When analyzing the activity of the GEF SGP' partners it was found out that Kazakhstan public ecological organizations do not have a clear understanding of the GEF/SGP priorities and criteria. Many ecological NGOs of Kazakhstan know about the Program, however, not many of them are familiar with the procedure of submitting the applications and especially with the project selection criteria. Many NGOs located in the remote places do not have access even to Internet, not to mention the e-mail. Moreover, the GEF/SGP criteria appear to be rather complex for ordinary NGOs and require additional comments. So or organization proposes to hold a number of the field seminars in different regions of Kazakhstan in order to popularize the activity of GEF/SGP for the regional NGOs. Under such conditions there is a long-felt need to create a team of trainers and experts for the GEF/SGP Program, including the competent specialists from Almaty and other regions.

The objectives of the project are:
1. Raise the potential of local NGOs in the subject matters covered by GEF/SGP, improve quality and promote the application submission process;
2. Develop potential of experts and trainers in writing and monitoring the projects under GEF/SGP Program in places and carry out an information campaign through the regional centers; and
3. Create a tested mechanism of interrelation between the local and national experts in identifying the ecological problems coming within the criteria of the GEF/SGP operating programs.

Within the frameworks of this Project methods of integrated approach to the expert support (consultations and reviews) and development of the trainers? potential in 5 regions of Kazakhstan will be implemented. The criteria of selecting 5 regions are based on the following: existence of the potential with the counterpart organizations, availability of potential partners for GEF/SGP (NGOs, spearheads) and experience in dealing with the projects of the international organizations and the relative activeness of the local NGOs in the particular region. The criteria for cooperation with the counterpart organization include availability of good material and technical basis, conditions to hold seminars and trainings and experience in organizing seminars and trainings.

Major Project Activities are:
?To search for and establish cooperation with the partners ? the GEF/SGP project coordinators in the regions, involve consultants and representatives of the governmental structures; work with the key partner organizations in the following cities and regions adjoining therewith: Kostanai, Astana, Petropavlovsk, Karaganda and Pavlodar;
?To disseminate the information about GEF/SGP activity through the key organizations in the above-mentioned regions;
?To hold training seminars devoted to the GEF/SGP Program in Kostanai, Astana, Petropavlovsk, Karaganda and Pavlodar with involvement of the participants from the neighboring regions;
?To form the teams of trainers and seminar facilitators in the regional centers; and
?To monitor and evaluate the GEF/SGP in places.

Expected Outcomes:
?Increase of the local NGOs? potential in the subject matters covered by GEF/SGP as well as of quality and process activization;
?Activization of the NGOs and local communities (spearheads and others) in the regions in solving the regional ecological problems within the frameworks of the GEF/SGP Program;
?To form the teams of the GEF/SGP Program trainers and experts consisting of specialists from Almaty and the trained local specialists and project coordinators;
?To attract new partners for the GEF/SGP Program;
?To get the project applications prepared and submitted from the regional centers;
?The performed monitoring and evaluation of the GEF/SGP projects and publication of the results of the work done.