OPEN CALL FOR AWARDING GRANTS TO LOCAL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS

The Foundation Open Society Macedonia supports the civil society in the Republic of North Macedonia to encourage democratic reform and accelerate the process for EU accession in three areas: 1) EU integration and regional economic cooperation; 2) just green transition; and 3) digital transformation.

FOSM publishes this open call to support civil society organizations in the Republic of North Macedonia with three types of grants, as follows:

1. SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING THE EU INTEGRATION PROCESS AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION;
2. SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADJUSTMENT AIMED AT MORE JUST ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND SUSTAINABLE GREEN TRANSITION IN THE COUNTRY;
3. SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS CHALLENGES RELATED TO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE SOCIETY.

GRANT CHARACTERISTICS

This open call is organized to award grants in the above-named three areas of work of the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia for the year 2023, as follows:

1. SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING THE EU INTEGRATION PROCESS AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION

These grants are aimed at allowing the civil society to actively advocate for accelerated EU integration and regional economic cooperation. They are intended to promote dialogue, support reform processes, monitor policy implementation and advocate for change. These grants will we awarded to projects that reveal new data, expand existing data sources, and improve data usefulness and interactivity, by increasing their visibility, understanding and availability to citizens and policy makers. The actions should ensure efficient communication of analyses and reports with relevant stakeholders and further use by advocacy groups and citizens. Through their actions, civil society organizations should promote economic cooperation and development, address issues related to EU integration and use mechanisms for inclusive policy creation.

2. SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADJUSTMENT FOR MORE JUST ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND SUSTAINABLE GREEN TRANSITION IN THE COUNTRY

The purpose of these grants is to support work of civil society organizations for participation and leading debates for sustainable policy creation; support for evidence-based monitoring and advocacy for just green transition policies; support for public awareness building about the need for change of negative behaviors by individuals and communities, businesses, accountable and responsible performance of local authorities, central authorities and public institutions.

FOSM will support innovative and creative projects that advocate for improved just green transition policies and practices, support implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, indicate to current challenges and offer solutions or additional interpretation of consequences from inactivity to stop the enormous air pollution, increasing threats to biodiversity, reduction and abuse of green areas and waters, solid waste management, etc.

3. SUPPORT ТО PROJECTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS CHALLENGES RELATED TO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE SOCIETY

This type of grants is intended for civil society organizations with credibility in advocacy for and promotion of digital policies and with capacity to propose innovative solutions.

These grants will support projects based on digital policy reforms that consider the needs of all citizens, increase access to services provided by public institutions at local and central level, and develop digital skills with all stakeholders. Project applications should cover current issues and ensure deeper understanding of digital transformation challenges and opportunities. They should encourage active engagement of citizens and advocacy for minimum digital infrastructure that is inclusive and feasible only through interdepartmental cooperation with other civil society organizations, the government, business sector and other stakeholders in relevant communities.

BUDGET AND TIMEFRAME

The period for implementation of projects under all three types of grants can be between 6 and 9 months, in the period between July 2023 and March 2024. Requested budget for each project should be in the range from 15,000 USD to 25,000 USD.

CO-FUNDING

Co-funding is desirable, but not mandatory for this call. Organizations that apply to this call are encouraged to secure co-funding from own sources or other donors, as financial contributions necessary for attainment of project outputs that can be verified with documents.

EVALUATION PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

This call is intended to support projects that are innovative and will achieve visible impact, and that:

1. a) directly support strategy objectives of the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia;
2. b) offer creative and effective strategies for access to information and policy contributions;
3. c) apply, when relevant, strategic use of the media for promotion of project objectives;
4. d) promote innovative approach with focus on ethnic communities, gender and disability;
5. e) build partnerships and coalitions to increase the impact.

Priority will be given to new, innovative and creative initiatives that promise sustainability in the long run and promote integrative approach with a focus on communities, gender and disability. We strongly encourage applicants who haven’t previously been awarded grants by Foundation Open Society – Macedonia.

The Foundation Open Society – Macedonia will award grants only to responsible grantees that have potential for successful implementation of project proposals, in compliance with the criteria and conditions outlined in this call. Due consideration will be made of integrity, previous track record, financial and technical resources, and access to other necessary resources.

Selection of grantees is a process organized in three phases: initial assessment, evaluation and grant award. All applications will be initially assessed to ensure they fulfill the general requirements and are in compliance with the eligibility criteria, as follows:

• application form is complete and includes all necessary attachments;
• application is submitted before deadline expiration;
• application form is not completed in handwriting;
• application form and appendices provided by FOSM are used and submitted;
• financial support requested does not exceed the maximum grant amount defined in this call;
• application form is not submitted by political party, for-profit organization or civil society organization that promotes and uses violence.

Applications must fulfill all eligibility criteria in order to move to the evaluation phase. Applications that do not fulfil these criteria will be rejected and will not be evaluated.

All positively assessed applications in the first phase will be subject to further consideration and evaluation according to the selection criteria, as follows

1. Technical approach (max. 60 points)
   • relevance of needs and issues covered (30 points)
   • quality of proposed activities (15 points)
   • result-oriented activities (15 points)

2. Capacity and previous track record of the organization (max. 20 points)
   • capacity of the organization to address the issue (10 points)
   • relevant experience and results in similar areas (10 points)

3. Budget proposal (max. 20 points)
   • cost-effectiveness of the budget (10 points)
   • administrative, financial and management capacity (10 points)

In the evaluation phase, FOSM may request additional information from the applicant related to the project proposal or the organization itself, which it deems necessary to complete the evaluation process. The request for additional information does not mean that FOSM will support or will not support the project proposal. Prior to grant approval, FOSM may visit the applicant organization.

Applicant organizations will be sent letters of project approval, rejection or conditional approval. Organizations whose projects are approved will be sent the Grant Contract which outlines the legal obligations of the grantee.

The list of selected organizations will be published on the website: www.fosm.mk.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

All project proposal should be submitted on the relevant application form, including the necessary appendices. Complete applications shall be those that include:

1. Application Form (Appendix 1);
2. Budget Proposal Form (Appendix 2);
3. Implementation Timeline (Appendix 3);
4. Indicators to Measure Project Progress (Appendix 4);
5. General information on partner organizations, if applicable (in the form provided as Appendix 5).
6. Commitment letters from project partners, if applicable.

Additional mandatory documents to be submitted in attachment:

• Current Status issued by the Central Register of the Republic of North Macedonia, not older than one year;
• Document on registration according to the Law on Associations and Foundations issued by the Central Register of the Republic of North Macedonia;
• Last year’s annual narrative and financial report if the organization is registered for more than one year (submission of these documents is mandatory; if the organization does not have such documents, it should provide a statement indicating the reasons thereof);
• Most recent audit report (submission of this document is mandatory; if the organization does not have such report, it should provide a statement indicating the reasons thereof);
• Work biographies of staff members involved in the project (max. two pages per biography).

Project proposals whose implementation is based on cooperation with public institutions should submit a document indicating cooperation agreement signed by the relevant institution.

The application form should be completed with Calibri font, size 11. When completing the budget proposal form (Appendix 2), due consideration should be made of the rules outlined in the Budget Guidelines that are part of this call.

Completed applications should be submitted in electronical format, as word and pdf documents, via e-mail to: adrijana.lavchiska@fosm.mk and marija.mirchevska@fosm.mk, with the subject indicating the applicant name and project title. Should you have any questions, please forward them to adrijana.lavchiska@fosm.mk  and  marija.mirchevska@fosm.mk at least five days prior to expiration of the deadline for submission of applications.

An information session for organizations that wish to apply to this Call will be held online on June 13, 2023, starting at 12:00 pm. Interested participants should register for attendance by June 12, 2023, at 16:00 hours, by sending an e-mail to adrijana.lavchiska@fosm.mk  and  marija.mirchevska@fosm.mk. Registered participants will receive the link to attend the information session.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION IS JUNE 27, 2023, AT 16:00 HOURS. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DEADLINE WILL NOT BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

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