this context, the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations announced that "membership applications to associations" was put into service on the e-Government gateway in the message on its official Twitter account on 14 January 2022. The Twit and the short video in Turkish can be accessible here.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The inter-governmental body sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society. As a policy-making body, the FATF works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.

With more than 200 countries (including Republic of Turkey) and jurisdictions committed to implementing them.  The FATF has developed the FATF Recommendations, or FATF Standards, which ensure a co-ordinated global response to prevent organised crime, corruption and terrorism.

For more information about FATF and FATF Recommendations can be reached at FATF website

According to article 33 of the Law of Associations No. 5253, the chairperson of the board of administration is accountable in person for the administrative fines imposed on the association. Administrative fines are not recorded in the chairperson's criminal record, as they are not based on a decision, adopted by the jurisdiction.

Pursuant to Article 27 of the Law of Misdemeanor, appeal against administrative fine decisions can be made by the legal representative or lawyer of the CSO within 15 days in which the date of notification of the administrative fine decision is issued.
 

Information on the Law No. 2860 on Aid Collection is available on the website of the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations of the Ministry of Interior. As stated in the Law, if the aid collection campaigns cover more than one city, the permission is obtained from the governor of the province where the association that carries out aid collection activity is located.

  • Charter/constitute of the association and other internal legislation, if any,
  • In case of keeping books on the basis of the operation account method business account; official minute book, membership registration book, document registry book, general journal and operating ledger,
  • In case of keeping books on the basis of balance sheet; official minute book, membership registration book, document registry book, journal and  ledger,
  • Receipts, donation in kind receipts, expenditure documents, in-kind aid delivery notices, authorization certificates,
  • Inbounds and outbounds, declarations, notifications, membership documents, documents in relation to estate and assets,
  • Documents, related to the fund, if exists,
  • Books, ledgers and documents in relation to the economic enterprise,
  • Safe, stock and bank account statement as of the date of commencement of the audit, bank account statements for the period to be audited, regarding the debt and credit status and similar documents.

Key advocacy tools include;

  • Lobbying,
  • Organizing, creating networks,
  • Education and awareness raising,
  • Monitoring and shadow reporting,
  • Press/Media studies,
  • Mobilization.
  1. Identification of the problem that need to be solved through advocacy activities (Problem Analysis),
  2. Problem analysis in regards to context, structure and culture (Triangle Analysis),
  3. Developing solutions to the problem analyzed,
  4. Established the advocacy strategy based on the solutions developed
  • To defend communities from adverse changes,
  • To achieve widespread, long-term and sustainable changes for the benefit of communities,  especially for the benefit of the disadvantaged groups,
  • To ensure the responsibilities of governments and decision makers at the level of local, regional, national and international to citizens are met and rights are fully respected
  • To strengthen democracy by encouraging the engagement of citizens and civil society organizations in the policy-making process