Catalysts of Change: Call for Proposals (RO, BG, HR, SI, PT)
Monitoring, Advocacy and Coalition Building for Women’s Rights, Environmental Justice & Anti-corruption Grass Roots CSOs
The NHC is pleased to announce a call for proposals funded by the European Union, aimed at strengthening civil society in five EU Member States: Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal.
This initiative seeks to empower Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on women’s rights, environmental justice, and anti-corruption by enhancing their effectiveness, resilience, and visibility. By creating an enabling environment for these grassroots CSOs, the project aims to bolster the protection and promotion of EU values in these countries, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of EU values at the European level.
Objective of the Call
The NHC aims to provide grants to its partner civil society organisations and grassroots initiatives working in the field of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption, within the five countries of the project: Portugal, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria.
Coalition building is a key dimension of this project, as this is a proven strategy to build the resilience of CSOs, and offers the possibility to better coordinate actions and exchange information to more effectively operate. These coalition-building activities will take place at local, regional, national and cross country levels, as well as on a EU level, thus bringing together relevant stakeholders from the different target countries to discuss and develop joint strategies to address shrinking civic space and policy recommendations that will be presented to national and EU policy makers. This call will also enable local CSOs to more systematically contribute to national and EU policy consultations, to influence and monitor new policies and to flag concerning trends in relation to civic space and the protection of Union values.
Expected Results
Enhanced Coalition Formation:
- Formation of diverse and inclusive coalitions comprising multiple CSOs, community groups, and stakeholders with aligned goals.
- Increased networking and collaboration among CSOs from different sectors, sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise.
- Strengthened relationships between CSOs and relevant government bodies, leading to more effective advocacy and policy engagement.
Robust Strategy Development:
- Development of well-defined and evidence-based strategies by participating CSOs to address specific challenges in the field of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption.
- Enhanced capacity of CSOs to analyse complex issues, identify root causes, and design comprehensive strategies for sustainable change.
- Creation of adaptable strategies that incorporate stakeholder input, innovative approaches, and measurable objectives.
Increased Advocacy Impact:
- Successful implementation of advocacy campaigns resulting in policy changes at national or regional levels.
- Amplified voice of CSOs in policy discussions, leading to greater influence over decisions affecting their target issues.
- Improved ability to communicate and advocate for policy changes, using data-driven arguments and compelling narratives.
Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Sharing:
- Enhanced skills and capacities of CSO staff and members in areas such as coalition building, strategic planning, advocacy, and communication.
- Regular knowledge exchange sessions and workshops within the coalition, leading to cross-learning and the adoption of best practices.
- Documentation of lessons learned and success stories to share with the broader CSO community and inspire replication.
Promoting Civic Engagement:
- Increased engagement and participation of community members in CSO-led initiatives, resulting in more informed and empowered citizens.
- Establishment of platforms for ongoing dialogue between CSOs and decision-makers/ policy-makers.
Read the full call here in English or below in your respective language.
Application Process
Interested organisations are encouraged to APPLY ONLINE through the Smartsheet in English or their respective language no later than 22nd of October 2024.
The following documents need to be attached:
- Complete application form (answering all the questions);
- Filled out budget form;
- Registration certificate of the organisation or a proof of registration from earlier years;
- Statute of the organisation.
Download the call and required documents in different languages here:
For questions regarding the call for proposals or the application procedure, please send us an email to hrd@nhc.nl no later than 6th of October 2024.
Only full applications consisting of a completed online application form and all requested additional documents will be assessed.
* This call is funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
