Deadline: 22-Dec-22
The Embassy of the Netherlands is happy to announce the call for applications under the auspices of the MATRA program.
The Netherlands Fund for Regional Partnership MATRA (‘MAatschappelijke TRAnsformatie’ is Dutch for ‘societal transformation’) is a program aimed at supporting activities in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, in order to contribute to a sustainable and stable relationship between government and its citizens. The projects that they support through MATRA, in Serbia and Montenegro, are complementary to the EU policy.
In 2023, the Embassy seeks to support projects of the civil society that will primarily focus on combating corruption and undue influence, and enhance independence of institutions and media. These are fields in which progress is necessary, as outlined in the annual reports of European Commission, and priorities set by governments of Serbia and Montenegro.
Thematic scope: Corruption/ Undue influence/ Independence of institutions and media
Areas
In order to do so, the projects should contribute in the areas of Cluster 1 (Fundamentals) of the EU accession process, that are most relevant to the objectives of the MATRA programme:
- Judiciary and fundamental rights
- Justice, freedom and security
- Financial control
- Public procurement
Funding Criteria
- Applications for project financing must be relevant to the overall aim of the program and should exclusively concern the MATRA themes mentioned above.
- Project financing is available for local civil society organizations. Organizations with ongoing MATRA projects that carry through to 2024 are not eligible for financial support under this call.
- The minimum amount of MATRA contribution per project is € 100.000; the maximum is € 300.000.
- The project duration should be minimum 2 years and maximum 3 years.
Ineligible
- Humanitarian aid
- Commercial activities
- Projects with a predominantly academic focus, i.e. feasibility studies, research, etc.
- Projects that exclusively or largely include the delivery of goods or materials
- Infrastructural or construction projects
- Bursaries
- Training courses for civil servants or members of the diplomatic corps
For more information, visit https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/documents/publications/2022/11/15/matra-call-for-applications-2023
