Deadline: 22-Oct-2024
The Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) is pleased to announce a call for proposals funded by the European Union, aimed at strengthening civil society in five EU Member States: Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal.
Objective
- The NHC aims to provide grants to its partner civil society organisations and grassroots initiatives working in the field of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption, within the five countries of the project: Portugal, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria.
- Coalition building is a key dimension of this project, as this is a proven strategy to build the resilience of CSOs, and offers the possibility to better coordinate actions and exchange information to more effectively operate. These coalition-building activities will take place at local, regional, national and cross country levels, as well as on a EU level, thus bringing together relevant stakeholders from the different target countries to discuss and develop joint strategies to address shrinking civic space and policy recommendations that will be presented to national and EU policy makers. This call will also enable local CSOs to more systematically contribute to national and EU policy consultations, to influence and monitor new policies and to flag concerning trends in relation to civic space and the protection of Union values.
Funding Information
- The NHC aims to provide up to 3 grants per target country (Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal), each grant between 30,000 and 40.000 EUR.
- The project will have a duration between of 12 and 18 months.
- The anticipated starting date for the selected projects is November 2024.
Expected Results
- Enhanced Coalition Formation:
- Formation of diverse and inclusive coalitions comprising multiple CSOs, community groups, and stakeholders with aligned goals.
- Increased networking and collaboration among CSOs from different sectors, sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise.
- Strengthened relationships between CSOs and relevant government bodies, leading to more effective advocacy and policy engagement.
- Robust Strategy Development:
- Development of well-defined and evidence-based strategies by participating CSOs to address specific challenges in the field of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption.
- Enhanced capacity of CSOs to analyse complex issues, identify root causes, and design comprehensive strategies for sustainable change.
- Creation of adaptable strategies that incorporate stakeholder input, innovative approaches, and measurable objectives.
- Increased Advocacy Impact:
- Successful implementation of advocacy campaigns resulting in policy changes at national or regional levels.
- Amplified voice of CSOs in policy discussions, leading to greater influence over decisions affecting their target issues.
- Improved ability to communicate and advocate for policy changes, using data-driven arguments and compelling narratives.
- Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Sharing:
- Enhanced skills and capacities of CSO staff and members in areas such as coalition building, strategic planning, advocacy, and communication.
- Regular knowledge exchange sessions and workshops within the coalition, leading to cross-learning and the adoption of best practices.
- Documentation of lessons learned and success stories to share with the broader CSO community and inspire replication.
- Promoting Civic Engagement:
- Increased engagement and participation of community members in CSO-led initiatives, resulting in more informed and empowered citizens.
- Establishment of platforms for ongoing dialogue between CSOs and decision-makers/ policy-makers.
Eligible Activities
- Coalition building & coordination meetings
- Strategy development & strategy meetings
- Preparation of policy documents based on strategies
- Development of civic space monitoring and protection tools
Eligibility Criteria
- The grant can be received by:
- Registered civil society organisations’ working on the protection and promotion of EU values including on enhancing women’s rights, and/or environmental justice and/ or anti-corruption.
- CSO’s upholding and respecting EU values in their work (such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities).
Ineligible
- CSO’s breaching EU values or with a political/religious affiliation as well as public administration institutions, state agencies, local or regional authorities, are not eligible for this call.
For more information, visit NHC.