Call for proposal for CSO networks protecting EU values

The EU-funded initiative "Call for Proposal for CSO Networks Protecting EU Values" (identifier CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES) aims to support civil society organizations (CSOs) in Slovenia and Croatia by enhancing their capacity to protect and promote EU values. The total funding available is 600,000 EUR, which will be allocated to selected CSO networks that will in turn provide financial support to smaller local initiatives. The call specifically targets networks of NGOs, including both formal and non-formal networks.

Key details include an opening date for submissions on April 4, 2025, with a submission deadline of June 2, 2025, at 12:00 PM local time. The project duration is set at 24 months. Eligible activities encompass a wide range of efforts, including policy advocacy, civic mobilization, awareness campaigns, strategic litigation, and monitoring of EU law implementation, all aimed at strengthening civic engagement and raising awareness of EU rights and values.

Applicants can apply individually or in consortium, although collaborations are encouraged for non-formal networks. The application must be submitted electronically and includes detailed documentation such as completed application forms, financial plans, and proof of collective action for non-formal networks. The evaluation process involves administrative checks, quality assessments by independent evaluators, and a potential appeal option for rejected applications.

The call's objectives are to bolster the advocacy roles of CSOs, enhance public awareness of EU rights, and promote active civic engagement particularly in environmental issues. The initiative will also provide capacity-building support for participating networks to help them achieve these goals effectively.

The IMPACT4VALUES 2.0 project is an EU-funded initiative designed to bolster the efforts of Slovenian and Croatian Civil Society Organization (CSO) networks in defending and promoting EU values. The call specifically targets intermediaries who will provide financial support to third parties. The project aims to offer extensive capacity-building support to these networks. The call falls under the CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES topic, which focuses on civil society organizations active in protecting and promoting Union values. The grant agreement number for this project is 101187032.

The opening date for submissions was April 4, 2025, and the deadline for applications is June 2, 2025, at 12:00 PM (noon Brussels time). This is a single-stage submission model. The expected duration of participation is 24 months. The total funding available is 600,000.00 EUR.

The purpose of this call is to support Slovenian and Croatian CSO networks in their efforts to defend and promote EU values, while offering them extensive capacity building support.

The expected results for both countries include:

Strengthened civil society watchdog/advocacy role: This involves increased involvement of networks of NGOs in policy and decision-making processes with local, regional, and national governments. It also includes supporting networks of NGOs to respond in a timely manner and become more active, stronger, and more vocal when advocating for changes in national or local legislation and policies.

Increased promotion and public awareness of EU rights and values: This involves supporting actions that focus on a wider audience and respond to concrete cases of human rights violations and discrimination in practice.

Increased civic engagement in environmental protection/climate change: This involves supporting actions that focus on a wider audience and the development/introduction of CSO practices in the field of environment litigation.

Applications must be submitted exclusively in electronic form to the designated email address. For Croatia, the email address is prijava.cerv@zaklada-slagalica.hr, and for Slovenia, it is prijava.cerv2@cnvos.si. These email addresses are solely for application submissions and will not be monitored before the application deadline. Applications submitted via any other method (e.g., fax, regular mail) or sent to a different email address will be rejected without the possibility of resubmission.

Applications must be delivered to the specified email address no later than June 2, 2025, at 12:00 PM (noon Croatian/Slovenian time). Applications received after this deadline will be rejected. The date and time of email delivery will be determined by the server of CNVOS/Community Foundation Slagalica.

After submitting an application, applicants will receive an automatic response to the email address from which the application was sent. If this response is not received within two hours, applicants can contact CNVOS or CFS during publicized office hours to check the application status.

A complete application must include the following documents:

A fully completed application form in Word format.

A fully completed financial plan in Excel format.

A completed form with applicant and project details in Excel format.

A scanned, signed, and stamped Applicant's Statement in PDF format.

A scanned, signed, and stamped Partner's Statement (if applicable, for non-formal networks) in PDF format.

A scanned valid statute or founding act of the applicant, if the document is not available in a publicly accessible national electronic registry, in PDF format.

A scanned valid founding act or statute of the partner, if the document is not available in a publicly accessible national electronic registry, in PDF format.

For non-formal networks, the following additional documents are required:

List of Member Organizations: A document listing all member associations that participate in the network, including their official names and contact details, in the prescribed form.

Proof of Joint Activities (at least one of the following must be provided):

Evidence of past or ongoing joint initiatives, projects, or advocacy campaigns (e.g., published reports, joint statements) in PDF format only.

Documentation of collaborative activities, such as media articles, newsletters, policy recommendations, or public statements issued by the non-formal network in PDF format only.

Links to the network’s website, social media pages, mailing lists, or public platforms demonstrating regular activity. A list of functional links must be submitted as a separate document in PDF format.

Screenshots or reports showing online communication or community engagement (e.g., shared discussions, coordinated actions) in PDF format only.

The evaluation process involves several stages:

Administrative Check: An administrative check will be conducted to verify compliance with administrative and eligibility criteria, including consortium staff and the "4 eyes rule." If any documents or information are missing but can be supplemented, applicants will have five working days from the date of notification to submit the required supplements. The notification will be sent to the email address provided by the applicant in the application form.

Notification of Outcome: After the administrative and eligibility verification, applicants will be notified whether their application has proceeded to the next stage of evaluation.

Appeal Process: Applicants whose applications are rejected due to non-compliance with administrative and eligibility criteria will have eight working days from the date of notification to submit an appeal against the eligibility decision. Appeals will be reviewed by the Compliance Committee, and the Committee’s decision is final. Appeals should be sent to the designated email address for Slovenia or Croatia.

