Deadline: 1 February 2019
International Visegrad Fund is seeking applications for its 2019 Visegrad+ Grant program to support projects which contribute to the democratization and transformation processes in selected countries and regions, especially non-EU member states in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries.
Visegrad+ Grants is a grant program run and financed by the International Visegrad Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “Fund”) aimed at facilitating support from the V4 countries (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) primarily towards the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) hereinafter referred to as “target country”.
Visegrad+ Grants shall contribute to the development of the target countries mainly via facilitating the dissemination of the V4 countries’ know-how and good practices with a focus on democratization, the development of civil society, political, economic and social transformation, EU approximation and EU integration, good governance andregional cooperation.The Fund shall publish thematic priorities, set by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the V4 countries, on which Visegrad+ Grants projects should focus.
Focus Areas
Culture and Common Identity
- Increased awareness of cultural diversity and cross-border intercultural dialogue
- Increased awareness of common heritage, including history and contemporary art
- Increased promotion of common identity and heritage inside and outside of the V4 region
- Larger volume of common cultural productions reaching out to new audiences
Education and Capacity Building
- Improved hard /soft skills for a better access to labor market, lifelong learning and internship programs
- Strengthened cooperation among educational institutions
- Increase in the volume of common formal, informal and non-formal educational tools and teacher training opportunities
- Increased sharing of best practices in the dialog among decision-making bodies, municipalities, schools and families
Innovation, R&D, Entrepreneurship
- Increase in B2B networks with an emphasis on development of SMEs and start-ups
- Improved ecosystem for business and social business development at the regional level
- Development of regional networks/clusters of SMEs, academia, and research institutions with a long-lasting impact
- Increased science popularization on the regional level with emphasis on youth
- Increased promotion of joint V4 R&D projects outside of the V4 region
- (EaP) Launching or strengthening political, economic and social cooperation between cross-border regions in the spirit of micro-regional cooperation and enhancing connectivity. Improving living standards of cross-border regions, also exploiting possibilities provided by new technologies (digitalisation)
Democratic Values and the Media
- Increased participation of citizens in the democratic system
- Increased awareness of transparency as a norm in society, professionalization of transparency of justice, fight against corruption
- Providing a safer environment and capacity-building for whistleblowers, fact-checkers, investigative journalists and other watchdogs
- Increased volume of media coverage in V4/Western Balkans/EaP region about regionally-relevant topics, increased access to information
- Improved media and information literacy for increased resilience towards biased reporting, disinformation and propaganda
- (WB) Regional cooperation and reconciliation in the WB region
Public Policy and Institutional Partnership
- Increased awareness and active involvement of civil society in policy-making processes with emphasis on youth
- Increased capacity building of civil servants
- Creating new approaches to existing regional public challenges
- Creating common advocacy strategies addressing regional issues
Regional Development, Environment, and Tourism
- Increased number of town/municipality twinning initiatives
- Increased awareness, education and improve regional strategies on environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development
- Diversification of tourism by increasing the range and quality of regional products and services
- (EaP) Competitive economies and economic modernisation as the basis for stable and sustainable development, social welfare and integration to international markets. The role of education, research and innovation in realising these goals.
- (WB) Environment and sustainable development
Social Development
- Promotion of tolerant and inclusive mindset in society, protection of minorities
- Deepened inter-generational understanding and dialogue
- Improved regional strategy and policy for demographic and other social and economic challenges
- Increased awareness and practice of a healthy and active lifestyle and reduction of substance abuse
Eligibility Criteria
- Any legal entity worldwide, with preference given to those from the target countries and the V4 countries, can apply for support within the Visegrad+ Grants program.
- Consortium of organizations of which 3 or more are based in different Visegrad countries
- All types of non-governmental, civil society organizations (CSOs); municipalities and local governments; schools, higher education institutions; research and scientific bodies and public institutions are eligible as lead partner (applicant) and partners in the consortia
- Market actors, e.g.: private entrepreneurs, companies – especially innovation and startup-related actors – with a legal entity are also eligible, but only if their Visegrad project is of nonprofit character
How to Apply
Applicants must apply online via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.visegradfund.org/apply/grants/visegrad-plus-grants/?c=conditions
