EUROPEAID/136034/DH/ACT/MULTI: IPA - SUPPORT TO REGIONAL THEMATIC ASSOCIATIONS

Description                                                             Max. Grant amount: EUR 225.000
                                                                                                                     
The present programme focuses on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), i.e. all not-for-profit, non-market and non-state organizations and structures in which people organist to pursue shared objectives and ideals. It is part of the Civil Society Facility (CSF) which was set up by the European Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement (DG ELARG) in 2008 to give financial support for the development of civil society in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Moreover, during 2013 DG ELARG has largely promoted the EU guidelines for the support to civil society in Western Balkans and Turkey for 2014-2020. According to the EU guidelines EU financial and political support should aim at improving the enabling environment and the capacity building of civil society in all beneficiary countries.  
The programme's purpose is to achieve: 'A more dynamic civil society actively participating in public debate on democracy, human rights, social inclusion and the rule of law and with capacity to influence policy and decision making processes.'
The current Call for Proposal aims to achieve this by promoting networking and formation of Umbrella organizations, networks and their CSOs serving all enlargement countries, representing the interests of the member CSOs at a regional level, by providing them with an operating grant. It does not concern organizations that have concluded a Framework Partnership Agreement with DG Enlargement for the period 2012 - 2016.


Eligibility

The operating grants will be awarded to existing organizations and associations of CSOs who already are active in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Organizations that wish to apply must be active at a regional level (have activities and members in at least four IPA (Beneficiaries). National CSOs are not targeted by this programme.

Furthermore, the applicant must:
    - be a legal persons;
    - be non-profit making;
    - be a civil society organization (CSOs) (preferably an association of CSOs) or representative network of CSOs with legal personality
      working on one or more themes of relevance to this Call for Proposals;
    - be nationals of a Beneficiary under the Instrument of Pr-accession Assistance (hereafter referred to as “IPA Beneficiary”) or an
      existing Umbrella Organization of the European Union who will act as incubator for an IPA Beneficiary in the aim to transfer the
      grant to this IPA Beneficiary after the first year and
    - be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the work programme with with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated
      entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary andbe active in and/or group CSOs from the IPA Beneficiaries in the Western Balkans and
      Turkey;
    - be experienced and able to demonstrate their capacity to create or manage Associations corresponding to the size and the activities
      for which a grant is being requested looking notably at the existence and experience of the organization(s), their sources of financing
      and number of staff,
 
The applicant must act with co-applicant(s) as specified hereafter.

Budget

The overall indicative amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 1.350.000. The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.

Any grant requested under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
   - minimum amount: EUR 50.000
   - maximum amount: EUR 225.000


Deadline: 29 September 2014.

For more information click here.