Deadline: 17-May-21
Active Citizens Fund – Regional is a programme funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway (hereinafter referred to as ‘Donor States’) under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (so-called ‘EEA Funds’).
The Programme shall be based on the common values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.
The Programme shall follow the principles of good governance; it shall be participatory and inclusive, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient. There shall be zerotolerance towards corruption. The Programme shall be consistent with sustainable development, long-term economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection. The Programme shall follow a results and risk management approach.
Areas of Support
- Human rights protection (including gender equality): Actions aiming to raise awareness about human rights and equal treatment, counteract and prevent human right violations and all other forms of discrimination, provide support to those suffering from human right violations and/or discrimination.
- Promoting social diversity and preventing exclusion: Actions aimed to raise awareness about the needs of minority group members and those at risk of social exclusion; raise awareness of social inequalities; accelerate social integration; empower minority group members and people at risk of social exclusion.
- Building democratic culture and civic engagement at local level (including activism for environment and climate change): Actions aimed to show how non-governmental organisations impact the development of local communities and democratic culture; strengthen civil society; increase the significance of citizenship education; expand cooperation and partnerships at local level; enhance critical thinking skills; strengthen watchdogs; disseminate knowledge on climate change.
- Supporting the development of the civic sector: In this area, they will allocate funds to building institutional capacity of applicants and partners that are granted funds for thematic projects in Areas 1–3.
Funding Information
- There are two types of grants available in the call for proposals: small grants and large grants.
- Small grants:
- minimum grant amount: EUR 6,000
- maximum grant amount: EUR 23,000
- implementation period: 6 to 18 months
- Large grants:
- minimum grant amount: EUR 23,001
- maximum grant amount: EUR 84,000
- implementation period: 12 to 24 months
- Small grants:
- Project actions must commence within three months from call result announcement, i.e. at latest by 31 December 2021, but not earlier than on 1 October 2021. Projects must be completed by 30 September 2023.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants: Applicants, i.e. entities who intend to submit applications independently or assume the role of partnership leaders, must meet the following criteria:
- they are registered with the National Court Register (KRS), entered into the register of ordinary associations or the register of Rural Housewives Circles maintained by the President of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARiMR);
- at the time of submitting the grant application, they have been registered for at least six months (for small grants) or twelve months (for large grants);
- they are capable of presenting their financial statements prior to signing the grant agreement or, if they are not required to draft financial statements, a comprehensive summary of revenue and expenditure for the last reporting year or the last 12 (for large grants) or six months (for small grants);
- they are independent of local, regional and central authorities, public entities, political parties and for-profit entities;
- they do not seek to generate profit, and – if they pursue business activity – any profit made is allocated to the objects and aims listed in their memorandum of association;
- they act for the common good, not only to the benefit of its members;
- they act for the public interest, are driven by democratic values, and respect human rights;
- no application for declaring bankruptcy has been filed against the Applicant, the Applicant is not in liquidation or receivership, has not suspended activity and there are no similar proceedings pending against the Applicant;
- they are not in arrears with public-law payments payable to the Tax Office (US) or Social Insurance Institution (ZUS);
- no governing body member has been convicted of an intentional crime prosecuted by public indictment or a tax offence.
Eligible Partners: The Applicant can implement a project independently or in cooperation with a Partner or Partners. Partners must share project values, actively participate in project preparation and implementation, and comply with the formal and legal requirements of the Programme. The following entities can be Partners to a project:
- non-governmental organisations, public and private entities, non-profit and forprofit entities (excluding self-employed sole traders) based in:
- Poland,
- other Beneficiary States eligible for EEA Funds (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia),
- Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway),
- neighbouring states, i.e. non-EEA countries neighbouring on Poland (Belarus, Russian Federation, Ukraine);
- international organisations, their bodies and representations,
- informal groups from Poland, on condition that they act for public good, are voluntary and non-discriminatory, and are independent of local, regional and national authorities, as well as other public authorities, political parties, religious institutions and for-profit entities. Informal groups shall be represented by one single person, who signs the project partnership agreement on behalf of the group. An informal group cannot be a direct recipient of the grant.
For more information, visit https://eeagrants.org/currently-available-funding/pl-activecitizens-regional-call-for-proposals-1st-call-for-thematic-projects