Call for Proposals: Supporting Regional Thematic Networks of Civil Society Organisations

Objectives

• The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals are:
  • Strengthened CSO capacities and engagement opportunities in policy- and decision-making across various thematic areas, including those addressed by the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.
  • Enhanced professional capacity of journalists, media outlets and media institutions to exercise the right to freedom of expression and access to information and to promote media pluralism.
  • Increased equality, inclusion, and active participation of Roma in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Sectors or Themes

• Lot 1: Good governance and economic development, including but not limited to:
  • Supporting an enabling business environment.
  • Human Capital Development.
  • Common Regional Market.
  • Public Administration Reform.
• Lot 2: Reconciliation, including but not limited to:
  • Promoting reconciliation, peacebuilding, inter-cultural dialogue and transitional justice.
  • Countering social and political polarisation.
• Lot 3: Gender Equality, including but not limited to:
  • Fighting gender stereotypes and supporting women’s participation in the public sphere.
  • Fighting gender-based violence, including specific activities engaging men and boys.
• Lot 4: LGBTIQ Equality, including but not limited to:
  • Social and economic inclusion of LGBTIQ community, and participation in the public sphere.
  • Supporting LGBTIQ children and youth and strengthening the capacities of teachers and other professionals to prevent bullying and recognise students at risk due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
• Lot 5: Roma Inclusion, including but not limited to:
  • Economic empowerment of Roma communities, including Roma women and Roma youth.
  • Social integration of Roma communities, including Roma women and Roma youth, and participation in the public sphere.
  • Fighting antigypsyism and contributing to the positive image of the Roma community.
• Lot 6: Disability Inclusion, including but not limited to:
  • Social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities, and support to de-institutionalisation.
  • Fighting discrimination and stereotypes.
  • Support regional cooperation of organisations of persons with disabilities.
• Lot 7: CSO regional engagement in the implementation of the Green Agenda, including but not limited to:
  • Monitoring the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and related action plans.
  • Communication on and improving the understanding of the green transition challenges and opportunities in the region among the public, civil society, policymakers at all levels (from local authorities to national governments), media and private sector.
  • Involvement of youth and marginalised groups (including Roma communities) and fighting against energy poverty.
• Lot 8: Digital Transition, including but not limited to:
  • Promotion/development of e-government services and digitalisation of public administration.
• Lot 9: CSO enabling environment and civic participation, including but not limited to:
  • Regional exchange and regional cooperation in support of the implementation of legal frameworks promoting a conducive environment for civil society.
  • Fostering systematic and meaningful participation of CSOs and citizens in policy- and decision-making processes, including youth.
  • Promoting broader civic participation and access in EU accession mechanisms (as applicable).
• Lot 10: Fostering Jewish Life and Jewish cultural heritage, including but not limited to:
  • Cultural heritage, holocaust remembrance and cultural activities.
  • Fighting antisemitism and radicalisation.
• Lot 11: Freedom of Expression and Media, including but not limited to:
  • Addressing challenges of media environment (e.g., safety of journalists, media and information literacy, resilience of the society, disinformation, hate speech based on ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, trust in media, rights-based regulation of digital platforms and social media).
  • Addressing issues of internal governance of media outlets (e.g., economic sustainability, competitiveness, audience measurement and engagement, labour rights of journalist, including equal opportunities for women journalists, youth/traineeship opportunities).
  • Supporting professional standards for quality content production (e.g., self-regulation, ethical standards).
  • Supporting collaborative and innovative media, tools,formats and practices (e.g., media hubs, media support networks, media resource centres, solution-based journalism, slow news, constructive journalisms).
• Lot 12: EU Award for Roma Integration:
  • The EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkans and Türkiye aims to highlight the importance of Roma integration in the EU enlargement process, provide visibility, and boost political commitment and support for Roma inclusion in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
  • The Award ceremony takes place in Brussels during the European Parliament Roma Week. Participants of the ceremony include the awardees, relevant stakeholders from the EUinstitutions, and representatives from the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Funding Information

• Lot 1 -Good governance and economic development
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 2 – Reconciliation
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 3 – Gender Equality
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 4 -LGBTIQ Equality
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 5 – Roma Inclusion
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 6 –Disability Inclusion
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 7 – CSO regional engagement in the implementation of the Green Agenda
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 750,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 8 – Digital Transition
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 750,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 9 – CSO enabling environment and civic participation
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,000,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 10 – Fostering Jewish Life and Jewish cultural heritage
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,500,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 11 – Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression
  • Minimum grant amount: EUR 700,000.00; Maximum grant amount: EUR 1,300,000.00.
  • Minimum EU contribution: 51% of the total eligible costs of the action; Maximum EU contribution: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action.
• Lot 12 – EU Award for Roma Integration
  • Grant amount: EUR 400,000.00.
  • EU contribution: 100% of the total eligible costs of the action.

Duration

• For all lots, the implementation of the actions must start before 17/12/2024.
  • Lot 1 – Good governance and economic development
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 2 – Reconciliation
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 3 – Gender Equality
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 4 – LGBTIQ Equality
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 5 – Roma Inclusion
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 6 – Disability Inclusion
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 7 – CSO regional engagement in the implementation of the Green Agenda
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 8 – Digital Transition
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 9 – CSO enabling environment and civic participation
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 10 -Fostering Jewish Life and Jewish cultural heritage
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 11 – Freedom of Expression and Media
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
  • Lot 12 – EU Award for Roma Integration
    • The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 15 months nor exceed 24 months.

Types of Activity

• Types of activities that may be financed under this call include:
  • Education, public awareness campaigns.
  • Desk research (but research cannot be the main purpose of the action), baseline studies.
  • Activities aimed at ensuring outreach towards grassroots and other types of local non-governmental organisations, citizens and volunteers.
  • Monitoring and watchdog actions of CSOs relating to the implementation of public policies and reforms, including in the context of the EU integration process.
  • Monitoring of international commitments, publication of monitoring and shadow reports.
  • Enabling CSOs’ participation in the reform and policy making process.
  • Advocacy for the revision of existing legislation and adoption of new legislation in accordance with EU standards and requirements as well as with the Council of Europe standards and the ECtHR case law.
  • Training and capacity development actions, study visits, field trips and internships.
  • Production of free-of-charge news and media products as far as they contain Public Media Content.
  • Publication of online leaflets and manuals on best practice.

Location

• For all Lots except Lot 10 and 12, actions must take place in the Western Balkans and Türkiye and must cover a minimum of 5 of these IPA III beneficiaries.
• For Lot 10, actions must take place in the Western Balkans and Türkiye and must cover a minimum of 2 of these IPA III beneficiaries.
• For Lot 12, actions must focus on the Western Balkans and Türkiye and must cover all 7 IPA III beneficiaries. The core activities (organisation of the award) must take place in Belgium.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • be non-profit-making and
    • be a civil society organisation  (CSO) or a representative network of CSOs  working on one or more thematic areas of relevance to this Call for Proposals and
    • be established  in an IPA III Beneficiary under the Instrument of Pre-accession Assistance – the IPA III Beneficiaries taken into consideration for the present call for proposals are: The Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, The Republic of North Macedonia, The Republic of Serbia, The Republic of Türkiye and
    • have as a minimum two years (i.e. 24 months) experience in the field of the lot under which the concept note/full application is submitted. In case the lead applicant is a network of CSOs, this applies also to its members.
• 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.
  • As an exception, for Lots from 1 to 11, actors established in an EU Member State can be involved as optional co-applicants, in addition to (and not in replacement of) the mandatory co-applicants.
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant 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, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU 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.