“Business and Education Association” Non-Governmental Organization NGO (hereinafter referred to as BEA) is implementing the project “Implementation of Monitoring and Analysis of the Budget of Social Assistance Sector” within the framework of a sub-grant provided by the “Budgets for Citizens” programme implemented with the financial support of the European Union by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, in cooperation with partners “Economic Development and Research Center” (EDRC) NGO and “Agora Central Europe” NGO (Czech Republic).

  Project Objectives:

1. General analysis of the 2025 budget program for the social support sector “Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations”.
2. Monitoring of the “Provision of Social Housing Fund Maintenance Services” measure of the social support sector of the 2025 budget program “Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations”.
3. Preparing simplified budgets for 2025-2026 of the budget program “Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations” of the Social Support Sector.

Expected results:

• Formation and strengthening of cooperative and working agreements reached during meetings,
• Developing data collection and analysis capabilities through the development of questionnaires on the social assistance sector,
• Gaining experience in budget analysis and implementation of the selected budget program in the social support sector,
• Preparation of a comprehensive analytical report based on the results of the conducted studies,
• Development of skills for analyzing and monitoring budget program activities,
• Forming capacities for comprehensive analysis and evaluation of program indicators.

A number of important activities, which have ensured the coordinated and effective development of the project process, have already been implemented within the framework of the project. 

In particular:

1. During the preparatory phase, the sequential steps of actions aimed at realizing the program objectives were clarified.
2. Letters on preliminary meetings with the competent state bodies of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (MLSA) and the Unified Social Service of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, have been prepared and sent to the recipients. During the meetings with the representatives responsible for the target area of ​​the project, the BEA team presented the project objectives goal and expected results, discussed the scope of joint work to be carried out within the framework of the sub-grant project, and reached agreements on constructive cooperation.
3. Several methods were applied during the data collection phase: quantitative (questionnaires, statistical data) and qualitative (focus groups, interviews). A questionnaire for CSOs to conduct surveys within the framework of the project was developed, based on which a questionnaire (in paper and online versions) for target and beneficiary groups to fill out was developed as well.
4. During the data processing and analysis phase, the collected information was processed to identify deviations.
5. General analysis of the budget of Social Protection Sector, with a particular focus on a comprehensive analysis of the budget program of Social Assistance Sector, “1011 – Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations”. As a result of the analysis, one analytical report, in which the results of the analysis are presented both in text form and in the form of tables and graphs, was developed. As a result of the analysis, the share of budget program 1011 in the Social Protection budget in 2025 was to approximately2.6%.
6. A methodology for assessing the compliance and monitoring of selected measures included in the budget program of the Social Support target sector 1011 – Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations” has been developed. The developed methodology attempts to provide a systematic approach to the analysis and monitoring processes of the social assistance budget, which in addition to a more targeted allocation of resources, contributes to the creation of the necessary information bases for policy formation.
7. A comparative analysis and monitoring of planned and actual data for the first half of 2020-2025 for 3 measures related to the maintenance of the social housing fund included in the budget program “Support to Vulnerable and Socially Disadvantaged Groups in Difficult Life Situations” was carried out. Within the framework of the monitoring, the provision of services within the scope of capital measures 11007 – “Provision  of Social Housing Fund Maintenance Services”; 12007-“Compensation of Natural Gas, Electricity and Water Supply Fees to Individual Groups of the Population living in Social Housing Fund Shelters” transfers and 32001-“Renovation of Social Housing Fund Buildings” were studied. A report which includes the monitoring results in textual, tabular and graphical form was prepared; it also presented some suggestions and recommendations for improving the above-mentioned measures.
8. During the preparation stage of simplified budget, the BEA team carried out work aimed to select and process relevant information obtained through analysis and monitoring.

In general, the work carried out is aimed at increasing the level of transparency of the social assistance system and the efficiency of services provided to beneficiaries.