The terms defined below have been used in this text and may be useful as working vocabulary in your contacts with donor partners.

Bilateral
A two-way relation; used to describe country-to-country projects, as well as national donor agencies.

Capital costs
Expenses of start-up or fixed assets, such as communications equipment, vehicles, start-up consultation, or travel.

Community-based organizations (CBOs)
Grassroots groups formed to serve the interests of families or stakeholders in communities. CBOs usually emerge through schools, churches, neighborhoods, ethnic groups, sports, or cultural activities.

Core funding
Financing required for the basic structure of an organization, including salaries of full-time staff, facilities, equipment, communications, and the direct expenses of day-to-day work. Core funding requirements are often budgeted separately from other costs of project delivery.

Discretionary funds
Unallocated financial resources that can been made available by quick decision for unforeseen needs and priorities.

Donor coordination
Attempts by lead agencies, groups of donors, or governments to exchange information and better integrate their efforts.

Fund-raising challenge
A direct, proactive approach or public campaign to mobilize the resources of others.

Funding commitment
The formal, usually written confirmation that financing will be made available.

Funding disbursement
The actual release of money by a donor.

Funding pledge
An indicative, often verbal promise that financing will be made available.

Grassroots
Used to describe organizations or initiatives that operate within local communities, very close to stakeholders, or with population groups that are difficult to reach.

In-kind contribution
Non-monetary donations, such as equipment, supplies, business services, office space, staff time, or voluntary labor.

In-kind matching
Financial contributions by one donor are complemented by non-monetary resources of other partners.

International organizations
Agencies comprised of members from many countries.

Lead partner
A donor or implementing agency that initiates or directs the partnership by developing a strategy, starting a program, overseeing donor coordination, managing implementation, providing seed funding, or committing the largest share of resources.

Leveraging
The use of one's own resources to raise others' commitment of resources.

Matching
A pledge or commitment of funding or in-kind contributions used to encourage other donors to commit themselves to the effort or to increase their current support.

Multilateral organizations
Used to describe international organizations that are comprised of members from many countries.

Multi-year commitment
An allocation of resources for a several-year period for a defined set of priorities, programs, or projects.

National foundation
The locally governed NGO in a given country that is part of the Soros foundations network. Usually provides grants and implements programs. Receives all or most of its funding from George Soros.

NGO working alliance
Cooperative arrangements among NGOs that are based on the shared belief that the effort of the whole is greater and stronger than the effort of many separate parts.

Operating/Recurrent/Running costs
Ongoing annual or monthly expenses of an organization or project, such as salaries, utilities, consumable materials, and communications.

Parallel funding
Partners agree on a common objective but decide to manage and disburse their funding separately, using their own financing, administrative, and governance structures.

Pilot project
An initial or small-scale effort designed to test an idea or working approach. Pilot projects are usually undertaken with the intention of replicating or widening the scale of implementation at a later stage.

Pooling funds
Partners commit equal or equivalent funds to a common pool of resources for a specific program.

Pro bono
Used to describe a person's donation of time or expertise at no charge, except for reimbursement of the direct costs of carrying out the work, such as travel or communication.

Program overhead
The administrative costs of implementing a project or program.

Project/Program component
A distinct part of a broader effort. Examples are the textbook component of an education reform program or the radio component of a media development project.

Seed funding
Resources to start an initiative or stimulate matching contributions of others.

Soros foundations network
The group of individuals, national foundations, regional offices, programs, and other initiatives that have been established and funded by George Soros to build open society.

Sponsorship
An organization or individual associates itself with an initiative or project through funding, endorsement, or another contribution.

Stakeholders
Individuals or groups who have an interest or "stake" in a given project or program. Those who can affect change or will be most affected by it.

Technical assistance
Professional or management advice and training provided by local or external specialists.