Deadline: Ongoing
The Open Society Foundations Roma Initiative Office is seeking applications from Roma and pro-Roma organizations, and non-formal groups, networks, or individuals to apply for urgent-action grants. The foundation supports timely actions and opportunities that promote structural change for the benefit of Roma or respond to anti-Roma events and trends.
While the foundation supports the strategic advancement of Roma with a long-term view, this fund will provide short-term support to the field at times when an unforeseen social or political event requires fast action or the adaptation of approaches.
The Opportunity Fund is part of Roma Initiative Office (RIO) that supports advocacy aimed at influencing public decision-making, service delivery, and state responses to acts of hate and violence. Their work is about seizing short-term opportunities, extending their partnership with pro-Roma civil society, and experimenting with new models for influencing national governments.
Through this call for concept papers, RIO is seeking proposals for innovative and creative actions that will forge new interest-based alliances, build mass constituencies, and employ effective communication tactics.
Funding Information: The Opportunity Fund supports urgent, action-focused grants of up to $15,000 to provide immediate support for seizing opportunities as they arise or making timely responses to crisis situations.
Categories
- Seizing a window of opportunity for achieving change, including precedent setting at the legal, policy, or institutional level (Actions could also aim to protect good policies or legal frameworks that are under attack.)
- Responses to hate, violence, or politically volatile environments, including responses to hate speech
Eligibility Criteria
Actions should fulfill all of the following criteria in order to be eligible for funding:
- Unexpected and time-sensitive: The action is a response to a specific event, social situation, or an opportunity that could not have been predicted and that requires immediate reaction.
- Strategic and policy-relevant: While we do not expect policy change to happen within a short time, the proposed action must be designed with a perspective for change in policies, practices, or public discourse in the long term. The action should be based on a strategy that would allow for adjustments according to new needs or shifts in the context.
- Roma-centered: While it is not necessary for the applicant organization to be a Roma NGO, applicants must demonstrate Roma leadership or partnership on an equal footing in all phases of the action. Roma should also benefit from the policy change targeted with the action.
- Location: The action must respond to an opportunity or crisis taking place in one of the eligible countries: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, or Spain.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit concept papers in English. Applications are accepted by:
- Online Application: submit concept papers, which should not exceed two pages.
- Video Application: Applicant can also choose to explain their action by filming a video (Please note that the video should not exceed 25MB.)
Eligible Countries: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, or Spain
For more information, visit Open Society Foundation Opportunity Fund.
