A cooperation protocol on Small Grants Program was signed on 14 March, 2007 between the Word Bank Country Office in Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies (MCIT) of Azerbaijan at the WB Country Office. Mr. Gregory Jedrzejczak, WB Country Manager in Azerbaijan, signed the protocol on the WB side, and Mr. Ali Abbasov, Minister of CIT- on the Ministry side.
The World Bank Small Grants Program in Azerbaijan started in  2000 and since that a total amount of $240, 000 was granted to 53 organizations. This year Program will be conducted under “Information society - the new stage of development" slogan and the Ministry of CIT of Azerbaijan decided to join the process.
This is a first time in Azerbaijan when an International Organization and the Government Institution will be jointly implementing a grant program for civil society organizations.
Administration of the program will be conducted by the Azerbaijan Community Development Research, Training & Resource Center.

Media representatives were invited to the ceremony.