Call for proposals for local (grassroot) civil society organisations (CSOs)

Overview

The IMPACT4VALUES 2.0 call for proposals seeks to enhance the impact of local grassroots Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Slovenia and Croatia. It aims to promote and protect fundamental EU values in three key areas: democracy, human rights, and climate change. The total funding available is €600,000, with at least 70% of this directed to organizations located outside the main capitals, Ljubljana and Zagreb. This initiative is managed under the CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) program.

Eligible applicants include locally established CSOs that promote fundamental EU values, with the opportunity for both individual and partnership applications. The emphasis is on projects that are impact-oriented and have the potential for long-term systemic change, thereby enhancing the operational capacity and resilience of these organizations.

The application process is open and requires electronic submission by a deadline of March 9, 2026. Applicants will need to complete various documents including an application form, financial plan, and statements from partners if applicable. The evaluation will occur in two stages: an administrative check followed by quality assessments from independent evaluators. Organizations that do not meet eligibility criteria can appeal rejections.

In addition to financial support, the call offers extensive capacity-building assistance, including info sessions, weekly Q&A updates, ideas-development boot camps, and individual consultations to assist applicants in refining their proposals. The expected project duration is 12-18 months, with a possible 3-month non-cost extension.

Eligible activities cover a broad range, including advocacy, civic education, awareness-raising, research, monitoring, strategic litigation, and providing support services to impacted groups. This call emphasizes decentralized support to strengthen the role of CSOs in public life, enhance collaboration with various stakeholders, and contribute to a democratic society that respects human rights and the rule of law.

Detail

The IMPACT4VALUES 2.0 call for proposals aims to support Slovenian and Croatian local, grassroots Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in impact-oriented projects. The goal is to enhance the protection of EU values in three priority areas: democracy, human rights, and climate change. The call also offers extensive capacity-building support.

The specific objective is to support Slovenian and Croatian local (grassroots) civil society organisations in implementing projects aimed at strengthening the fundamental values of the European Union and improving the quality of life in local communities. The call supports initiatives with the potential for long-term impact, systemic change, and capacity-building of key actors, particularly in the context of the protection of human rights, equality, the rule of law, democracy, and freedom of expression. A minimum of 70% of the funding will be allocated to organizations operating outside the main capitals of Ljubljana and Zagreb.

The expected results include strengthened capacity and sustainability of CSOs in Croatia and Slovenia that actively promote and protect fundamental EU values at the local level. Supported projects should lead to stronger watchdog and advocacy roles for CSOs, improved organizational resilience, and increased collaboration with institutions, media, and citizens. Projects should contribute to better protection of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression, and equality in local communities. Long-term, programme-based work should equip organizations to engage in public debate, influence public policy, and build partnerships for broader social impact and systemic change.

The opening date for submissions was January 9, 2026. The deadline for submissions is March 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon Brussels time). The expected duration of participation is 12-18 months, with a possibility of a 3-month non-cost extension. The total funding available is 600,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is IMPACT4VALUES 2.0, and the full name of the EU-funded project is "Increasing impact of CSOs for protection of EU values 2.0". The grant agreement number is 101187032. The topic is CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES - Call for proposals for civil society organisations active on protecting and promoting Union values: call to intermediaries (giving financial support to third parties).

Applications must be submitted exclusively in electronic form to the designated email addresses: For Croatia, prijava.cerv@zaklada-slagalica.hr; for Slovenia, prijava.cerv2@cnvos.si. Applications submitted in any other way or sent to another email address will be rejected. The date and time of email delivery are those recorded on the server of CNVOS/Community Foundation Slagalica.

A complete application includes:

A fully completed application form (Word).
A fully completed financial plan (Excel).
A completed form with applicant and project details (Excel).
A scanned, signed, and stamped Applicant's Statement (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).

In case of partnership projects:

A scanned, signed, and stamped Partner's Statement (in .pdf format).
A scanned valid statute or founding act of each Slovenian or Croatian partner, if the document is not available in a publicly accessible national electronic registry (in .pdf format).

The evaluation process includes an administrative check of administrative and eligibility criteria. Applicants will have 5 working days to supplement missing documents or information. Applicants whose applications are rejected due to non-compliance with administrative and eligibility criteria will have 8 working days to submit an appeal. Appeals will be reviewed by the Compliance Committee, and the Committee’s decision is final. Each application that meets the administrative and eligibility criteria will be reviewed and assessed by two independent and impartial external evaluators. If the difference between the two evaluators’ scores exceeds 30% of the higher score, the application will be independently assessed by a third evaluator.

Eligible organizations should be established in Slovenia or Croatia. 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:

For Slovenian potential applicants: CNVOS
For Croatian potential applicants: Community Foundation Solidarna and Community Foundation Slagalica

Email help-desks for applicants:

Slovenian email help-desk: podpora.cerv@cnvos.si
Croatian email help-desk: podrska.cerv@zaklada-slagalica.hr

An info session was held on January 22, 2026, on the ZOOM platform for Croatia and Slovenia (two different zoom links). Support is available via phone and email for short questions about the projects and call documentation. Regular weekly Q&A updates are available on sub-web pages. Ideas-development boot-camps were held in 13 different locations (5 in Slovenia, 8 in Croatia) to develop impact-oriented project concept notes. Individual live or online consultations are available to support and brainstorm for impact-oriented project proposals (up to 50 organizations, increased if needed).

