Bilateral
and regional initiatives
The call for proposals for bilateral and regional initiatives was launched on January 23th, 2023 and lasted until April 30th, 2023. Under the call, civil society organisations could obtain funding for the implementation of international initiatives for the exchange of knowledge and experience. Applications could be submitted in three rounds of the ongoing call organised by the Operators of the two Active Citizens Programmes: the Active Citizens Fund-National and the Active Citizens Fund-Regional.
Results of the call
As part of Round 1 of the call for bilateral and regional initiatives (applications submitted between 23 January and 20 February 2023) within the Active Citizens Fund – Regional Programme we have received 8 applications: 4 for bilateral initiatives and 4 for regional initiatives.
We awarded funding to two initiatives:
- a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is the Dom Kultury Foundation and the partner is Kriminalomsorgsdirektoratet from Norway (the application received 13 points out of 15);
- a regional initiative whose Applicant is the Wrocław Foundation for European Education and International Cooperation FREYA, and the partner is Generation for Change CY from Cyprus (the application received 14 points out of 15).
In addition, the application for a regional initiative submitted by the NOVA Foundation and its partner Plan Be, Lan It Be It from Cyprus, was redirected to the Active Citizens Fund – National Programme and co-financed within the National Programme (NOVA Foundation is a grantee of both programmes).
As part of Round 2 of the call for bilateral and regional initiatives (applications submitted between 21 February and 20 March 2023) within the Active Citizens Fund – Regional Programme we have received 7 applications: 4 for bilateral initiatives and 3 for regional initiatives.
We awarded funding to four initiatives:
- a regional initiative whose Applicant is the Ukraina Foundation from Wrocław, and the partner is Organizace pro pomoc uprchlíkům, z.s. from Czechia (the application received 14,5 points out of possible 15);
- a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is the Association for the Support of Immigrant Families of Persons with Disabilities Patchwork from Cracow, and the partner is As Stryktarfelag from Iceland (the application received 11,5 points out of possible 15);
- a regional initiative whose Applicant is the Wielkopolskie Centrum Przedsiębiorczości Foundation, and the partner is Hrvatski Ured za Kreativnost i Inovacije from Croatia (the application received 11 points out of possible 15);
- (on the condition) a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is the Rysy Foundation from Potasza, and the partner is Félagsmiðstöðin OZ from Iceland (the application received 10 points out of possible 15) – required changes in the final budget of the application.
As part of Round 3 of the call for bilateral and regional initiatives (applications submitted between 21 March and 30 April 2023) within the Active Citizens Fund – Regional Programme we have received 14 applications: 5 for bilateral initiatives and 9 for regional initiatives.
We awarded funding to five initiatives:
- a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is Kłodzkie Towarzystwo Oświatowe from Kłodzko, and the partner is Phronesis SA from Norway (the application received 11,5 points out of possible 15);
- a regional initiative whose Applicant is Instytut Przeciwdziałania Wykluczeniom Foundation from Toruń, and the partner is Foundation Resource Center Bilitis from Bulgaria (the application received 11,5 points out of possible 15);
- a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is the Association for Education ‘Pomost’ from Świebodzin, and the partner is Mannréttindaskrifstofa Íslands z Islandii (the application received 11 points out of possible 15);
- a bilateral initiative whose Applicant is GROWSPACE Foundation from Warsaw, and the partner is Samtökin ’78 from Island (the application received 10,5 points out of possible 15);
- (on the condition) – a regional initiative whose Applicant is Foundation for Cultural Exchange toTU toTAM from Przemyśl, and the partner is O3 Out of the Ordinary from Greece (the application received 11,5 points out of possible 15) – required changes in the final budget of the application.
You can find the results of the call under the Active Citizens Fund – National Programme on the Programme’s website.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the funding of initiatives, please contact the coordinator of bilateral and regional cooperation in the Active Citizens Fund – Regional Programme: Ewa Stokłuska, ewa.stokluska@fed.org.pl, 720 801 013.
About the call
We invite Polish civil society organizations to submit proposals for bilateral or regional initiatives aimed at knowledge and experience/know-how sharing, prepared in partnerships with entities from Donor States, Beneficiary States or Ukraine. The applications can be submitted until April 30th, 2023.
The mechanism of support for bilateral and regional initiatives is organized in cooperation by the Active Citizens Fund-National and the Active Citizens Fund-Regional operating in Poland. Application processes and funding of the bilateral and regional initiatives under this mechanism are implemented separately by Fund Operators of the respective Programmes.
The mechanism is aimed at supporting know-how/experience exchange that can take the following forms:
- internship (a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a civil society organisation’s interest),
- job-shadowing (a professional learning experience that offers the observing of a person at work by someone who is interested in a similar career/position),
- other forms of know-how/experience exchange such as study trips, training (for both teams), mentoring etc.
Who can apply?
Funding under this mechanism is available for NGOs that are established and registered in Poland, and:
- in case of ACF-Regional: are eligible for Active Citizens Fund – Regional grants and do take at least some of their statutory actions related to the goals of the ACF Programme outside of the city of Warsaw,
- in case of ACF-National: are already project promoters (have been awarded at least one grant or are partners of project promoters) under the ACF-National Programme.
An application must obligatorily include a partnership with at least one entity from a Donor State (Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway), another Beneficiary State eligible for EEA and Norway Grants (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia), or Ukraine.
What can be funded?
The funding of the initiative can amount up to 6 000 EUR for a bilateral initiative (with at least one partner from one of the Donor States) and 5000 EUR for a regional initiative.
Funding rate may constitute up to 100% of eligible expenses.
The initiative (including preparation and evaluation) may last from 1 to 6 months.
All activities should terminate no later than 30 April, 2024.
In case of initiatives including internship/job-shadowing the practical learning mobility element of the initiative could last from 5 up to 10 working days for the visit in the hosting organisation.
The activities within the initiative may take place in Poland, in any of the Donor States, in any of the Beneficiary States of the EEA and Norway Grants or in Ukraine.
Read the full invitation to apply (in English)
Download the application form
Contact for inquiries
Should you have any questions about the mechanism and/or application procedure, please contact:
- for Active Citizens Fund – National: Anna Fedas (afedas@batory.org.pl, +48 791 413 200),
- for Active Citizens Fund – Regional: Ewa Stokłuska (ewa.stokluska@fed.org.pl, +48 720 801 013).