Appendix 2
Personal Interview Questionnaire

Interview Questionnaire for Semi-structured Face-to-face Interviews

Technical comments for INTERVIEWERS are given in [square brackets] or are shadowed. These comments should NOT be communicated to the interviewee.

Otherwise, just follow the instructions in the Questionnaire and ask the respondent the questions. The questions are numbered and given in bold or bold italics.

The interview should be conducted in the LOCAL LANGUAGE!!!

You should take notes on all comments from the respondents and summarize his or her replies as closely as possible in the boxes provided for each question. If there is not enough space in the box, use the back side of the worksheets. According to your experience, you may wish to use a dictaphone if available, and only with the permission of the respondent. As a rule, the interview should last 1 to 1.5 hours.

The interview work sheet consists of three sections: "Section A" contains formal identification data about the organization that is critical for validation of the sample; "Section B" is the main body of the questionnaire; and "Section C" provides necessary details regarding circumstances of the interview.

Remember that after the interview, you have to prepare an "Individual Interview Report" (IIR) on each interview you have conducted. The completed interview's framework sheets are the main source for final reporting. Tape-recording might be a helpful tool as well. These reports should be submitted in English and meet the "Requirements for Individual Reporting" (see "Terms of Reference for Conducting Interviews"), in particular, the direct quotations from respondent's speech are of very high importance.

Before you start interviewing, make sure you understand adequately the terms of the study and general goals of the project (See the "Project Description.")

Thank you for your cooperation.

Hello, my name is _______________________. I represent a research group at the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe. My job is to collect information for a needs analysis of CEE environmental NGOs. In addition to a large-scale mail survey that is being conducted regionwide, and targeted at each and every environmental NGO, we're interviewing a number of environmental groups in order to learn some more particular details about environmental groups in the region. The information gained through this survey will be used to develop recommendations regarding adjustments to REC programs. It is hoped that by implementing these recommendations, the REC will be better able to meet the current and future demands of the NGO community in the CEE region. I have several questions to ask you. We assume that by participating in this interview, you represent a particular environmental organization, so we invite you to speak on behalf of all your colleagues in the group; we can accept your collective answers as well. Let us stress that your honest answers to the questions, and other comments you might have, are very important for the success of the study. I assure you that the information is completely confidential. Do you have any questions before we begin? [Answer respondent's questions.] Before we begin, let me first ask you a few formal questions regarding the organization you're representing and yourself.

Section A: Formal Data About The Organization

QQ1. Name of the organization:

QQ2. Country:

QQ3. The organization is located in: [select one option.]

• capital city
• other large city (population over 500,000)
• country side / village

QQ4. Year of creation (regardless of date of official registration):

QQ5. Year of official registration:

QQ6. Size of the organization (active members):

QQ7. Annual budget of the organization for 1995 (if any):

QQ8. Paid staff (full-time and part-time):

QQ9. Position of the interviewed person: [circle one]

• chair / president / director or another first-rank person
• deputy ("number two" person)
• program manager or chief specialist
• other (specify below)

Thank you for this formal data. Now, let's turn to the most interesting and informative questions.

Section B. Main Questionnaire

QQ10. First we would like to know what are the main areas of your organization's activities. Please, mention up to three main projects currently run by your organization.

• 1st project
• 2nd project
• 3rd project

QQ11. Please, explain why these projects were chosen? Why are they important to you?

QQ12. How would you evaluate the performance of your organization in the projects you described above? Do you believe you have succeeded or failed in the achievement of the goals that you've set for your group? Please, refer to your largest project last year. How successful is the organization?

Project's title:
[Interviewer, circle one option.]

• the project was a definite success
• generally, the project was successful, despite its failure in some minor parts
• generally, we didn't achieve the main goals, but the project had some positive impacts
• definitely, the project was a failure
• difficult to say / don't know

QQ13. Please, explain why?

QQ14. What is your NGO's greatest success in the last 5 years?

QQ15. What is the biggest obstacle that is keeping your organization from achieving the goals you have mentioned?

What are the capacities / weaknesses of the organization? [Self-evaluation of organization's capacities]

QQ16. What is the strongest feature of your organization?

QQ17. What is the weakest feature of your organization?

QQ18. What are this year's priorities for internal development (capacity building) of your organization?

QQ19. What kind of help is desired for your organization's internal development?

QQ20. If you were given an opportunity to provide a training course for staff members in your organization, what specific topic or topics would you choose?

• 1st choice
• 2nd choice
• 3rd choice

[Financial situation of the organization]

Many people believe money is a crucial element of power and influence. While some environmental professionals are paid very well, many environmental activists are doing their job for free or for a symbolic reward. What is the particular situation in your organization?

QQ21. Does you organization have any budget, regardless of whether it is formal or informal?

• YES
• NO [go to question # 23]

QQ22. What are the main financial sources of your organization? Please comment on the one or two major sources.

• 1st source:
• 2nd source:

QQ23. Do you believe you have enough material resources to work successfully or do you experience shortages in financial and material supplies? Please comment on your financial situation in general.

QQ24. Please comment on the fund raising activity of your organization. Do you have a certain strategy or detailed plan for fund raising?

