Lithuania

Objective

The key objective of the Programme is to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and to empower vulnerable groups.

To achieve its objective the Programme will have three inter-related foci: thematic, systemic and geographic.

Thematic focus

Strengthening active citizenship and empowering vulnerable groups are central prerequisites to underpin other outcomes to strengthen civil society. To achieve the overall objective, the ACF Programme’s support for CSOs projects will focus on the following thematic outcomes (one outcome per project):

• Outcome 1: Increased citizen participation in civic activities;
• Outcome 2: Strengthened civil society watchdog/advocacy role (including ad-hoc projects, providing a flexible response to urgently emerging societal challenges);
• Outcome 3: Increased support for human rights (including a pre-defined project on communication campaign positively changing public attitudes towards HR and equal treatment);
• Outcome 4: Vulnerable groups empowered.

Systemic focus

Strengthening the functional and organizational development capacities of the civil society, and CSOs in particular, will be another core focus contributing to the overall objective of the ACF Program. To achieve this, the support to enhance the following sectoral changes will be provided:

• Expanding the constituency base of CSOs (e.g., through ensuring closer collaboration of national CSOs with their local branches and other local organizations, outreaching to diverse vulnerable groups and ethnic minorities);
• Networking and joint actions (e.g., partnerships between CSOs and public/private entities);
• Enhancing capacity and sustainability of civil society and CSOs through the integration of capacity building aspects into projects (10 – 15 % of project’s budget);

Intensive capacity building measures will be provided by FO (including a pre-defined project aimed at assisting small-scale CSOs in Lithuanian regions, strengthening their organizational development capacities, empowering them through mentoring and leaders’ training).

Geographical focus

Specific attention will be given to larger territorial distribution of grants in reaching out to the underserved areas, target groups, supporting local CSOs, small organizations/new initiatives. To achieve this, the following measures will be provided:

• Two-steps application procedures for all projects;
• Additional FO activities aimed at supporting and empowering small local applicants and project promoters;
• Bringing more FO’s information, training and counselling activities into under-served regions,
• Encouraging new partnerships among national and local CSOs, aiming for mutual benefit to serve as vehicles enhancing citizen participation in civic activities.

Programme structure

In order to provide adjusted respond to the needs of CSOs, the following Programme modalities will be offered:

Small-scale projects: duration – min 6 months, max 18 months; grant size 5,000 – 15,000 € (open calls foreseen to be announced at 4th quarter 2019, 4th quarter 2021)

Medium-scale projects: duration – min 6 months, max 18 months; grant size 15,001 – 80,000 € (open calls foreseen to be announced at 4th quarter 2019, 4th quarter 2021)

Large-scale projects: duration – min 2 years, max 3 years; grant size 80,001 – 150,000 € (open call foreseen to be announced at 4th quarter 2019)

Lithuanian CSOs will be encouraged to establish partnerships (i.e., national/local; bilateral; CSO/public/private entities) for project implementation.

Bilateral initiatives

Fostering qualitative partnerships between Lithuania and donor countries, the following activities implemented by the CSOs and/or FO consortium in partnership with donor entities, will be supported: 1) partner search visits; 2) matchmaking events; 3) individual short-term internships and know-how exchanges; 4) initiatives of the FO to facilitate exchange of knowledge and/or establish networks.

Fund operator

Open Lithuania Foundation (OLF)
Didžioji str. 5, 01128 Vilnius, Lithuania
info@olf.lt
Sandra Adomavičiūtė, Director, sandra.adomaviciute@olf.lt
Giedrė Tumosaitė, Programmes Director, giedre.tumosaite@olf.lt