Bulgaria

Programme Outcomes

1. Strengthened democratic culture and civic awareness (total budget: € 3 860 000)
2. Increased support for human rights
   (total budget: € 2 700 000)
3. Vulnerable groups are empowered
   (total budget: € 2 900 000)
4. CSOs actively address gender equality and GBV (total budget: € 950 000)
5. Increased civic engagement in environmental protection/climate change (total budget: € 960 000)
6. Enhanced capacity and sustainability of the civil society sector including CSOs
   (total budget: € 2 010 000)

Eligible applicants are civil society organizations established in Bulgaria under the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act and registered for public benefit, satisfying the following conditions:

• are not trade unions of or professional associations, where the aims and purposes are to further the specific interests of their members only;
• are independent from the local, regional and central government and from other public entities and authorities;
• are independent of political parties and commercial organisations.

Partners can be any public or private entity, commercial or non-commercial, as well as non-governmental organisations established as a legal person either in the Donor States, Beneficiary States or a country outside the European Economic Area that has a common border with Bulgaria, or any international organisation or body or agency thereof, actively involved in, and effectively contributing to, the implementation of a project is considered an eligible project partner. The project partner shall share with the project promoter a common economic or social goal which is to be realised through the implementation of the project. Informal groups, which are legal residents in Bulgaria are considered eligible project partners.

Programme specifics

• At least 10% of re-granting funds for Roma empowerment and inclusion
• Capacity and sustainability of the civil society sector
• Outreach to under-served geographic areas and target groups
• Asylum-seekers and refugees will be one of the target groups
• Scholarships for Roma students in medical/health studies will be provided through a Roma Scholarship component of the ACF. In addition, complementary mentoring and coaching will be provided.

For more detailed information on each outcome download this sheet.

Support mechanisms

• Two calls for strategic projects (with a duration up to 36 months), announced in 2018/2019 and in 2020/2021.
• Small initiatives scheme in the period end of 2018 – 2024
• Bilateral Fund envisaging 1) seed money facility, 2) match-making events, 3) support for small bilateral initiatives
• Regional thematic conferences
• Targeted capacity building measures for applicants and project promoters
• Project Generation Facility (for development of Roma-relevant projects outside the Fund)
• “Building the Next Generation of Civic Leaders” in support of young SCOs leaders

Fund Operator

Open Society Institute in partnership with Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation and the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation
Elitsa Markova – Programme manager
Email: emarkova@osi.bg
Phone (+359 2) 9306612