Eastern Alliance For Safe And Sustainable Transport

Charity Number: 1133552

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income (2023): £872,239
  • Geographic Focus: Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (14 countries)
  • Grant Type: Modest, mentored grants to partner NGOs
  • Founded: 2009
  • Status: Note - Charity Commission records indicate this charity has been removed from the register

Contact Details

  • Website: www.easst.co.uk
  • Email: info@easst.co.uk
  • Phone: 07770743494
  • Address: 68 Ashford Road, Tenterden TN30 6LR

Overview

The Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport (EASST) was established in 2009 as an independent UK-registered charity (Charity 1133552) with initial support from the FIA Foundation. With an annual income of £872,239 (2023), EASST builds local road safety capacity across 14 countries in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. The organization works through a vibrant network of local road safety NGOs, providing modest, mentored grants combined with capacity building and knowledge sharing. EASST won a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in 2015 for its promotion of the NGO network. The charity's strategic approach focuses on sustainable, locally-led initiatives rather than direct implementation, empowering partner organizations to drive road safety reforms in regions where road deaths remain particularly high.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

EASST provides modest, mentored grants to partner NGOs in their target regions. While specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, the organization describes these as “modest” grants delivered with ongoing mentorship and capacity building support. Applications appear to be managed through direct partnership development rather than open calls.

Key funding mechanisms:

  • Mentored grants for partner NGOs
  • Multi-country programmes funded by EU, UK government, FIA Foundation, World Bank, and UN agencies
  • FIA Foundation Advocacy Hub support for projects across 8 countries

Priority Areas

EASST focuses on seven priority areas for road safety and sustainable transport:

  • Children's road safety education: Safe school zones, 30km/h speed limits near schools
  • Safe and inclusive mobility: Accessibility for people with disabilities, vulnerable road users
  • Active travel initiatives: Walking and cycling infrastructure
  • Road safety governance: Policy reform, enforcement capacity
  • Safe road design: Infrastructure improvements, pedestrian safety
  • Driver training and licensing: Professional standards, occupational road safety
  • Regional and cross-border initiatives: Knowledge sharing, advocacy

Geographic Focus

Partner NGOs must be based in EASST's priority regions:

  • Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Albania)
  • South Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan)
  • Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia)

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their geographic focus areas
  • Direct service delivery without local NGO partnership
  • Projects not aligned with road safety and sustainable transport
  • Stand-alone research without practical implementation
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Governance and Leadership

Executive Team

Emma MacLennan, Founder and Director General, established EASST in 2009 and previously directed the John Smith Memorial Trust (1999-2008), focusing on governance initiatives in former Soviet states. MacLennan states: “Improving road engineering design standards is not just a paper exercise. Across all three pilot projects EASST and our local partners have implemented pilot pedestrian infrastructure upgrades with tremendous impact – including huge reductions in road crashes. These interventions really do save lives and make cities more liveable.”

Dmitry Sambuk, MBA, Deputy Director General, manages growth initiatives with donor partners including the EU and EBRD, and leads EASST Academy in collaboration with Cranfield University and IRU Academy.

Emily Carr, Deputy Director General, oversees children's road safety education and developed the EASST Road Safety Education Pack, available in 16 languages.

Board of Trustees

Lawrence Sherwin (Chair): Former Deputy Director of Communications at EBRD

Margie Peden (Deputy Chair): Joint positions at The George Institute for Global Health UK and Johns Hopkins University; previously coordinated injury prevention at WHO for 17 years

Dr. Soames Job: Principal and CEO of Global Road Safety Solutions; former World Bank Global Lead for Road Safety

Darren Lindsey: Former Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for Michelin; active with Roadsafe and UN Road Safety Collaboration

Kate McMahon OBE: Retired Head of Road Safety Strategy Division, GB Department for Transport

Patrons

Lord Robertson: Former NATO Secretary General and chair of the Commission for Global Road Safety

Lord Whitty: Former Transport/Environment Minister who chaired the Road Safety Foundation until 2023

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

EASST operates through partnership development rather than open grant calls. The organization builds relationships with local NGOs in their target regions and provides ongoing mentorship alongside funding. Prospective partners should:

  1. Contact EASST directly via info@easst.co.uk or through their website
  2. Demonstrate alignment with EASST's priority areas
  3. Be based in one of the 14 target countries
  4. Show capacity for local road safety advocacy and implementation

The organization manages donor reporting and budgets for multi-country programmes funded by the EU, UK government, FIA Foundation, World Bank, and UN agencies.

Decision Timeline

Specific timelines are not publicly available. The mentored grant model suggests ongoing relationship development rather than fixed application cycles.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. EASST currently works with partner NGOs across 14 countries, suggesting selective partnership development.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified. Given the ongoing mentorship model, partnerships appear to be long-term relationships rather than single grant awards.

Application Success Factors

EASST's Stated Priorities

  • Local ownership: EASST empowers local NGOs rather than implementing directly, seeking partners who can drive sustainable change in their communities
  • Evidence-based interventions: Projects demonstrating “tremendous impact – including huge reductions in road crashes”
  • Capacity building: Organizations open to mentorship, training, and knowledge sharing
  • Collaborative approach: Partners who can work within EASST's regional network

Recent Funded Projects Examples

  • Safe school zone projects across seven countries (FIA Foundation-funded)
  • Youth-led road safety advocacy in Central Asia
  • Accessibility surveys and infrastructure improvements in Chisinau, Minsk, Baku, and Bishkek
  • Safe crossings initiative (Safer Roads Foundation-funded since 2019)
  • EASST Road Safety Education Pack implementation in 16 languages

Strategic Language

EASST emphasizes:

  • “Safe System approach” to road safety
  • “Safer, greener and more sustainable” transport
  • “Inclusive mobility” and accessibility
  • “Capacity building” and “knowledge sharing”
  • “Regional and cross-border initiatives”

Standing Out

  • Demonstrate strong local relationships and community trust
  • Show potential for scalable impact and sustainability
  • Align with UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Evidence-based approach with clear measurement
  • Commitment to long-term partnership and capacity development

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Partnership-focused, not transactional: EASST builds long-term relationships with mentored support, not one-off grants. Approach them for partnership, not just funding.
  • Geographic restrictions apply: Must be based in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, or Central Asia. Organizations outside these 14 countries are not eligible.
  • Local NGO capacity is central: EASST invests in building your organization's capacity for sustainable impact, expect ongoing mentorship and training opportunities.
  • Align with major donors: EASST channels funding from EU, UK government, FIA Foundation, World Bank, and UN agencies. Projects should align with these donors' priorities.
  • Evidence and measurement matter: Leadership emphasizes demonstrable impact with “huge reductions in road crashes.” Build strong monitoring and evaluation into proposals.
  • Multi-country opportunities: EASST often works on regional programmes across multiple countries, offering networking and knowledge-sharing benefits.
  • Note on charity status: The Charity Commission register indicates this charity has been removed from the register, though the organization's website remains active. Prospective applicants should verify current operational status before investing significant application effort.

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