Чорноморський фонд регіонального співробітництва оголошує конкурс грантів на підтримку громадських ініціатив з протидії негативному впливу пандемії. Дедлайн - 15 вересня 2020 року.

Program Description

In response to the challenges imposed on the Ukrainian society during the coronavirus outbreak, the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation (BST) is launching a new call for proposals which aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) and independent media in countering the negative impact of the outbreak on society.

Eligibility

Project proposals should be initiated by civil society organizations legally registered in Ukraine and should limit their geographic scope to Ukraine. Under the thematic area, Advancing Independent Media, the call includes independent media organizations.

Under the current call, BST will support proposals that fall under one of the following thematic areas:

1. Fast Response Grants. Under this thematic area, proposals of three to nine months, with a total budget of up to $11,000 USD are eligible. Proposals should fall into one of the following categories—the following indicative actions are eligible under this thematic area (non-exhaustive list):

1.1. Civil Society-led Mobilization of Social Support

• enhancing social support, including through cross-sectoral cooperation with local authorities, businesses and IT companies, educators and scientists, and independent media
• shared expertise/capacity building on how to develop appropriate strategies to effectively cope with a very different future operating environment
• development of plans, self-help mechanisms, groups, and networks that work to compensate for insufficient or inadequate responses by state authorities

1. 2. Digitalization

• acquisition of necessary IT equipment, software, and maintenance (phones, computers, software, subscriptions to online conferencing services, etc.) necessary to work from home or run online activities, and enable CSOs to improve their work and/or reach to a larger audience
• training for activists, volunteers, and beneficiaries

2. Democracy Grants. Under this thematic area, proposals of up to $38,000 USD are eligible. Proposals should fall into one of the following categories—the following indicative actions are eligible under this thematic area (non-exhaustive list): 

2. 1. Advancing Independent Media

• continued supply of accurate information about the further evolution of the crisis and its impact on different spheres of society
• debunking fake news through factchecking and exposing cases of disinformation—a special focus will be placed on information about Eastern Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic

Under this thematic area, the applicants can be independent media organizations and CSOs with proven record of working in this area.

2. 2. Government Oversight

• oversight of public procurement procedures, investments in the health sector, subsidies, and economic aid
• alternative public policies drafted to contain the crisis and mitigate its economic and social effects
• monitor restrictions to human rights, media freedom, personal privacy. This could be directly related to increased use of digital surveillance tools

Application Process

Proposals will be received on an ongoing basis, the first deadline being September 15. Priority will be given to organizations most severely affected due to economic and social disparities between the center and remote areas, and those working to support the most vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Project proposals must be sent to [email protected]. Please include in the Subject of the email Ukraine EC proposal.

To submit a project proposal, organizations must complete the forms below, in English only:

• application form
• budget forms

Only proposals submitted using these forms will be taken into consideration.

For more information, please email us at [email protected].   

(COVID-19: Civil Society resilience and sustainability call is part of a regional project run by IREX Europe and funded by the European Union. The project aims to support Civil Society, independent activists, and independent media to continue their work throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic.)

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