Enhancing the Resilience of Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership (ERICS-EaP)

1.ENGLISH:

• Application form
• Budget form

2. ROMANIAN:

• Application form
• Budget form

3.GEORGIAN:

• Application form
• Budget form

4.ARMENIAN:

• Application form
• Budget form

5.UKRAINIAN:

• Application form
• Budget form

The Transatlantic Foundation (TF), in cooperation with the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, is launching a dedicated call for proposals for individual travel grants aimed at fostering regional networking, exchange, and cooperation among Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups representatives from the six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. This initiative complements our program (Enhancing the Resilience of Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership (ERICS-EaP)) by providing opportunities for CSO representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups representatives to actively engage in existing regional networks, forums, and cooperative endeavors.

1. Call objectives: 

• Facilitate participation of CSO representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives in ongoing regional networking activities.

• Facilitate the exchange of ideas, best practices, and knowledge sharing among civic actors across the EaP region.

• Increase the visibility of civil society initiatives within the Eastern Partnership.

2. Scope:

• BST will award 50 travel grants over the course of the next two years and a half of maximum 1,500 EUR each to enable CSO representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives to participate in existing regional networking events, forums, and cooperative initiatives.

• The grants are intended to support travel expenses incurred by civil society representatives for active participation in this type of activities and events.

3. Eligibility Criteria

• CSO representatives including leaders, staff, volunteers, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives based/active in one of the six EaP countries (exception: exiled CSOs). 

• CSO representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives actively engaged in the organization’s activities and capable of contributing meaningfully to regional networking events.

• The participation of the CSO representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives should contribute to the goals and development of their organization.

4. Application Process

Interested CSOs representatives, civic activists and leaders, informal groups’ representatives are invited to submit applications in response to this call for proposals by filling out in detail the following form, attaching your updated CV and by attesting the official invitation to the event (please provide an invitation letter of email).

*Please be aware that you need to apply at least one month  before  your event participation for the application to be evaluated  and if selected for the funds to be transferred.

5. Submission Deadline

You can submit proposals continuously, and they should be sent to [email protected] 

6. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the objectives of the call.

• Potential impact and contribution to regional networking and cooperation capacity of the represented civic entities. 

• The timeliness and purpose of the convening.

• Budget justification and cost-effectiveness.

7. Grant Terms

• Each selected CSO representative will receive a travel grant to cover approved expenses related to their participation in the regional networking activity.

• Grant recipients will be required to submit a brief report detailing their participation and outcomes achieved following the completion of the activity.

The Transatlantic Foundation (TF), in cooperation with the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, is launching a dedicated call for proposals for CSOs from the EaP countries to apply for networking grants to support collaborative projects. The primary goal is to create new and strengthen existing networks and collaborations.

1. Areas of Support

CSOs can apply for funding to support a variety of networking activities, including but not limited to:

• Regional network-building: Organizing conferences, workshops, and online platforms to foster connections and collaboration.

• Cross-border cooperation: Supporting collaborative initiatives among CSOs addressing shared challenges or opportunities.

• Exchanges of best practices: Facilitating the exchange of best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches.

• Advocacy: Strengthening the collective voice of CSOs through joint advocacy efforts and policy engagement.

The networking activities can focus on topics such as: democracy promotion, civic engagement, human rights, media, disinformation - misinformation, transparency, rule of law etc.

2.  Funding Details

Each grant will cover logistic and content related costs for different format convenings. This financial support aims to empower CSOs to build a vibrant regional network capable of collectively tackling common obstacles, capitalizing on emerging possibilities, and driving positive change for civil society across the region.

The grants are in the amount of 30,000 EUR covering a project duration of up to 12 months.

3.  Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the grant, CSOs must:

• Demonstrate the capacity to lead a regional networking/cooperation project.

• Projects must include organizations from at least 3 EaP countries. 

• CSOs registered (if possible) and active in an EaP country.

• Demonstrate a clear need for the proposed funding and how the project will strengthen an existing partnership/network or create new collaborations.

4. Application Process

Interested CSOs are invited to submit applications in response to this call for proposals by filling out in detail the following forms: 

• Application form

• Budget form

5. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Actively contribute to fostering and /or creating new partnerships in the EaP region.

• Must demonstrate an innovative approach to engaging CSOs across different countries and creating long-lasting collaborations. 

• Feasibility and clarity of the project plan.

• Cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget.

6. Submission

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail to of [email protected] by October 4, 2024. Please include "Networking Grant Application - [Your Organization's Name]" in the subject line.

An info session about this call will be held on September 20, 2024, at 11 am Bucharest Time. If you want to participate, please register here, until September 17, 2024. 

The Transatlantic Foundation (TF), in cooperation with the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, is launching a dedicated call for proposals for Georgian CSOs to bolster their capacity to withstand and adapt to the current and future challenges. The primary goal is to support strategic investments in areas that are essential for the long-term resilience of CSOs.

Areas of Support

CSOs can apply for funding to support a variety of resilience-building activities, including but not limited to:

• Staff Security and Well-being: Initiatives to ensure the physical and mental health and safety of staff members.
• Digital Security and IT Equipment: Upgrading IT infrastructure and enhancing cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and communications.
• Expert Consultants: Accessing expert advice and consultancy services to navigate legal, financial, and strategic challenges, as well as programmatic and activity-based ones.
• Legal Support: Covering costs associated with legal services to protect the organization against potential legal threats.
• Communication: Strengthening communication strategies and tools to improve outreach and advocacy efforts.
• Other types of support: To sustain ongoing activity.

Funding Details

Each grant will cover investment costs that are often not fundable within regular project grants. This financial support aims to help CSOs consolidate or establish critical infrastructure necessary for their operational robustness and sustainability. 

The grants are in the amount of 10,000 EUR covering a project duration of maximum 4 months. 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the grant, CSOs must:

• Demonstrate operational connection to Georgia or be registered in Georgia before August 2024.
• Demonstrate a clear need for the proposed funding and its relevance to enhancing organizational resilience.

Application Process

Interested CSOs are invited to submit applications in response to this call for proposals by filling out in detail the following forms:

-Application form

-Budget form

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance and urgency of the need.
• Feasibility and clarity of the project plan.
• Potential impact on organizational resilience.
• Cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget.

Submission

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] by July 22. Please include "CSO Resilience Grant Application - [Your Organization's Name]" in the subject line.