Call for Proposals: EU Peacebuilding Initiative (Israel and Palestine)

Deadline: 7-Mar-24

The European Commission (EC) has announced the call for proposals to achieve greater public and political support for the two-state solution among specific constituencies and groups in Israel and Palestine through civil society’s positive engagement.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

• The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals are:
  • Specific objective 1: Civil society’s leverage on public discourse in support of a just and negotiated two-state solution in Israel and Palestine is fostered.
    • Expected outcomes
      • Civil society’s national and transnational cooperation in favour of a just and negotiated two-state solution is fostered.
      • Civil society’s advocacy efforts with decision makers on the policy level in favour of a just and negotiated two-state solution are enhanced.
      • Inter-group and intra-groups participation in dialogue on policy /advocacy issues in support of a two-state solution on the societal level is fostered, particularly with constituencies/groups who oppose or are not supportive of a just and negotiated two-state solution.
    • Type of Actions, indicative list:
      • Initiatives creating a specific and measurable impact among decision makers that either promote or preserve the conditions necessary for a negotiated settlement of the conflict;
      • Initiatives that aim at supporting participatory and inclusive civil and political engagement of women and men on both sides through, but not limited to advocacy and awareness-raising for peace-oriented policy-shaping initiatives including at the grass-roots level.
  • Specific objective 2: Societal changes in Israel and Palestine conducive to a climate favourable to peacebuilding and supportive of a just and negotiated two-state solution are promoted by civil society.
    • Expected outcomes
      • 2.1 A culture of peace and human rights (including mutual understanding, tolerance, and trust) as a set of values conducive to peaceful societies and co-existence is fostered.
      • 2.2 Inter-group and intra-groups dialogue aimed at building trust both at national and transnational level is fostered.
    • Type of Actions, indicative list:
      • Initiatives that promote a culture of peace, mutual understanding, tolerance and trust; deconstructing narratives about ‘the other’ and fighting stereotypes – including those based on gender, age, ethnicity or other;
      • initiatives counteracting radicalization, incitement to violence and misinformation, including challenging narratives that are contrary to a culture for peace.
• The priority(ies) of this call for proposals are:
  • Preserving and promoting the viability and acceptance by society of a just and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution and the respect for human rights, tolerance and mutual understanding as a set of values supportive of peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. This should be reflected in interventions implemented following a rights-based and value-based approach, encompassing all human rights.
  • Engaging youth in conflict transformation and in building a culture of peace based on human rights according to international standards within both societies. This should be reflected in inclusive initiatives promoting youth (young men and young women) involvement in planning and policy-making, political participation, violence prevention, and promotion of societal peace by means of positive change towards peacebuilding in conflict.
  • Empowering women and girls and enhancing their role and meaningful participation in conflict prevention and conflict transformation as agents of positive change at societal level. This should be reflected in initiatives directly addressing women and girls and their meaningful participation in the entire project cycle.
  • Engaging stakeholders and constituencies that are traditionally less exposed, or less or not at all committed to the MEPP and the two-state solution vision.

Sectors or Themes

• Peacebuilding, conflict transformation

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 5 000 000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
• Indicative allocation of funds by lot:
  • Specific objective 1/ Lot 1: EUR 2 500 000
  • Specific objective 2/ Lot 2: EUR 2 500 000
• Size of grants
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • Specific objective 1/Lot 1:
      • minimum amount: EUR 400 000
      • maximum amount: EUR 1 000 000
    • Specific objective 2/Lot 2:
      • minimum amount: EUR 400 000
      • maximum amount: EUR 1 000 000

Duration

• The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 48 months.

Location

• Actions must take place in one or more of the following country(ies) and territories: Israel, Palestine. Activities may take place in European Union Member States.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant(s)
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • be non-profit-making and
    • be a specific type of organisation, namely non-governmental organisations. In addition, education and training institutions (schools, universities, research centres), think tanks and notfor-profit media can also participate
    • be established in a Member State of the European Union or Israel or Palestine and
    • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the coapplicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • Where the lead applicant is not established in Israel or in Palestine, then the lead applicant must act with at least one Israeli or one Palestinian co-applicant. Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
  • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator)
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to coapplicant(s):
    • 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 on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
        • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
          • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the 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.

For more information, visit European Commission.