Overview

For the past 25 years, the Center for Citizen Initiatives (CCI) has dedicated itself to supporting political and economic reforms in Russia. CCI is a highly respected, non-profit "501(c)(3)" organization that keeps its ear to the ground in Russia and develops trend-setting programs to meet emerging needs. Today its Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is the organization's chief vehicle for assisting Russia’s efforts to build a viable market economy. PEP is widely regarded as the leading edge program for business training in Russia.

CCI "citizen diplomats" explore Moscow's metro system

CCI has graduated nearly 7,000 Russian entrepreneurs from U.S.-based business management internships. Currently, it manages an army of over 25,000 dedicated volunteers, who train these interns, across 45 U.S. states. CCI’s alumni come from over 600 Russian regional cities and towns beyond Moscow. Countless thousands of Russians have benefited from CCI’s Russia-based program activity.

CCI’s origins date from the height of the Cold War in 1983 when Sharon Tennison, CCI’s president, led a handful of ordinary American citizens upon an extraordinary mission – challenging the dangerous barriers of fear and mistrust between the two Superpowers. The group's preposterous mission was to create an alternative to the arms race and open communications between the U.S. and the USSR. They called themselves “Citizen Diplomats.”

CCI’s vision in 1983 was based on the premise that citizens have a stake in international relations, and the right and responsibility to investigate and engage in foreign policy debate if their security is at risk. The nuclear arms race constituted such a risk. During its first decade, CCI pioneered many extraordinary measures, primarily focused on averting this peril. Its original program organized travel to the USSR for thousands of Americans with the intention to build human connections with counterpart Soviet citizens.

These American travelers took to Soviet streets in search of citizens willing to communicate with them. Despite surveillance and decades of repression, Soviet citizens invited them into their schools, hospitals and apartments to probe critical issues. After three intense weeks of vigorous dialogue with their counterparts, the Americans returned to the U.S. determined to make a change in Superpower relations.

American journalists visit in home of Soviet educators in 1986

Thus began CCI leaders’ long saga as citizen diplomats and CCI’s formation as an international organization. Numerous travel and exchange programs, environmental initiatives and agricultural projects erupted in the 1980s as a result.

The CCI mission became further defined in 1989 with CCI’s creation of the Economic Development Program, the first-in-existence business-management training program for Soviet entrepreneurs. This became CCI’s niche and expertise for the ensuing years. In 1993, the U.S. government began funding technical assistance for Russia. CCI became the recipient of generous funding that allowed it to expand existing programs in the areas of business management, agriculture, environment and micro-business development.

Today CCI San Francisco headquarters employs 5 staff who develop and direct business training programs for Russian entrepreneurs across the U.S. CCI has eight Russian partner offices that oversee the work of over 90 satellite operations deep in the regions of Russia.