Deadline: 01-Apr-2025
The European Commission is pleased to announce its call for Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
This call for proposals aims to build on the lessons learned and expertise gained from past and ongoing information and awareness-raising campaigns and activities in the area of prevention of irregular migration and migrant smuggling, including those implemented by the EU, Member States and International Organisations.
The key challenge lies in designing these campaigns in such a way that they effectively achieve the desired impact. Identified shortcomings include inter alia: –
- Oversimplification: the complexities of migration and migrant smuggling require nuanced messaging that can be difficult to convey simply and effectively. Simplified messages might not capture the full scope of the risks and alternatives, potentially leading to misunderstandings and unintended consequences. Highlighting the dangers of irregular migration might inadvertently glamourize it or lead individuals to believe that the risks are worth taking for potential rewards.
- Lack of credibility: if not carefully crafted, potential migrants might distrust the source of the information, particularly if perceived as government propaganda designed to prevent them from improving their lives.
- Insufficient follow-up: campaigns often lack mechanisms for follow-up support or engagement.
- One-size-fits-all approach: campaigns may not adequately address the diverse motivations and circumstances of different migrant groups.
- Short-term focus: many campaigns do not incorporate aspects of sustainability and fail to create lasting impact.
Objectives
- The specific objectives of the call for proposals are to:
- define and dispel mis- and disinformation: identify and counter false narratives spread by migrant smugglers.
- inform potential migrants about the risks: provide trustworthy, factual, and balanced information about the risks of irregular migration during the journey and after arrival.
- promote legal pathways: provide information on the availability of legal channels to the EU and the modalities for doing so, e.g., in relation to the issuance of visa to study and work abroad.
- provide information on economic opportunities in the country of origin or transit, as well as share information on reintegration, voluntary and forced return.
- build resilience in local communities: work with trusted local actors who are actively involved in outreach activities, like educators and journalists, who will ideally continue to deliver the campaign’s messages beyond the duration of the project.
Scopes
- Proposals for information and awareness-raising campaigns should target migrants in third countries of origin and transit along the key migratory routes towards the EU, in particular, the Eastern, Central and Western Mediterranean and Atlantic routes, the Western Balkans route, the Silk route, and the EU’s eastern border.
- Proposals should address and clearly indicate the above-mentioned migratory routes and/or one or more of the following priority third country(ies): Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Iraq, Kosovo, Mauritania, Montenegro, Morocco, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Senegal, Serbia, Tunisia, and Türkiye.
- Proposals for regional campaigns addressing multiple third countries along a migratory route/neighbouring countries will be favourably considered, provided that such a regional approach is strategically meaningful and aligns with the call’s objectives.
- Campaigns conducted in third countries may include complementary components in Europe aimed at engaging the target audiences’ social networks established in the destination countries.
- Campaigns that envisage activities in EU countries should specify how the diaspora in EU Member States will be involved and how the messages will be addressed in the countries of origin. Campaigns focusing solely on the diaspora within EU Member States without activities implemented in third countries are not in the scope of this call.
Funding Information
- The available call budget is EUR 10,000,000.
- Projects must have a duration of 36 months.
Eligible Activities
- Proposals should include the following components:
- Track record of the applicants in the policy area and on information and awareness raising campaigns, including experience of working with local partners in the selected country or region.
- Preparatory analysis in view of developing a tailored communication strategy for the project. This should identify the migratory context, target audience(s), motivations, information needs and gaps, and preferred communication channels and tools. The preparatory work should rely as much as possible on available research, as well as on results and lessons learnt from previous campaigns and leverage available primary and secondary data. Any field research conducted in the context of this preparatory analysis should be focused on key unknowns or re-test the effectiveness of the approach. Pre-campaign research is crucial and should be demonstrated in the project proposal.
- Tailored communication strategy based on the outcome of the preparatory analysis, in particular, to define:
- a comprehensive concept, including the overarching idea for the campaign structure, the key messages to be used throughout the period of implementation of the activities and the key visual elements;
- SMART campaign objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound);
- the target audience and its segmentation (gender, age, education, profession, etc.);
- Production and implementation of the campaign, in particular:
- pre-testing of concepts and content of the campaign on sample/focus groups of identified target audience;
- production of content of the campaign; – rollout of the communication activities.
- Monitoring and evaluation of the results and impact of the campaign should be based on a learning-focused monitoring strategy with frequent testing of campaign elements, that allows to adapt the campaign based on the results and/or changed circumstances. In particular, it should include:
- a theory of change guiding both the campaign design and evaluation;
- a results framework;
- planned data collection methods;
- Strategy for the sustainability of the campaign activities taking into account the potential long-term results, including cooperation with the authorities of the third country concerned and the long-lasting effects of the engagement in the local communities. Providing a sound evaluation of the results of the campaign would also further enhance the sustainability of the communication activities.
Expected Outcomes
- The study offers several recommendations for enhanced outcomes, including inter alia:
- Evidence-based design: use data and research to inform campaign content and methods.
- Tailored messaging: customize messages to address the specific contexts and needs of different target audiences. Focus on and adapt to particular groups of migrants by narrowing down to the most important sub-populations. Use the most adequate communication channels for the specific groups of the target audience.
- Credible messengers: utilize trusted local voices and influencers to deliver credible messages. Engage local influencers. Their involvement can enhance credibility and reach within communities.
- Community engagement: build trust and work with communities in countries of origin to soften the stigma of return, to change perspectives on returnees and to support the re-integration processes and reconciliation with families. Community-based methods such as workshops, local events and direct engagement involving community members can increase the impact of messages.
- The role of social networks: take into account the role of established social networks, including family and friends, in countries of origin, transit and destination, in the decision-making process of potential migrants.
- Monitoring and evaluation: continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns. Refine and improve strategies based on what works best in different contexts.
Deliverables
- The following key deliverables for the corresponding components should be included in the proposals:
- Inception report, including the results from the targeted preparatory analysis carried out in order to develop the tailored communication strategy.
- Tailored communication strategy document, including definition of the geographical scope (e.g. if target communities established or transiting across several countries), audience segmentation, selection of topics and messages, plan for the use of tailored media, social media and any suitable communication channels, detailed plan for the roll-out of the campaign, that can be adapted during the project basing on continuous monitoring and evaluation.
- Monitoring and evaluation methodology document16, outlining a theory of change, a results framework and the planned data collection methods.
- Content of the information and awareness raising campaign, including products and services designed, produced and disseminated during the campaign.
- Quarterly monitoring reports, including on implementation, contingencies and adjustment measures and progress towards achieving the proposed key performance indicators.
- Midterm progress report using the standard form available on the Participant Portal.
- Final report including the results, as well as the observations from the monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)), excluding Denmark,
- non-EU countries:
- countries associated to the AMIF (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.
For more information, visit European Commission.