Eligible activities 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 (no material or other damage may be caused).
Awareness raising and outreach of EU rights and values (including street campaigning, use of digital tools).
Campaigns, communication, and public information.
Provision of free advice, watchdog and monitoring activities on EU policies and rights and values.
Promotion of the implementation of adopted laws, regulations, and Court cases.
Monitoring of implementation of policies and legislation.
Research and analysis aimed at informing policy-making at 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, public or private sector entities.
Provision of support services to the target group, such as victims support, training etc., based on a human rights approach.

In summary, this call for proposals, IMPACT4VALUES 2.0, provides funding and support to local, grassroots CSOs in Slovenia and Croatia. The aim is to strengthen these organizations' capacity to protect and promote EU values, particularly in the areas of democracy, human rights, and climate change. The call encourages projects that have a long-term impact, promote systemic change, and build the capacity of key actors within local communities. The funding aims to empower CSOs to engage in public debate, influence policy, and build partnerships that contribute to a more robust and equitable society, with a focus on initiatives outside of the capital cities. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal with specific documents, and the evaluation process includes administrative checks and assessments by external evaluators. A range of support services are available to applicants, including info sessions, Q&A updates, boot camps, and individual consultations.

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Breakdown

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are Slovenian and Croatian local, grassroot Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, with the call explicitly designed to provide financial support to third parties (CSOs). Cascade funding is also mentioned.

Consortium Requirement: Both single applicants and consortia are possible, as evidenced by the inclusion of requirements for partnership projects.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to Slovenia and Croatia. At least 70% of the funding will go to organizations working outside of the main capitals, Ljubljana and Zagreb.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: democracy, human rights, and climate change. It also focuses on strengthening fundamental EU values and improving the quality of life in local communities, with an emphasis on the protection of human rights, equality, the rule of law, democracy, and freedom of expression.

Mentioned Countries: Slovenia, Croatia.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is impact-oriented projects that can be upgraded. The call supports initiatives with the potential for long-term impact and systemic change. The ideas-development boot-camp suggests that projects can be in the concept stage.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 600,000 EUR. The funding range for individual projects is not explicitly stated but can be inferred to be variable, depending on the project scope and impact.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. They will also receive non-monetary services through extensive capacity building support, ideas-development boot-camps, and individual live or online consultations.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages:
1. Submission of application via email.
2. Administrative check of administrative and eligibility criteria.
3. Opportunity to supplement missing documents or information within 5 working days.
4. Notification of whether the project application proceeds to the next stage.
5. Appeal process for rejected applications (8 working days to submit an appeal).
6. Evaluation of application quality by two independent external evaluators.
7. Potential evaluation by a third evaluator if the difference between the first two scores exceeds 30%.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated.

Summary:

The IMPACT4VALUES 2.0 call for proposals aims to support local, grassroots Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Slovenia and Croatia. The call, funded under the CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES program, provides grants to CSOs working on projects that protect and promote EU values, specifically in the areas of democracy, human rights, and climate change. The total funding available is 600,000 EUR. The call seeks to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of CSOs, improve their watchdog and advocacy roles, enhance organizational resilience, and increase collaboration with institutions, media, and citizens.

Eligible activities include evidence-based lobbying, civic mobilization, civic education, awareness raising, campaigns, provision of free advice, promotion of the implementation of laws, monitoring of policies, research and analysis, strategic litigation (limited to capacity building), coordination between CSOs and stakeholders, and provision of support services to target groups.

The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of March 9, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically to designated email addresses for Croatia and Slovenia. The evaluation process includes an administrative check, an eligibility review, and an evaluation of application quality by external evaluators. Applicants have the opportunity to supplement missing information and appeal rejected applications.

In addition to financial support, the call offers extensive capacity building support, including ideas-development boot-camps and individual consultations, to help CSOs develop impactful project proposals. The expected duration of participation is 12-18 months, with a possible 3-month non-cost extension. At least 70% of the funding will be directed to organizations operating outside of the capital cities of Ljubljana and Zagreb.

Short Summary

Impact
The call aims to strengthen the capacity and impact of local, grassroots civil society organizations in Slovenia and Croatia to protect and promote fundamental EU values, particularly in the areas of democracy, human rights, and climate change.
Applicant
Applicants should possess skills in advocacy, civic mobilization, project management, and community engagement to effectively implement projects that align with EU values.
Developments
Funding will support projects focused on democracy, human rights, and climate change, with eligible activities including lobbying, civic education, awareness-raising, and strategic litigation.
Applicant Type
This funding is designed for local and grassroots civil society organizations (CSOs) established in Slovenia and Croatia.
Consortium
Both single applicants and consortiums are eligible, with partnership projects encouraged.
Funding Amount
The total budget for this call is €600,000, with individual project grants not explicitly specified but expected to be moderate-sized.
Countries
The funding is explicitly relevant for Slovenia and Croatia, as the call is restricted to organizations legally established in these countries.
Industry
This funding targets the civil society sector under the CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) programme.

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