Deadline: 16-Apr-24
Queer Cyprus Association has launched the Rainbow Fund Small Grants Programme for Activists and CSOs as part of the Rainbow Project which aims to enhance LGBTI+ inclusivity within the education and health sectors of the Turkish Cypriot community, and is funded by the European Union under the Cypriot Civil Society in Action VII Grant Scheme and implemented by the Queer Cyprus Association.
The overall objective of the Rainbow Fund is to increase the capacity, effectiveness, and sustainability of relevant stakeholders to mainstream LGBTI+ rights and ensure access for members of the LGBTI+ community to health and/or education. This is to be achieved by increasing the number of actors taking action on LGBTI+ rights and diversifying activities in the northern part of Cyprus (TCc). Therefore, applications and project proposals should focus on LGBTI+ rights in the education and/or health sector.
Priorities of the Small Grants Programme
Projects should focus on LGBTI+ rights in the education and/or health sector.
- Coordination and cooperation at local, regional and European level: Effective coordination and cooperation among local, regional, and European entities are crucial for ensuring comprehensive support and access to rights across different geographic scales,
- Capacity Building: Empowering individuals and civil society organisations (CSO) with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to address the unique challenges faced by the LGBTI+ community in education and/or health contexts,
- Organizational Skills: Developing and enhancing the organizational capacity of individuals and civil society organisations (CSO) working to advance LGBTI+ rights in education and/or health sectors, enabling them to better advocate, support, and protect the community,
- Anti-Discrimination: Implementing robust measures to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics in educational and/or healthcare settings, fostering environments of equality and inclusivity,
- Advocacy and Lobbying: Engaging in advocacy efforts to influence policies, “laws”, and practices that impact the rights and well-being of LGBTI+s, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs addressed in education and/or health contexts,
- Awareness: Promoting awareness and understanding of LGBTI+ rights within the community, education and/or healthcare sectors to reduce stigma, increase acceptance, and foster inclusive environments,
- Monitoring: Establishing mechanisms to systematically monitor the implementation of policies, programs, and initiatives and/or right violations aimed at protecting and promoting LGBTI+ rights in education and/or healthcare sectors, ensuring accountability and effectiveness.
Added Value Elements
The following elements of proposed projects will be considered during the evaluation and be given a higher score for project feasibility.
- Peace building,
- Actions reaching out to and/or implemented in remote areas, and/or with marginalized communities/groups,
- Actions targeting youth,
- Actions focusing on LGBTI+ Women,
- Actions targeting health and/or education professionals,
- Advocacy or lobbying activities targeting local body responsible for education and/or health on LGBTI+ rights,
- Action including HIV and AIDS
- Actions that are forming coalitions/network among health and/or education sector CSOs to tackle LGBTI+ rights,
- Actions fostering collaboration and dialogue between the Cypriot communities.
Financial Support
- The Rainbow Fund will range from EUR 1,000 to EUR 1,500 under lot 1 and EUR 1,500 and EUR 2,500 under lot 2.
- The minimum duration for implementation will be two months and the maximum will be four months.
- Applications should be developed in sufficient detail to reflect the complexity and scope of the proposed activities.
- The maximum amount allocated under this grant scheme is €12,000. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to not grant the entire available fund.
Expected Results of the Small Grants Programme
- Enhanced awareness, knowledge, and action to support LGBTI+s in education and/or health sector,
- Increased capacities of individuals/Organizations,
- Strengthened support networks and collaboration,
- Increased advocacy efforts,
- Reduction in discrimination incidents,
- Empowerment of LGBTI+ community with enhanced resources.
Eligible Activities
- Actions increasing the technical capacity of the relevant stakeholders in the Education and/or Health sector,
- Actions increasing the accessibility of LGBTI+’s to healthcare and patient’s rights,
- Actions increasing the inclusivity and diversity of the Education and/or Health sector.
- Actions increasing the knowledge and awareness of the Education and/or Health sector professionals,
- Actions concerned with policy-making and monitoring of the implementation of strategies, policies and/or legal texts at the local level for LGBTI+ rights in health and education sector,
- Actions that decrease discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics in health and/or education sector,
Applicant Eligibility
- LOT 1: Individual Activist/ Non registered Initiatives in TCc are eligible to apply.
- LOT 2: Registered CSO / NGO / NPO / Foundations in TCc are eligible to apply.
- The following third parties eligible for financial support are;
- Non registered Initiatives in TCc,
- Individual Activists in TCc,
- Registered CSO/NGO/NPO/Foundations in TCc (NGOs, membership-based, cause-based and service-oriented CSOs, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions and employers’ organisations, non-partisan civil society groups, professional organisations).
Applicant Ineligibility
The following third parties that will be considered ineligible for financial support are;
- Businesses,
- The public sector,
- Universities.
For more information, visit Queer Cyprus Association.