Deadline: 15-Sep-21
The Programme Operator of Programme “Local development, poverty reduction and enhanced inclusion of vulnerable groups”, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, announces a call for project proposals “Education and care in early childhood”.
The procedure aims to provide support to children from vulnerable groups, including Roma communities in early childhood and their families to improve access to health care, develop parenting skills, improve the family environment, increase school readiness for children, inclusion in the education system, with the aim of reducing the transmission of intergenerational poverty. The procedure provides support for the establishment of centers and/or for the implementation of a complex of functionally related services (hub) for education and care at an early age through:
- extension of the existing centers or complex of services for education and care in early childhood;
- creation of new divisions or initiatives/mobile services to the existing ones;
- creation of new centers or complex of services, provided that on the territory of the respective municipality there are no such services or the access of the target groups to the existing services is limited/difficult due to remoteness or social or health-related reasons.
Objectives
- Creating a center/complex of services (hubs), which provides functional services for education and care in early childhood to children from the target groups and their parents, including:
- Support to children at an early age and support for access to education;
- Improvement of the access to social and health services for children from vulnerable groups;
- Support the transition from family to formal education environment;
- Engagement and involvement of families and the community in ensuring quality education and care from an early age through repeated and consistent interventions; building parental competence, healthcare, social and life skills, as well as development and education of children.
Funding Information
- Total budget: 6,029,412 (six million twenty nine thousand four hundred and twelve) Euro
- Minimum amount: 200,000 (two hundred thousand) Euro
- Maximum amount: 500,000 (five hundred thousand) Euro
- The Grant rate may be up to 100% of the total eligible expenditure under the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Municipalities in Bulgaria with at least three socially isolated communities with a concentration of problems creating a risk of poverty, social exclusion and marginalization, and with not less than 300 children aged 0-6. Municipalities in disadvantaged areas with a percentage of Roma population above 5% will be prioritized. The planned activities shall be targeted at representatives of the target groups from all project partner municipalities simultaneously. Every municipality may take part (as an applicant or partner) in only one project proposal. Priority will be given to projects implemented in partnership with other municipalities to achieve the common requirements.
- The applicant could use assistance for the preparation of the project proposal from the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, which will provide expert assistance under the GALOP project, financed with funds from the EEA FM.
- Public authorities, municipalities, associations of municipalities and non-governmental organisations. Partners that are not municipalities may apply as partner in up to three project proposals.
- The project shall be implemented in partnership with a non-governmental organization established in Bulgaria working in the area of Roma social inclusion, education and care in early childhood, social and/or health activities, and having the necessary experience, as defined in the Selection criteria.
- The applicant could use assistance for the preparation of the project proposal from the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, which will provide expert assistance under the GALOP project, financed with funds from the EEA FM.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3iG1TlA
