Deadline: 7-Oct-20
The project of the Government of Switzerland “Together for an active civil society – ACT” has announced a Call for grants for public advocacy of networks of civil society organizations (CSOs).
The aim of this call is to strengthen the capacity of CSO networks for public advocacy at the local and national levels and for greater involvement of citizens in decision-making processes at the local and national levels.
Key Areas
The project proposal can be submitted by CSO networks whose activities are focused on some of the following key areas of action:
- mobilization and involvement of citizens in decision-making processes;
- monitoring the implementation of laws and policies;
- human and civil rights;
- good governance;
- gender equality and related topics;
- decentralization;
- environmental protection;
- social inclusion and marginalized groups.
The following forms of association are considered to be CSO networks in this Call:
- formal networks – networks registered in the Business Registers Agency (APR) as federations, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Associations (Article 7);
- informal networks (coalitions, alliances, platforms, unions, etc.) – networks that do not have the status of a legal entity, ie. are not registered in the APR as federations and whose members are CSOs, registered in accordance with the Law on Associations or the Law on Endowments and Foundations.
Funding Information
- The amount of individual financial support is up to 2,950,000.00 dinars.
Proposals for advocacy projects should:
- contribute to a participatory decision-making process at the local and / or national level;
- contribute to increasing accountability in the work of local and / or national institutions;
- be aimed at improving the provision of services to citizens (including marginalized groups);
- contribute to strengthening the network’s expertise in the field of network operations.
The emphasis in the project proposal should be on the greatest possible mobilization and participation of citizens, in all phases of public advocacy, with the aim of greater participation of citizens in the decision-making process at the local and/or national level. Innovative approaches to designing and implementing public advocacy campaigns in which citizens actively participate, improving the communication of networks with the public, and greater visibility of the advocacy initiative and the work of the network in the public are especially encouraged.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Network and its members (CSOs) must inherit and include the principles/values of democracy, human rights, transparency, inclusion, gender equality, non-violence, openness, and accessibility in their activities, in order to be able to submit a project proposal for this Call.
- Formal networks should be based in the Republic of Serbia and registered in accordance with the Law on Associations.
- Informal networks should operate on the territory of the Republic of Serbia and bring together CSOs that are registered in accordance with the Law on Associations or the Law on Foundations and Endowments. The project proposal in front of the informal network is submitted by the organization which at the time of submitting the application has the role of coordinator of the network. A CSO that submits a project proposal in front of an informal network cannot be a beneficiary of some other type of support (grants) of an ACT project (institutional grants, local advocacy grants or grants to strengthen local communities).
- The CSO beneficiary of another ACT grant may be part of the applicant network, but may not be a beneficiary of funding granted to the network. Also, a CSO that is a member of several networks that will be awarded a grant under this Call, can be a beneficiary of funds only within one network.
- A formally registered network or CSO that submits a project proposal in front of an informal network should have adequate capacity and be responsible for the preparation and implementation of the selected project and the network’s participation in all other activities.
For more information, visit https://act.org.rs/grants/grantovi-za-javno-zagovaranje-mreza-ogd/