• there is a detailed plan for fund raising
• there is no plan

QQ25 [Comments on fund raising]

It is a common belief that a single and separate environmental citizens' group usually cannot solve big and important environmental problems. Often, cooperation with various partners is needed for the success of a project. These partners could include other NGOs in your country or abroad, international organizations, private foundations, central and local governmental agencies, etc. At the same time, many people say that an attempt at cooperation could be counterproductive if the potential partners are "of different weight," do not share the same values, or use different strategies. Thus, sometimes, it is easier and more effective to perform a project using only the capacities of your own organization and not to spend too much effort establishing a "common language" with potential partners. We want to know about your organization's attitude toward cooperation with other environmental agents?

QQ26. Who are the main partners, if any, of your organization in conducting environmental work?

• First partner
• Second partner
• Third partner

QQ27. Does your NGO cooperate with other NGOs in order to solve problems such as nature conservation, transboundary problems such as river pollution, or other environmental issues?

• YES
• NO [go to question # 30]

QQ28. If "YES", is your partner NGO (choose one!)

• a neighbor organization from your local area
• another group from your country
• an environmental group from another (neighboring country)
• other (if none of the above)

QQ29. Please give one or two examples of such cooperation.

• Partner / project 1st
• Partner / project 2nd

QQ30. If "NO," explain why not?

What is your experience with cooperation or confrontation with local or national authorities in your country, if any?

QQ31. local authorities:

QQ32. national (central) authorities:

QQ33. What do you believe is critically important for the successful solution of environmental problems in your region?

[Desired support ]

Many international and national foundations provide a range of traditional support for environmental citizens' organizations. Consider you're applying for a grant or any other type of aid or technical assistance.

QQ34. What environmental project would you ask for assistance with?

QQ35. What kind of help would be most important for the sustainability and/or development of your organization?

The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe is one of the large service providers in CEE. It operates in 13 countries and sees its mission as supporting the NGO community and facilitating dialogue and cooperation between different sectors of society in order to solve environmental problems.

QQ36. Can you say that you're familiar with the main activities of the REC, including both its head office in Budapest or the local office in your country?

• YES
• NO [go to question # 40]

QQ37. Please, tell us about your particular experience with the REC. Have you ever received a grant from the REC, received REC's publications and information materials, participated in a conference or workshop, or something else? Thus, our question is: to what extent are you involved in any cooperation with the REC? [Omit if a negative reply to the previous question]

Please apply a scale here (circle one of the following items and provide comments in the box if necessary). Only the STRONGEST option should be considered.

• "A" if any REC grants ever received
• "B" if only information exchange and/or various "conferencing" and "workshopping"
• "C" if no cooperation is present, but it is definitely planned for the near future (this year)
• "D" if no cooperation now and NEVER in the future!
• "E" if no cooperation or DON'T KNOW
• "F" if other (specify below)

What don't you like about the REC's activities or programs? [Omit if a negative reply to question # 36]

QQ38. [in general:]

QQ39. [In particular programs]

[Program/evaluation]:

[Program/evaluation]:

QQ40. If you where a member of the REC's Board of Directors, what would you suggest to change about the REC? [Omit if a negative reply to the question 36]

QQ41.There are many international service organizations, besides the REC that provide various types of support or assistance to environmental groups in CEE. Have you ever cooperated with any of these organizations?

• YES
• NO

QQ42. If "YES," then please tell us who you cooperated with?

QQ43. What kind of support did you receive from this organization? On what project did you cooperate with them?

QQ44. Do you plan to continue this cooperation in the future or to stop it?

QQ45. That's all questions I have. Thank you very much for your cooperation and honest answers. Is there anything else you want to tell me?

[Additional comments - 2]

[Additional comments - 3]

Section C. Interview Information Sheet

QQ46. The interview took place at:

QQ47. Starting time:

QQ48. Finish time:

QQ49. Duration of the interview:

QQ50. The interview was conducted in (circle one)

• the organization's office
• the REC's Local Office
• at a conference or workshop
• other place (specify below)

QQ51. Special circumstances of the interview:

QQ52. Interviewer, please provide your name:

Interview cover sheet #__________

QQ1. Name of the organization:

QQ2. Country:

• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• FYR Macedonia
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• FR Yugoslavia
• other (specify)

QQ3. The organization is located in (circle one option.)

• in capital city
• in other large city (300,000 inhabitants and/or more)
• in small town / countryside / village

QQ4.Year of organization's creation (regardless of official registration):

QQ5. Year of official registration:

QQ6. Size of the organization (active members):

• up to 10 persons
• 11 to 25 persons
• 26 to 50 persons
• 51 to 100 persons
• 101 to 500 persons
• 501 to 1,000 persons
• more than 1,000 persons

QQ7. Annual budget of the organizaton (if any):

• up to $ 500
• $ 501 to $ 1,000
• $ 1,001 to $ 5,000
• $ 5,001 to $ 10,000
• $ 10,001 to $ 50,000
• $ 50,001 to $100,000
• above $ 100,000
• not known

QQ8. Paid staff (full-time and part-time):

• there are no any paid personnel
• up to three persons
• four to ten persons
• more than ten persons

QQ9. Position of the interviewed person: (circle one)

• chair / president / director or another first-rank person
• deputy ("number two" person)
• program manager or chief specialist
• other (specify below)

QQ46. The interview took place at:

QQ49. Duration of the interview:

QQ50. The interview was conducted in (circle one)

• the organization's office
• the REC's Local Office
• at a conference or workshop
• other place (specify below)

QQ51. Special circumstances of the interview:

• the interview was carried out smoothly
• there were some difficulties in establishing good contact
• the contact was quite troublesome
• other comments: (specify below)

QQ52. Interviewer, please provide your name: