Who is eligible to apply?

The following are eligible to apply:
• associations, including ordinary associations
• foundations
• social cooperatives
• non-profit companies
• rural housewives’ circles
• church legal persons registered in the National Court Register.
Detailed information as to requirements for Applicants is provided in the Guide.

When can an application be submitted?

Thematic projects

Call I

• Project outlines can be submitted between 10 February 2020 (from 15.00 pm CET) and 15 April 2020 (up until 12.00 pm midday CEST)
• Detailed projects can be submitted between 15 June 2020 (from 12.00 pm midday CEST) and 10 August 2020 (until 12.00 pm midday CEST)

Project implementation period: between 8 and 24 months
Start date: November 6, 2020. End date: October 31, 2022

Call II
November 2020 (project outlines)
March 2021 (detailed projects)

Sectoral projects
April 2020 (project outlines)
July 2020 (detailed projects)

What is the procedure for conducting calls?

The application procedure consists of two stages. In stage I, organisations submit project outlines. Organisations whose projects are accepted for stage II submit detailed projects. No additional documents are required when a project outline is submitted. When a detailed project is submitted, Applicants whose projects are to be implemented as a partnership are required to submit a partner declaration specifying their role and duties in implementing the project.
In each stage, applications undergo administrative and content-related assessment.

How can projects be awarded funding?

Thematic projects

Grants are awarded for activities in three outcomes. Thematic projects may relate to multiple outcomes but one principal area must be specified in the application.

Outcome 1: Increased citizen participation in civic activities – activities aimed at involving citizens in public life and social activity, increasing their role in decision-making and formulation of public policies at local, regional, national, or European level, and also raising the standard of public debate.

Outcome 2: Increased support for human rights and antidiscrimination practices – activities aimed at protecting human rights, in particular women’s rights, and countering xenophobia, homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, and any forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, belief, ethnic/national origin, gender or sexual orientation, disability, age, economic status, family situation, or other grounds.

Outcome 3: Increased empowerment of vulnerable groups – activities to empower and enable vulnerable groups to become independent, creating a social support network and including vulnerable groups in that network, increasing the scope and forms of support for vulnerable groups.

Sectoral projects

Outcome 4: Enhanced capacity and sustainability of civil society organisations and the sector – activities to strengthen civic organisations and movements, activities to strengthen organisations and civic movements, creating friendly conditions for them to operate, and raising the standard of the services they offer.
Grants will be awarded for projects aimed at developing the social organisation sector at national, regional, or industry level

Capacity building

Any Applicant may apply for further funding to be used in full for capacity building: strengthening and developing an organisation, building stable foundations for further operation, forward-looking plans for activity and financing, and raising working standards and organisation management standards. Capacity development investment must serve the purpose of more effective and efficient pursuit of the organisation’s mission.

Partnership projects

Thematic and sectoral projects may be implemented in partnership with CSOs or other public and private, and commercial and non-commercial organisations, and also informal groups from Poland and the other Beneficiary States, from Donor States, or from countries neighbouring Poland but not in the EEA, or pan-government organisations.

What are the rules governing project funding?

Thematic projects – small grants

• between EUR 5 000 and EUR 25 000 for direct costs of implementing a project and indirect costs

• up to EUR 5 000 for direct costs for capacity building

and

• up to EUR 5 000 for direct costs relating to the partner’s role in the project, where projects are implemented in partnership with Donor State organisations
A grant may be no more than 90% of the overall cost of the project. The required contribution may be entirely in the form of voluntary work. Important! As of 8 June 2020 there is no required contribution.

Thematic projects – large grants

• between EUR 25 001 and EUR 62 500 for direct costs of implementing a project and indirect costs

• up to EUR 12 500 for direct costs for capacity building, but no more than 20% of the direct costs of implementing a project and indirect costs
and
• up to EUR 12 500 for direct costs relating to the partner’s role in the project – where projects are implemented in partnership with Donor State organisations

A grant may be no more than 90% of the overall cost of the project. A minimum of 50% of the required contribution must be a financial contribution. Important! As of 8 June 2020 there is no required contribution.

Sectoral projects

• between EUR 25 000 and EUR 125 000 for direct costs of implementing a project and indirect costs

• up to EUR 12 500 for direct costs relating to strengthening an organisation and ensuring that the results of the project are permanent, but no more than 20% of direct costs of implementing a project and indirect costs
and

• up to EUR 12 500 for direct costs relating to the partner’s role in the project – where projects are implemented in partnership with Donor State organisations
A grant may be no more than 90% of the overall cost of the project. A minimum of 50% of the required contribution must be a financial contribution. Important! As of 8 June 2020 there is no required contribution.

How long can a project last?

Thematic projects: between 8 and 24 months
Sectoral projects: between 12 and 36 months

Where should an application be submitted?

Applications can only be submitted using  the Online Application System

Important! Applications submitted by any other means (by post or in person) will be disregarded.

What kind of form is used?

The forms are  available on the programme website (PL version): aktywniobywatele.org.pl/dla-wnioskodawcow/konkurs-na-projekty-tematyczne/