European Center for Not-for-Profit Law

The European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) is a leading European resource and research center in the field of civil society law based in Budapest. Its mission is to promote an enabling legal and fiscal environment for civil society in Europe and beyond. ECNL has demonstrated deep commitment to empower civil society organizations (CSOs) and ensure their sustainability. ECNL experts have provided support that has directly and positively influenced more than 50 laws affecting CSOs across Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS. ECNL’s methodology of work emphasizes participation, transparency and local ownership. Besides working with local partners, ECNL has a long history working with multilateral institutions and the international community, and has successfully undertaken projects for the European Union (EU), the World Bank, USAID, UNDP, UNVolunteers and other donors. ECNL’s vision encompasses pluralistic democracies in the region in which the legal environment enables people and their organizations to exercise their rights and shape their society through voluntary action.