Evaluation of Application Quality: Each application that meets the administrative and eligibility criteria will be reviewed and assessed by two independent and impartial external evaluators based on the criteria outlined in the Call document.

Third Evaluator: If the difference between the two evaluators’ scores exceeds 30% of the higher score, the application will be independently assessed by a third evaluator. In such cases, the final score will be the average of the two closest evaluations. This procedure does not apply if the third evaluator’s assessment would not result in the project receiving financial support under any circumstances.

Eligible organizations must be established in Slovenia or Croatia. Additional eligibility criteria can be found in the Call documentation. All eligible applicants and partners must respect the fundamental rights and values on which the EU is founded.

Call documents and other important information can be found at the following locations:

For Slovenian potential applicants: Impact4values 2.0 - CNVOS

For Croatian potential applicants: Impact4Values 2.0 - Solidarna and Impact4values - Slagalica 2.0

Helpdesks are available for applicants:

Slovenian email helpdesk: podpora.cerv@cnvos.si

Croatian email helpdesk: podrska.cerv@zaklada-slagalica.hr

An information session will be held on April 10, 2025, via Zoom, with separate sessions for Slovene and Croatian applicants. Support is also available via phone and email for short questions about the projects and call documentation. Regular weekly Q&A updates will be posted on sub-web pages. Online consultations are available for up to 20 organizations, providing support and brainstorming for impact-oriented project proposals. Each consultation will last one hour, and the number of consultations may be increased depending on interest.

Eligible activities for both countries include:

Evidence-based lobbying/advocacy to influence policy and decision-making processes, including revision/updating/adoption of policies and legislation.

Civic mobilization.

Civic education, including street work.

Awareness raising and outreach of EU rights and values, including street campaigning and the use of digital tools.

Campaigns, communication, and public information.

Provision of free advice, watchdog, and monitoring activities on EU policies, rights, and values.

Promotion of the implementation of adopted laws, regulations, and court cases.

Monitoring of the implementation of policies and legislation.

Research and analysis aimed at informing policy-making at the EU and national level, development of tools and standards to support EU values.

Strategic litigation, both institutional and judicial, limited to capacity building, awareness raising, training, mutual learning, exchange of good practices, and analytical activities.

Coordination and strategic cooperation between CSOs and other stakeholders, including public or private sector entities.

Provision of support services to the target group, such as victims support and training, based on a human rights approach.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to strengthen CSO networks in Slovenia and Croatia to better advocate for EU values, promote public awareness, and increase civic engagement in areas like environmental protection. It provides financial support and capacity building to these organizations. The application process requires detailed documentation, and the evaluation involves administrative checks and quality assessments by independent evaluators. The call encourages a range of activities, from lobbying and civic education to strategic litigation and support services, all geared towards promoting and protecting EU values and rights.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are CSO networks (Civil Society Organizations). The call specifically targets networks of NGOs, including non-formal networks. Eligible organizations should be established in Slovenia or Croatia.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically cascade funding, as indicated by the phrase "call to intermediaries (giving financial support to third parties)". This means the selected CSO networks will receive funding to then distribute to smaller, local initiatives.

Consortium Requirement: Both single applicants and consortia are possible. The documentation mentions "Partner's Statement (in case of partnership - for non-formal networks)", implying that single applicants are also eligible, but partnerships are explicitly supported, especially for non-formal networks.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to Slovenia and Croatia. Eligible organizations must be established in one of these two countries.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: EU values, human rights, environmental protection, climate change, civic engagement, policy and decision-making, and civil society advocacy.

Mentioned Countries: Slovenia, Croatia

Project Stage: The expected project stage is variable, ranging from advocacy and awareness raising to monitoring, research, and strategic litigation. The activities suggest a focus on development, validation, and demonstration of initiatives that promote EU values and address societal challenges.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 600,000 EUR. The funding range for individual projects is variable, as the selected CSO networks will distribute the funds to third parties.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. The selected CSO networks will then provide financial support to third parties. Capacity building support is also offered to the CSO networks.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages:
1. Submission of application with required attachments via email.
2. Administrative check of administrative and eligibility criteria. Applicants may have 5 working days to supplement missing information.
3. Notification of whether the project application proceeds to the next stage.
4. Appeal process (8 working days) for rejected applications due to non-compliance with administrative and eligibility criteria. Appeals are reviewed by the Compliance Committee.
5. Evaluation of application quality by two independent external evaluators.
6. If the difference between the two evaluators’ scores exceeds 30%, a third evaluator will assess the application.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly stated, but the multi-stage evaluation process suggests that it could be in the 10 to 39% range.

Co-funding Requirement: The documentation does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

The IMPACT4VALUES 2.0 initiative is a call for proposals targeting Slovenian and Croatian CSO networks. Funded by the EU under the CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES program, this initiative aims to bolster the role of civil society in protecting and promoting EU values, human rights, and environmental protection. The total funding available is 600,000 EUR, which will be distributed to selected CSO networks who will then provide financial support to smaller, local initiatives. Eligible activities include evidence-based lobbying, civic mobilization, awareness campaigns, research, strategic litigation, and coordination among stakeholders. The application process involves a single-stage submission, followed by administrative and eligibility checks, quality evaluation by external evaluators, and a potential appeal process. The deadline for applications is June 2, 2025. The call seeks to strengthen civil society's watchdog role, increase public awareness of EU rights and values, and promote civic engagement in environmental protection and climate change. The initiative also provides capacity building support to the CSO networks.