Western Balkans Fund invites CSOs to apply for grants for sustainable development, other projects

The Western Balkans Fund (WBF) has invited applications for grants to finance projects in sustainable development, cultural cooperation, and education and scientific exchange, as part of efforts to promote and foster cross-border cooperation and regional cohesion and advance the region’s integration into the EU, according to a call for proposals posted on the WBF’s website.

The grants, in the maximum amount of EUR 12,000, will finance up to 80% of project costs, while the rest of the necessary funding must be secured through self-financing, financial contributions from other donors, or non-financial contributions (in-kind). The overall indicative amount available under this call for proposals is EUR 260,000, according to the WBF.

Sustainable development projects that may be financed under this call of proposals include those raising awareness on environmental protection and climate change, supporting regional conferences such as startup events and venture forums, and promoting initiatives and actions aimed at the inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

The deadline to submit project applications is December 13, 2018, while applicants must be notified of the outcome of the evaluation of their applications by the end of April 2019. The grant contract must be signed within one month following the notification of the award decision.

Applicants must form partnerships with at least three members

According to the eligibility criteria, applicants must form project partnerships, comprising a lead-applicant and at least two project partners. The lead-applicant must be a non-profit, civil society organization (CSO) established in the Western Balkan region (WB6), or a specific type of organization from categories including: regional public entities, business clusters, agriculture associations, chambers of commerce, tourism associations, universities, schools, libraries, research centers, science and art academies, museums, art galleries, theaters, associations of cultural institutions, and sport associations.

An organization may submit only one application as the lead-applicant and up to two applications as a project partner. The planned duration of a project may not exceed 12 months, and activities should take place in the WB6 region, which covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

This is the second round of grants the WBF is providing for these purposes. The first call for proposals, published in November 2017, resulted in awarding grants to 18 projects, whose implementation began in May this year, according to the WBF. For the first call, the WBF received 351 applications, with about 1,300 organizations participating either as a lead-applicant or as a project partner.