PROVIDUS (Full title: Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS) is a non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit think-tank, established by the Soros Foundation in 2002. Think-tank PROVIDUS is a non-governmental organisation operating in the public interest and they are officially recognized as such. PROVIDUSâ mission is to promote evidence-based policy and open society values.
PROVIDUS was established in 2002. The think-tank consists of its board, council and members. Initial founders of PROVIDUS are: Soros Foundation Latvia (now known as "Fonds atvÃÂrtai sabiedrëbai DOTS"), Indra Dedze, Vita Anda TÃÂrauda, Nellija LoÃÂmele, Didzis Poreiters, Agnese Frëdenberga.
Current organisation's members are individuals that support PROVIDUS' goals, some of the current members are also initiation founders of the think-tank: Lolita ÃÂigÃÂne, Ilze Dzenovska, Valts Kalnià Âà ¡, Andrejs Judins, Linda Austere, Iveta Kaà ¾oka, Dace Akule, Marija Golubeva, Marta Herca, Linda Curika, Ilze ÃÂrnesta, Gatis Litvins, Agnese LÃÂce, Rasmuss Filips Geks, Lëga Stafecka, Linda JÃÂkobsone, Marta Rikà ¡a, Olafs Grigus.
PROVIDUS council's members are FDC Chairwoman, Dr.habil.oec. Inna à  teinbuka, partner of Law firm FORT and attorney-at-law Sandis BÃÂrtaitis, public administration consultant Ivo Rollis and PROVIDUS leading researcher Agnese Frëdenberga.
Current director of PROVIDUS (since 2018) is Iveta Kaà ¾oka. Previous directors: current member of the Parliament of Latvia Krista Baumane, Dace Akule, current member of the Parliament of Latvia .
PROVIDUS aims to assist the politicians of Latvia in making better political decisions, fulfills watchdog's functions in the country's politics and promotes citizen engagement in various forms - both on a national and regional level.
From 2017 until 2020 PROVIDUS worked with questions and issues related to migration, political parties and capacity strengthening of public administration, fight against corruption, as well as a fight against populism.
PROVIDUS' main methods of work include research, analysis of policies and legislations, providing recommendations and expert-opinions on legislations and actions, monitoring development of policies, providing political proposals, as well as organizing discussions and educational events.
The PROVIDUS team consists of 7 employees and 5 associated researchers. PROVIDUS council consists of 4 experts.
PROVIDUS researchers organize and execute various projects of national and international level in cooperation with organisations from Latvia and abroad.
In 2019 PROVIDUS finished and/or continued the following projects:
PROVIDUS projects are funded with support from the European Commission, Open Society Foundation in Europe, Die Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Sabiedrëbas integrÃÂcijas fonds (), Teterevu fonds () and others.