With the assistance of local Montenegrin and Albanian professionals, we founded a non-profit association in Montenegro in July 2025. We got it registered in September 2025 with the name “The Grassroots Institute” - Western Balkans. My Canadian entity, "The Grassroots Institute", www.grassrootsinstitute.net, helped in establishing this organization in Montenegro. If possible, please have a quick look at the website www.tgi-wb.eu and our current Board of Directors https://tgi-wb.eu/governance/
We are searching a Montenegrin person who can join as a Member of the Board of Directors or as Executive Director of the organization.
As a voluntary Board Member, you will advise TGI sporadically and participate the Board Meeting once a year. Beyond that, the active involvement of a Board Member depends on individual interests and initiatives. The Board of Directors is the apex body governing an organization and provides strategic direction to the organization.
Executive Director is a position to take care of a few administrative tasks. Until we will have some funding resources and revenues, we will not be able to compensate financially for almost 1-2 weeks contributed in a year by the Executive Director. Once we have some funding, our Board Members will decide some remuneration for Executive Director along with more engagement in programs/projects. Hence, it will be a voluntary position with our registered association; yet it will have bright prospects in coming years. Executive Director is supposed to handle administrative functions. A few tasks are of an administrative nature: depositing organizational data in the Statistical Office, and annual filing. These tasks are minor and will not consume much time, since the financial expenses are minimal, and the major work will begin once we receive grant(s).
Thus, we need an ambitious, capable person who can lead TGI in Montenegro. For nearly 2 years, it will be a low-profile, small-scale operation. Initially, the Executive Director will contribute very little time, followed by more contribution depending on the grants received and our ability to provide monetary compensation. The future footage and space of the new Executive Director will be consolidated gradually if the person proves her/his involvement and penetration. Of course, someone expecting immediate or instant monetary & non-monetary benefits may not be a correct fit.
Few Insights about Organization Building
Well, TGI in Montenegro will go ahead step by step. Here, we wish to explain two main aspects: 1) Structure; 2) Fundraising.
Structurally, there are 6 Board Members at present. We may have 1-3 additional Board Members. In Western Balkan countries, the Board should be supported by an Executive Director to handle administrative functions. In the normal course, this position is most important for execution processes and management of the organization, not only for administrative. Forthcoming projects will add the other team members.
Fundraising: Our first strategy for fundraising is to make applications/ proposals/ projects in response to the funding announcements. For the initial 2-3 years of the organization, this strategy can be a key method. Simultaneously, we are going to set up a common Fundraising Desk in Budapest/Hungary by mid of 2027. This desk will work intensively to develop partnerships for Montenegro in West Europe with international NGOs, universities, and donors, and it will serve all countries of TGI operations. Partnership development strategy is particularly critical for entering EU funding networks and bilateral donor consortia. To be pursued from 2028-29, we need to penetrate the crowdfunding domain using multiple methods.
Interested people should send their Letter of Intent along with CV to the email: contact@tgi-wb.eu