Deadline: 12-Jun-25
The programme “Protecting Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law through an open civic space” (PLATO) aims is to protect, promote and raise awareness of EU rights & values by financially supporting Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and by improving their knowledge, capacity and sustainability.
PLATO is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) programme, and by the Bodossaki Foundation and NGO Support Centre, with the total grant amount of €3.1 million.
PLATO is coordinated by the Bodossaki Foundation (Greece), in consortium with the NGO Support Centre (Cyprus). PLATO will also provide an integrated capacity building programme and professional support services, tailored to the needs of CSOs in Greece and Cyprus, to promote their organisational development and sustainability.
The two (2) Open Calls for Project Proposals are the following:
- 1st Open Call: ‘Empower civil society to promote the rule of law, participative democracy and good governance, and to defend civic space and media freedom’
- 2nd Open Call: ‘Protect and promote human rights, democracy and equality through empowering vulnerable groups’
Priority Areas
- 1st Open Call
- Applicants must choose one out of the following three priority areas:
- Promotion of the rule of law
- Civil society has an important role to play in contributing to the checks and balances that uphold the rule of law. Projects under this priority will support CSOs in promoting the rule of law, advocating judicial independence, tackling corruption, and increasing public awareness of the importance of a fair legal system. Initiatives may include legal monitoring, strategic litigation, and policy advocacy to enhance institutional accountability and transparency.
- Promotion of participatory and deliberative democracy and good governance
- Ensuring inclusive and participatory governance is vital for a healthy democracy. Projects under this priority will promote dialogue between civil society and authorities and the involvement of civil society in decision-making, to contribute to inclusive, participatory and deliberative democratic and policy-making processes, transparency and good governance.
- Promotion of an open civic space, media freedom and media pluralism
- An open civil space that supports an enabling environment for civil society actors and media freedom are both essential to protect EU rights and values. Under this priority, CSOs will be supported to implement projects aimed at promoting the civic space for civil society actors to operate, and/or to safeguard media pluralism and media freedom.
- Promotion of the rule of law
- Applicants must choose one out of the following three priority areas:
- 2nd Open Call
- Applicants must choose one out of the following three priority areas:
- Protect and promote the fundamental rights of vulnerable groups
- Vulnerable groups are often at risk of human rights violations. Women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with disabilities, migrants and refugees, ethnic and religious minorities, older people, and youth often encounter barriers to accessing justice, employment, healthcare, and education. Projects under this priority will focus on raising awareness of fundamental human rights and the importance of equal access to rights and implementing strategies to protect and enable these groups to exercise their rights fully.
- Enable the active participation of vulnerable groups in political and public life
- Projects supported under this priority will work towards reducing the barriers to the participation of vulnerable groups in political and public life, ensuring that marginalized communities can engage in political decision-making, and fostering inclusive democratic participation.
- Promote gender equality and strengthen gender mainstreaming
- Projects supported under this priority will conduct activities to promote gender equality as one of the main pillars of a just society, and/or strengthen gender mainstreaming as an essential strategy for promoting gender equality, giving particular emphasis to intersectional approaches to address the multiple layers of discrimination faced by women and other marginalized groups.
- Protect and promote the fundamental rights of vulnerable groups
- Applicants must choose one out of the following three priority areas:
Funding Information
- The total amount allocated through the calls is €2.256.200 (€1.847.000 allocated for Greece and €409.200 for the Republic of Cyprus).
- The 2 Open Calls for project proposals offer two types of grants: small and large
- The grant amount for small grant projects ranges from a minimum of €20,000 to a maximum of €30,000 per project. For large grant projects, the funding ranges from €30,001 to a maximum of €60,000 per project.
Duration
- For small grant projects, the implementation period must be between 10 and 12 months. An extension of up to two months for approved projects may be granted only in exceptional circumstances, subject to approval by the Project Management Team. This extension will not increase the grant amount awarded.
- For large grant projects, the implementation period must be between 12 and 14 months. An extension of up to one month for approved projects may be granted only in exceptional circumstances, subject to approval by the Project Management Team. This extension will not increase the grant amount awarded.
- Projects are expected to commence between January-February 2026.
Geographic Focus
- All project activities must take place in Greece for applications from Greece and in the Republic of Cyprus for applications from the Republic of Cyprus, with the exception of activities that support learning and exchange with CSOs in other EU counties which may also take place in other EU Member States.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible lead applicants and partners are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with legal status in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, and come under the following definition:
- A civil society organisation is an organisational structure which serves the general interest through democratic processes, and which plays the role of mediator between public authorities and citizens, including all non-state, non-profit, independent structures, which oppose all forms of violence and promote and protect the fundamental rights and values on the basis of which the EU was founded
- Specifically for Greece, eligible lead applicants and partners are the following:
- Civil Society Organisations as defined in the relevant Greek Law 4873/2021, i.e. and civil non-profit companies
- and
- public benefit foundations provided under Greek Law 4182/2013 as in force from time to time.
- Specifically for Republic of Cyprus, eligible lead applicants and partners are Civil Society Organisations based in the Republic of Cyprus and established under and in compliance with the relevant Law 104(I)/2017 and its amendments (non-for-profit associations, foundations, federations and/or unions), the Companies Act (Cap. 113) (for non-for-profit companies) or the Charitable Foundations Law (Cap. 41), and non-governmental, non-profit organisations that have been established by special law.
- Eligible lead applicants and partners (if applicable) should also be independent of local, regional and national governments, other (including public) authorities and political parties. In addition, the funded projects must not be of a religious, political or trade union/ commercial nature.
- A civil society organisation is an organisational structure which serves the general interest through democratic processes, and which plays the role of mediator between public authorities and citizens, including all non-state, non-profit, independent structures, which oppose all forms of violence and promote and protect the fundamental rights and values on the basis of which the EU was founded
- In addition, to be eligible, lead applicants and partners must:
- be based in Greece for applications received in Greece and in the Republic of Cyprus for applications received in the Republic of Cyprus.
- have been in operation for at least twelve (12) months since their legal establishment before the deadline for submission of applications.
- have the ability to submit financial data for at least a period of twelve (12) months (calendar year).
For more information, visit Bodossaki Foundation.