Deadline: 15-Jun-23
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network is inviting applications to support CSOs to conduct research, evidence gathering, and knowledge creation to address urgent threats to the civic space or specific windows of opportunities for prompting policy and legal change affecting the enabling environment for civil society development.
Aim of the call
- The call is in line with the overall objective of the Hub to strengthen regional cooperation to promote civic space in the Western Balkan countries.
- The Hub will support research aimed to collect evidence and or knowledge from the region, that is specifically aimed to contribute towards the first specific objective of the Hub – A conducive environment for civil society development that enables them to be influential actors in society.
Funding Information
- The maximum grant limit for this type of support is EUR 6.000,00. The overall amount available under this Call is EUR 50.000,00.
Activities and areas to be supported
- Under this call, applicants may submit research proposals needed to support their advocacy actions to protect the civic space in one or more of the Western Balkan countries that would benefit from a regional perspective, collaboration, or exchange. Comparative regional research aimed at influencing public opinion and policy processes for protecting and promoting the civic space and the civil society enabling environment is specifically encouraged.
- The support can be provided only for research and subsequent advocacy actions (if planned) that are aimed at current, ongoing practices or policy processes that affect the enabling environment for civil society development. Support can be provided for research proposals that examine and mainstream the respect and implementation of standards for enabling environment for CSOs working on thematic issues such as gender equality, environmental and clime change, and human rights and democracy.
- Preference will be given to research proposals that address the key findings from the latest BCSDN Monitoring of the civil society enabling environment that in a nutshell has flagged the following issues affecting the civil society operating environment:
- Area 1: Freedom of Association, Assembly, and Expression
- Inadequate policies and practices concerning freedom of association, increased state interference in the internal work of CSOs; Violations of freedom of expression and assembly, lack of strategic approach towards the increasing number of SLAPP lawsuits, problematic regulations on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
- Area 2: Framework for CSO Financial Viability and Sustainability
- Fiscal treatment of CSOs and donors that is not stimulative and not contributing to the CSO financial sustainability and viability; Ineffective tax incentives and complicated procedures for tax exemption;
- Systems for public funding that are not transparent, effective, and accessible for CSOs.
- Area 3: Government-CSO Relationship:
- Downward trend in effective and genuine consultations with civil society throughout the region, limited CSOs’ influence in policy and decision-making processes.
- Area 1: Freedom of Association, Assembly, and Expression
Eligibility Criteria
- All types of CSOs, platforms, organizations, and academic institutions, operating in at least one of the countries of the Western Balkan region- Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and the Republic of North Macedonia, as long as these are:
- Non-governmental and
- Not for profit.
Ineligible costs
- Ineligible costs include:
- Co-funding for other projects/ activities;
- Costs related to the preparation of the project proposal;
- Costs covered from other sources;
- Rent costs;
- Excessive and reckless costs.
For more information, visit Balkan Civil Society Development Network.