About Us
The OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION (NOS-OSF) is a non-governmental organization that promotes the ideals of an open society and creates opportunities for people to improve society by making society more open, transparent and accepting of equal opportunities for all people.
NOS-OSF was founded in 1992 and is part of a network of foundations known as Open Society Foundations. Open Society Foundations work in more than 70 countries worldwide. Their founder is well-known financier and philanthropist George Soros (www.soros.org).
NOS-OSF is an experienced donor organization in Slovakia and in recent years it has become a strong and accepted partner in negotiations with government institutions.
NOS-OSF implements two kinds of programs:
Our own programs drawing on our professional experience and expertise in the following policy areas:
- Education
- Public health
- Law and good public governance
- Equal opportunities
- Media
Grant programs providing financial assistance to other non-governmental organizations with activities focusing on:
- Development of a more open society
- Education policy
- Strengthening human rights and equal opportunities for disadvantaged citizens, particularly rights of Roma citizens
In 2010, we awarded more than 142 grants worth more than €840,000. In total, NOS-OSF had a budget of more than €2 million for its own operational programs and for grants in 2010.
NOS-OSF is one of the founders of Slovakia’s Donors’ Forum, which regularly offers comments on legislative issues and processes and is an active participant in a number of advisory committees and commissions such as the Government Council for Non-Governmental Organizations, the Multidisciplinary Integrated Expert Group working on prevention and elimination of racially-motivated crime and extremism and the Inter-Ministerial Working Group implementing the Action Plan to Prevent All Forms of Discrimination, Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance, 2009-2011.
