Roma-Lom Foundation is a non-profit organisation, registered in Bulgaria in 1996 with the mission to stimulate the process of empowerment of excluded groups and social emancipation of disadvantaged communities.

The Roma-Lom Foundation (RLF) works for integration and social emancipation of disadvantaged communities, regardless of their ethnicity. The emphasis falls on the development of the Roma community as it is living in the most difficult situation and at the same time is with the highest percentage of concentration in the region of North-West Bulgaria. (For instance, the Roma represent nearly 50% of the total population of the city of Lom.)

The long-term goals of RLF are to ensure the access to development for excluded groups and disadvantaged communities by mobilizing the internal potential of the community and attracting partners for joint problem solving, increasing the level and quality of education for children and young people, income generation and improvement of the economic status of disadvantaged groups.

In all areas, the main target group are the young people from marginalized and ethnic communities.

In fulfilling its mission and long-term goals, RLF sees its role as an active agent of change that purposefully works for:

• Stimulation of initiative citizen groups and local NGOs working for sustainable development of communities by building their capacity and expertise, trainings and provision of methodological support.
• Resource Center for increasing the expertise of community NGOs and initiative groups working for local development with a special focus on young people, through trainings, exchange internships, mentoring and provision of know-how, facilitating community needs and opportunities research, setting priorities together with the target group.
• Development and testing of practices and models for solving problems and lobbying for the implementation of successful practices at regional and national level.
• Stimulation the communication and ethnic-cultural dialogue for mutual understanding, overcoming prejudices and promotion of tolerance as a norm in the relations between different ethnic groups in Bulgaria.
• Improving the quality and access to social services, by offering new types of services and provision of integrated social services for social inclusion and early childhood development.
• Promotion of Roma culture, support of Roma ensembles and artists in the field of Roma music, theatre, art. RLF is experienced in research and initiatives to preserve Roma customs, cultural heritage and the Roma language aimed to strengthen the self-esteem of young Roma as bearers of Roma identity and culture.
• Campaigns for changing public attitudes towards excluded groups by promoting the positive practices of locally based NGOs.
• Advocacy campaigns for changing policies at the local and national level regarding the development of disadvantaged communities and support for effective participation of community representatives in decision-making.

At the present moment, 20 people are engaged in the implementation of RLF activities, as a paid team.