Proměny Foundation has chosen 4 projects

** Four of them are now closer to seeing their plans become reality. The winning project, which will be announced in the fall, will receive a grant of up to 25 million crowns. Relying on the Proměny Foundation's financial and technical assistance, the execution of the project will begin before the end of 2015 and will last the next several years. ** The last undertaking completed with the Proměny Foundation's support was the comprehensive restoration of the largest park in the city of Litoměřice. Another park transformation project is scheduled to begin sometime this year in Litomyšl. **The next venture that will receive the foundation's assistance will be selected from proposals involving localities in Brno-Center, Jičín, the Prague Borough of Ďáblice, and the Slovany District in Pilsen. **Applications filed by these four cities have been selected in the first round of a call for proposals issued under the Parks Program in mid-December 2014.

"We value highly the desire of all the applicants to enhance the quality of public space in their municipality. Likewise, we appreciate the positive shift in how municipal authorities liaise with the public. It is evident that cities are adopting new approaches and are improving their ability to get their inhabitants involved in the decision-making process. All the evaluation criteria considered, however, only four projects have made it to the shortlist," commented the hitherto progress of the selection process the Proměny Foundation's Director Jitka Přerovská. She added, "Even though only one city will receive the Proměny Foundation's assistance, I am convinced that all of those who invested more into preparing an application than merely filling out the forms will ultimately benefit from their effort. This can be observed on the example of some of the projects prepared for our past calls for proposals. Although obtaining funding is the primary objective of all applicants, many cities seek various other avenues apart from a grant to advance their plans and make them become reality."

The projects that will compete for a Proměny Foundation grant concern the **Svratka Embankment **in Brno, a yet-to-be-built park near the river Cidlina on the outskirts of Jičín, Jiráskovo Square with a cloister orchard in the Slovany District in Pilsen, and the so-called Ďáblice Dragon, an area that spans over more than 14 hectares on the Ládví Hill in the northern reaches of Prague. The foundation is currently mapping the localities before completing the third round, during which the finalists will stage a personal presentation of their plans. The evaluation process will yield recommendations for the foundation board of trustees who will make the final decision. Assistance provided by the Proměny Foundation for the winning project will include a grant of up to 25 million crowns and technical consultations. In addition, the foundation will contribute for the maintenance of the restored locality during the three years following the completion of the project.

Once the call for proposals has been finalized and agreements signed with individual municipalities, the Proměny Foundation will publish selected plans, results of cooperation with the public, and various other materials on its website to inspire others to follow suit.

A list of all cities that applied under the 2014 Call for Proposals as well as **detailed specifications **are available on the Proměny Foundation's website. Additional information is available upon request.