Deadline: 17 April 2020
This call for proposals has been launched in the framework of the Council of Europe Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2020‑2025), Support democratic governance and promote public trust and accountability.
It aims to co-fund national projects aimed at fostering the political participation of Roma. The Council of Europe is looking for grantees to organise Roma Political Schools in the following countries: Greece, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Ukraine. Project proposals shall aim to produce an added value to the Council of Europe efforts in this domain.
Objective
The grants will fund projects designed to foster the political participation of Roma by organising the Roma political schools (this includes at least 2 residential workshops and also a comprehensive mentoring scheme to participants) in one of the countries of the Call.
Note: Applicants must organise and implement the Roma Political Schools in their own country of registration.
Further to the general objective, preference will be given to:
- Projects/actions proposed by Roma led organisations with experience in organising similar events/projects;
- Projects/actions targeting individuals of Roma origin to engage in political action and participation at local, national and international level;
- Projects/actions involving mentorship of young Roma to engage in political action and participation local, national and international level.
- Projects/actions that create synergies with relevant institutions in the context of political participation such as parliaments, universities, local and central authorities, political think-thanks etc.
Means of Action
- The Grantee shall organise at least two residential workshops in their country of registration. A group of minimum 20 participants should be identified to take part in the Roma Political Schools and participate in two residential workshops. The participants must openly declare themselves as Roma. The minimum duration of one workshop will be 2,5 training days. It is expected that the total number of residential training days to be between 5 to 7 days.
- The training workshops should strive to use innovative educational concepts that focus on actions supporting democratic participation and civic activism of Roma people who want to strengthen the role of their local communities and affirm the power of their ideas. The use of varied and diverse educational approaches and methods is important for these training sessions. The participants should have a diverse educational level and backgrounds.
- It is expected that the training workshops provide a balanced combination of formal and non-formal educational methods, with academic presentations, thematic participative debates, storytelling and inspirational examples, group work, individual mentoring, skills sessions, etc. The training sessions should favour approaches that are participant-centred, participatory and innovative, building from needs and concrete examples to ideas, then from ideas to development of strategies focused on impact.
- Each applicant shall foresee in the estimated budget the payment of fees to a pedagogical team that is typically composed of a coordinator of the Roma Political School, trainers and presenters that are responsible to prepare and take part in delivering the training sessions and assisting/mentoring participants in between the residential workshops. A description of the training contents for each of the residential workshops should be included in the application form. The individual sessions of the workshops shall cover subjects related to engagement in politics such as: Political systems, political culture and electoral systems; Roma history, history of Roma participation, Roma emancipation; Rights and participation of minority groups; democracy, rule of law and human rights; Racism, discrimination, anti-Gypsyism; Leadership and public service; Community organising and civil society; Gender equality and Roma women participation; Political parties; Public administration; Specific skills training.
The following types of action will not be considered:
- Projects/actions providing financial support to third parties (re-granting schemes);
- Projects/actions concerning only or mainly individual scholarships for studies or training courses;
- Projects/actions supporting political parties.
Funding Information
- The overall indicative available budget under this call for proposals is € 200,000.00 (two hundred thousand Euros).
- The Council of Europe intends to award 5 grants (one per country) having maximum amounts as follows:
Duration
- The implementation period of the projects should start on 1 May 2020 and shall not extend beyond 15 November 2020.
- Reporting requirements shall be completed on 30 November 2020 at the latest.
- Projects completed prior to the date of submission of the applications will be automatically excluded. As regard projects started prior to the date of submission of the applications, or prior to the date of signature of the grant agreement, only those costs incurred after the date of submission of the grant application could be eligible (provided the agreement concerned so provides).
Funding Conditions
The funds for each grant should in principle be distributed as follows
- 80 % will be paid when the Grant Agreement between the two parties is signed
- The balance will be paid based on actual expenditures incurred, and after the presentation and acceptance by the Council of Europe of the final narrative and financial reports for the Grant implementation.
Target Stakeholders
Projects should target in particular the following key stakeholders:
- Individuals of Roma origin to engage in political action and participation at local, national and international level;
- Roma led organisations with previous experience in organising similar events/projects;
- Experienced trainers and mentors;
The above list is not exhaustive, and projects may propose to target other relevant stakeholders, while keeping in mind the general objective of the Project.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
- Be legally constituted as a non-profit legal entity (organisation/association/foundation) in one of the countries of the call;
- Be entitled to carry out activities described in its project proposal;
- Have been active for at least 2 years in the field of Roma minority rights;
- Have sufficient financial capacity (stable and sufficient sources of funding) to maintain its activity throughout the period for which the grant is awarded and to participate by way of its own resources (including human resources or in-kind contributions);
- Have sufficient operational and professional capacity, including staff, to carry out activities described in its project proposal;
- Have a bank account.
Application Requirements
Each application shall contain:
- The completed and signed Application Form, please also provide a copy of this document in word;
- A provisional budget, please also provide a copy of the budget in excel;
- The other supporting documents:
- CVs of the proposed coordinators and participants/mentors
- Document certifying the registration of the non-profit entity;
- Bank /financial statements authorized by a financial officer of the applicant;
- Contact details of referees;
Applications that are incomplete will not be considered.
For more information, visit https://www.coe.int/en/web/roma-and-travellers/-/call-for-proposals-for-grants-for-the-organisation-of-roma-political-schools-deadline-17-april-2020