U.S.-Baltic Resume – download The U.S.-Baltic Foundation's resume (PDF)

USBF History

The U.S.- Baltic Foundation (USBF) was founded in 1990, prior to Baltic independence, to support democratic and free market reforms in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Under challenging circumstances and with a modest budget, USBF has leveraged individual contributions into more than $8 million and established 11 local democratic institutions in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

USBF's professional educational and training programs have improved and strengthened local public administration, independent media and NGO development. USBF managed the $2.9 million USAID-funded Democracy Network Program - which later served as the model for the $15 million Baltic American Partnership Fund. The Foundation established Municipal Training Centers, Schools of Public Administration and Independent Media Centers in all three countries, which continue to train the next generation of Baltic leaders. Thousands of future Baltic leaders have participated in and benefited from the USBF programs described in this resumé.

The Pew Charitable Trusts selected USBF as one of four "Pew All-Stars" in all of Central and East Europe in 1997. Pew awarded multiple grants to USBF totaling nearly $1,000,000 for public administration education programs. Other private foundations, including the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the National Endowment for Democracy, have provided over $250,000 for USBF programs.

USBF has organized over 12 events with Baltic Presidents and Prime Ministers in Washington and New York, and dozens of special programs with business and government leaders in cities across the U.S. and the Baltics.
USBF helped introduce millions of Americans to Baltic history and culture by assisting in the 3-year production of the public television documentary "One World: The Baltic States" hosted by Charles Osgood. USBF organized the American broadcast premiere event - attended by all three Baltic Presidents - at the Newseum and organized Baltic broadcast debut receptions at each U.S. Embassy in 1998.

The Foundation sponsored the first-ever tour of Baltic art in the United States in 2000. USBF organized exhibitions at New York's National Arts Club, the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, and prominent venues in Houston, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

USBF hosted a special event in the U.S. Capitol with Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Representative John Shimkus and the family of late Representative Gerald Solomon, which was attended by 12 U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, including Senators Richard Durbin, Daniel Inouye and Paul Sarbanes, and Representatives Doug Bereuter, Porter Goss, Dennis Kucinich, Tom Lantos and Connie Morella, in 2002.
USBF has successfully conducted programs in the following areas: