Bucharest, 19 December 2019 - Active Citizens Fund Romania launches 8 calls for projects with a total value of 26,493,800 Euro for non-governmental organisations in Romania, as part of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.

The 8 calls for projects contribute to the overall objective of the program to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and to increase the capacity of vulnerable groups. At the same time, the calls published today seek to enhance bilateral relations with organisations in the Donor States: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Active Citizens Fund Romania thus affirms its support for projects that contribute to strengthening the democratic culture of citizens, civic awareness, protection of human rights and promoting equal treatment. It encourages non-governmental organisations to promote active citizen engagement in decision-making at national and local levels and to support inclusion of vulnerable groups.

The calls launched today cover a wide range of areas and activities, as follows:

Call #1 - Civic participation in underserved areas

Call #2 - Civic education and engagement

Call #3 - Civic activism and advocacy

Call #4 - Awareness on human rights and equal treatment

Call #5 - Strategic support for human rights and equal treatment

Call #6 - Mobilising vulnerable groups in underserved areas

Call #7 - Advocating for social inclusion of vulnerable groups

Call #8 - Development of rural interethnic communities

Special attention will be paid to areas considered of major importance in Romania: environment and climate change; gender equality and gender-based violence; combatting the infringement of human rights and discrimination against Roma; Roma empowerment and inclusion.

Eligible applicants are exclusively non-governmental and non-profit organisations (NGOs) legally established in Romania. Partnerships with other non-governmental organisations (which may be from the same field of activity or from other complementary areas) and with other stakeholders (local or central authorities, companies, other public or private entities) are strongly encouraged. Also, partnerships with entities from donor states are encouraged.

The total budget of the 8 calls is 26,493,800 Euro. Projects will be funded in the form of a grant (non-reimbursable financing), following a selection process. Several types of grants are available within the programme, ranging from 5,000 to 250,000 Euro.

The application process will open on January 9, 2020 and will take place exclusively online, on a dedicated platform. There are different deadlines for application depending on each call, the closest being March 11, 2020.

Additional details about each call as well as the program are available on the website www.activecitizensfund.ro/en/apeluri. In order to make it easier to select the most appropriate call, the Fund Operator has created a map of calls, available at www.activecitizensfund.ro/en/harta-apelurilor.

* For more information, please contact: iuliana.rada@fdsc.ro / 0749.088.885

About Active Citizens Fund Romania

Active Citizens Fund in Romania is part of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021. The overall objective of the grants is to reduce economic and social disparities, and to strengthen bilateral relations between 15 beneficiary countries and the donor states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). ACF programme is administered by the Consortium composed of the Civil Society Development Foundation, Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation, Resource Center for Roma Communities, PACT Foundation and Frivillighet Norge, acting as Fund Operator designated by FMO – Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norway Grants. Active Citizens Fund in Romania aims to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and to empower the vulnerable groups. With a total allocation of 46,000,000 Euro, the programme will pursue the long-term development of the civil society sector’s sustainability and capacity, stepping up its role in promoting democratic participation, active citizenship and human rights, while strengthening bilateral relations with donor states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. For more information, visit www.activecitizensfund.ro.