Grants to support Civil Society Organisations in Suriname

Deadline: 24-Jul-24

The European Commission is currently accepting applications to support civil society organisations in Suriname.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

• Lot 1: Civil Society Programme: Natural Resources Protection & Management 
  • The global objective of the CSO programme is to strengthen Suriname’s CSOs as independent actors of good governance and development and to promote inclusive and safe participation of Suriname’s citizens, both as independent actors of good governance and development in their own right. This action must contribute to an inclusive, participatory, empowered and independent civil society and democratic space in Suriname and an inclusive and open dialogue with and between Civil Society Organisations.
  • The specific objective(s) of Lot 1:
    • Aims to strengthen small and grassroots CSOs as actors in governance and accountability at local level with special protection of natural resources (forest partnership, mining, climate change and conservation)
    • Aims to support responsible mining initiative, aimed at reducing the negative environmental and social impacts of artisanal, small and medium scale and the reduction of the use of mercury.
  • Priorities of Lot 1:
    • Enhanced transparency and accountability through CSO involvement in forest partnership activities.
    • Improved responsible mining initiative aimed at reducing significant negative environmental and social impacts of artisanal, small and medium scale mining and reduced mercury usage.
    • Enhanced security, social and economic development and promotion of rights of tribal and or maroon women, girls and youth in forest partnership initiatives.
• Lot 2: Democracy and Governance 
  • The global objective is to heighten the monitoring of the enabling environment and engaging on issues related to the defence and promotion of civic space in Suriname.
  • The specific objective(s) of Lot 2:
    • Aims to improve public trust in representative democracy.
    • To strengthen capacities of CSOs, active on national, local and grass-root levels in supporting democracy, protection of the integrity of the electoral process.
    • To support gender equality, inclusive and full participation of women, youth, Indigenous peoples, People living with Disability, the LGBTQ+, Human Rights groups, religious and other vulnerable groups in the national and regional electoral process.
  • Priority of Lot 2:
    • Develop capacities of local civil society organisations, including through building advocacy, resilience, networking and strengthening viability and sustainability, in order to support the electoral process and to increase social accountability and civic participation.
• Lot 3: Human Rights & Democracy Programme: Gender Equality Women & Children’s Rights 
  • The global objective of the Human Rights & Democracy (HR&D) thematic programme is to promote and protect Human Rights and Fundamental freedom, Democracy and the Rule of Law in Suriname.
  • The specific objective(s) of Lot 3:
    • Support to CSOs in promoting Gender Equality and Women & Child Rights in selected communities.
    • Prevent and Respond to Gender-based violence in selected communities.
  • The priorities of Lot 3:
    • Protecting and empowering Women and Children on their rights related issues such as gender-based violence.
    • Improved systems for victims of violence and sexual abuse.
    • Increased equality, inclusion and respect for diversity.

Sectors or Themes

• Lots 1 and 2 
  • Democracy and Governance
  • Forest Partnership
  • Sustainable mining
  • Natural resources management
• Lot 3 
  • Gender Equality and Women Rights
  • Child Rights

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under the call for proposals is EUR 832,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds. Indicative allocations of funds by lots/geographical distribution:
  • Lot 1: EURO 310,000
  • Lot 2: EURO 302,000
  • Lot 3: EURO 220,000
• Size of grants 
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must not exceed the below maximum amount and must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • Lot 1 
      • The indicative amount made available Lot 1 is EUR 310,000 and could result in only one contract.
        • minimum amount: EUR 100,000
        • maximum amount: EUR 310,000
    • Lot 2 
      • The indicative amount made available Lot 2 is EUR 302,000 and could result in only one contract.
        • minimum amount: EUR 100,000
        • maximum amount: EUR 302,000
    • Lot 3
    • The indicative amount made available Lot 3 is EUR 220,000 and could result in only one contract.
      • minimum amount: EUR 200,000
      • maximum amount: EUR 220,000

Duration

• The initial duration of an action may not be lower than 24 months nor exceed 36 months.

Types of Activity 

• Types of activities, which may be financed under Lot 1:
  • Actions that will foster regional network (exchanges and study tours with respect to natural resources management and protection)
  • Activities that will promote digital platforms (disseminate documentaries, podcasts, etc)
  • Promoting inclusive and strategic partnerships, networking and cooperation with and among CSOs and other relevant stakeholders pertaining to natural resources management.
  • Activities that will allow for inclusivity and full participation of tribal and/or maroon women, in the Social and Economic development of their communities.
  • Environmental hazard mapping inclusive of mining and use of mercury.
• Types of activities, which may be financed under Lot 2: 
  • Capacity building and civic engagement on the electoral process
  • Meetings, seminars and round table dialogues
  • Joint activities with private sector and public institutions
  • Capacity building for journalists to provide unbiased reporting throughout the electoral process.
  • Capacity building for political parties to ensure effective campaigns
  • Applicants for Lot 2 must outline how the target groups will receive capacity building in a fair, transparent and effective manner.
• Types of activity, which may be financed under Lot 3: 
  • Community driven activities to increase knowledge and awareness of their human rights.
  • Advocacy and awareness raising on the importance of gender equality and women’s and Child rights. This can include using social media, public awareness campaigns, and working with media outlets to promote accurate and inclusive reporting on gender, women and children.
  • Capacity building on GBV and prevention and how to deliver safe identification and psychological support services.
  • Building partnerships with other organizations and or governments to promote gender equality and women’s and children’s rights. This can include collaborating with other CSOs or international organizations, and supporting efforts by government to address gender-based violence and discrimination
  • Organisation of exchange and dissemination of best practices.

Location 

• Actions must take place in Suriname.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person or natural person and
    • be non-profit-making and
    • be a non-governmental organisation/Civil Society Organisation and
    • be established in Suriname or
    • be established in a Member State of the European Union and
    • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary and
    • have proven track record(s) of capacity building of CSOs and other entities, preferably in natural resources management;
    • have a proven track record of working in electoral processes.
  • International Organisations are not eligible to apply nor can act as co-applicant(s) under this call.
• Co-applicant(s) 
  • 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/herself.
  • In addition to the categories referred the following are however also eligible:
    • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
    • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant will become beneficiary in the action (together with the coordinator).
  • In addition, contracts cannot be awarded to or signed with applicants included in the lists of EU restrictive measures.
• Affiliated entities 
  • The lead applicants 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 co-applicant(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 EC.