New grant launched for civil society organisations

The Council of Europe's Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division has launched a grant for non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It aims to foster democratic culture and strengthen the engagement of citizens in decision making in their countries, and to enhance the mutual engagement between the Council of Europe and civil society organisations.

The total budget of 120,000 euros will be divided into three separate grants. This call for proposals aims to co-fund projects designed to strengthen the interaction, dialogue and exchanges between the Council of Europe and European civil society. The deadline for submitting offers is 1 December 2024. Project proposals must meet two main criteria:

• raise awareness about the work and standards of the Council of Europe to make member states more resilient to pressures undermining democratic values, promote democratic governance and enhance civil participation in political decision-making, including the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy, and how these can be used by civil society actors to advance their causes
• raise awareness about existing co-operation and interaction between the Council of Europe and civil society and help to identify new opportunities in this regard.

The projects shall be carried out by an international non-governmental organisation (INGO), umbrella non-governmental organisation or coalition or network of NGOs with strong expertise and experience in advocacy, policymaking, and representation of interests in the areas of democracy, human rights and/or the rule of law and with expertise in the Council of Europe standards and/or with experience in cooperation with the Council of Europe.

The tender documents can be found here.

Application form
Estimated budget
Grant Agreement