In response to the
coronavirus outbreak, the Black Sea Trust for
Regional Cooperation (BST) is launching a new call for
proposals on Coronavirus Fast Response Fund.
The purpose of the call is to mobilize civic
initiatives in the wider Black Sea region meant to help limit the coronavirus
crisis and counter its negative impact on society, good governance, democracy,
rule of law, and access to free media.
Funding Information
- Proposals
should be under $25,000.
- Management
costs and administrative costs are cumulatively limited to 25 percent of
the overall award.
Eligibility Criteria
Projects should be initiated
by civil society organizations legally registered in one of the following
countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine. The
involvement of additional partners, especially those from new EU members, is
possible and welcomed.
Projects that fall under
one or several of the following thematic areas will be especially appreciated:
- Rapid assistance for vulnerable groups to prevent
further spread of the virus. Under
this thematic area, vulnerable groups refer to people disproportionately
affected by the virus and measures to contain it such as: seniors, people
with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, women, victims of
domestic violence, frontliners, and first responders as well as other
people experiencing social or economic precarity or inadequate access to
basic services. The following indicative actions are eligible under this
thematic area (non-exhaustive list):
- training
and setup of volunteer-led service networks for general assistance (i.e.
disbursing food, medicine, etc.)
- (self)organized
medical student groups supporting medical staff in hospitals
- legal
counseling, including but not limited to labor rights, patient rights,
and credit counseling
- medical
advice and mental health support for vulnerable groups
- containment
measures in rural areas
- support
communities and vulnerable groups ease back into their daily lives in a
post-crisis context
- Good governance and accountability of state
actors. Under this
thematic area, priority will be given to proposals that formulate,
improve, and monitor COVID-19 related policies with the aim to combat
abuse, corruption, fraud, and waste. The following indicative actions are
eligible under this thematic area (non-exhaustive list):
- formulate
social and fiscal policy recommendations
- official
documents and request clarifications regarding ambiguous policies
- ensure
governmental oversight regarding tenders and use of public funds
- identify
and adapt governmental best practices
- monitor
restrictions of human rights
- document
and report on human rights violations
- build
strategic partnerships between CSOs, either at a national or regional
level
- formulate
recommendations and support local and central authorities develop
aftermath strategies for a swift post-crisis transition
- Countering fake news, especially those related to
the coronavirus. Under
this thematic area, priority will be given to proposals taking advantage
of new media platforms to neutralize Russian and Chinese propaganda, as
well as misinformation, towards susceptible groups. The following
indicative actions are eligible under this thematic area (non-exhaustive
list):
- monitor
and analyze risks of Russian and Chinese involvement in managing the
pandemic
- document
and expose cases of disinformation
- monitor
political discourse and counter misinformation and hate speech
- creatively
use information and communications technology, including new media
platforms, to coordinate their efforts and communicate with their target
audiences
- Adjusting to new conditions. Under
this thematic area, priority will be given to proposals that strengthen
the capacity of civil society actors to overcome the difficulties
generated by the coronavirus pandemic and the possibility to operate
during and after the pandemic. The following indicative actions are
eligible under this thematic area (non-exhaustive list):
- investments
in IT&C equipment and services to support applicants’ transition to
online work
- measures
to increase fundraising capacity, particularly for grassroots
fundraising, to cover unexpected project and organizational costs
- purchases
of products aimed to lessen the risk of infection, such as sanitary
products are allowable for staff, volunteers, partners
- transfer
of expertise, tools, and best practices
- coalition-building
among CSOs and alliance-making with other non-state actors, such as media
or SMEs
Post Date - 30-Mar-2020