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