Monika Pisankaneva joined WCIF in 2009 as a project manager and is currently the Programme Director. She develops new funding proposals, manages some of the foundation’s transnational operational projects, prepares analytical research reports, conducts training, performs various quality assurance functions, and prepares final reports. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Philosophy (Sofia University, 1992), a certificate in Comparative European Social Studies (University of Amsterdam, 1998), and a Master’s degree in Philanthropy (University of Bologna, 2007). She was a research fellow at City University of New York in 2009. Before joining the WCIF team, she worked in international organisations running long-term civil society development programmes in Bulgaria.