Deadline: 19 August 2019
The European Union (EU) is seeking proposals for its grant program entitled “Operating Support to Civil Society Organizations in the Republic of North Macedonia”.
The specific objective of this call for proposals is to provide support to the functioning of civil society organisations to implement their core activities against an agreed work programme in a number of pre-defined sectors/priorities for monitoring central and local government policies. The objective would have a positive impact on the lives of citizens in ensuring their active involvement in the sector.
Priorities Area
The activities foreseen in the work programme should correspond to the pursuit of the organisation’s statutory objectives which must be clearly indicating one (1) priority sector out of the below eleven (11) priority sectors.
- Anti-discrimination (LGBTI, disabilities, minorities, etc.)
- Environment & Climate change (air pollution, solid waste management, energy efficiency & renewable resources, spatial planning, wild construction, etc.)
- Justice and rule of law (respect of rule of law, protection of personal data, access to justice and free legal aid, court monitoring, investigations, inspectorates, etc.)
- Anti-corruption (follow up of cases by whistle-blowers and SCPC), public procurement, transparency, effective oversight and remedy
- Quality in Education (formal and non-formal) and Inclusiveness
- Public administration reform, recruitment and services to citizens
- Gender Equality and women rights;
- Consumer Rights, Health, Safety at work and Occupational Right, and Patients’ Rights
- Fight against organised crime, Cyber security, etc.
- Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE) and anti-radicalization
- EU integration and youth
Thematic Areas
- Strengthened capacities of civil society in promoting a competent, transparent and effective civil society sector that is accountable;
- Increased initiatives for broader civic engagement with a main impact of improved life of citizens;
- Strengthened watchdog, policy monitoring and public advocacy of the civil society organisations for the Government implementation of sectorial policies and legislation, with a focus on those related to the EU key reforms, etc.;
- CSOs accountability to target groups: (i) strengthening link between CSOs (including local action groups) and their constituencies/target groups, (ii) awareness-raising activities of civil society work, (iii) accountability implementation mechanisms (i.e. reporting, consultations, focus groups, promotion of volunteerism).
Size of Grants
Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
- minimum amount: EUR 40,000.00
- maximum amount: EUR 80,000.00
Eligibility Criteria
- Lead applicant
- In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
- be a legal person and
- be non-profit-making and
- be a non-governmental organisation and
- be established in the Republic of North Macedonia at least two (2) years before this call is launched and
- a body pursuing an aim of general Union interest, that is an entity representing non-profit bodies active in North Macedonia and promoting principles and policies consistent with the objectives of the Treaties; or a body having an objective forming part of, and supporting, a Union policy and
- be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the work programme with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.(2)
- Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if they are in any of the situations.
- Co-applicant(s)
- No co-applicants under this call.
- Affiliated entities
- The lead applicant may act with affiliated entity(ies)
- Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant:
- Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
- This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
- Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
- Entities affiliated to applicant may hence be:
- Entities directly or indirectly controlled by an applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by an applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
- Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
- Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
- Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities.
- Entities affiliated to applicant may hence be:
- Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
- In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
How to Apply
- The application procedure consists of two phases:
- Concept notes
- Full applications
- In the first instance, only concept notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, lead applicants who have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a full application.
For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/30DDFwD and download the guidelines.