PROTEUS is a project under the European Union's CERV program, aimed at strengthening the resilience of civil society organizations and supporting democratic participation through training and financial aid.

The Sofia Platform Foundation announces a call for non-governmental organizations to apply for project funding under PROTEUS. The goal of this opportunity is to support civic participation and the protection of European rights and values in geographically remote and peripheral areas. Up to 9 projects will be supported, based on the maximum amount of funding provided.

➡ The application deadline is 23:59 on 22.07.2024.

✔ Project proposals with the following focus areas will be funded: supporting civic activism and participation in peripheral zones (see definition in the Application Guidelines).

• Activities to raise awareness about EU rights and values;
• Organizing civic platforms and dialogue on topics related to EU rights and values;
• Coalition-building and partnerships between civil society organizations, coordination, and strategic cooperation between civil society organizations and other stakeholders, whether public or private;
• Providing free advice to citizens and activities related to monitoring and oversight of EU policies, rights, and values;
• Activities promoting the implementation of European legislation and regulations, including the enforcement of court decisions;
• Advocacy actions for creating or changing various public policies and decision-making processes;
• Conducting research and analysis supporting informed public policy formulation at the national and European levels; developing tools and standards supporting European values;
• Providing support services to the target group – for this call, this includes support for victims; training to raise awareness among the target group about their rights and how to exercise them, mechanisms for asserting them, or other training not entirely educational or professional.

• Scientific research;
• Academic scholarships;
• One-time events;
• Humanitarian aid;
• Social services;
• Religious activities.

The amount of eligible funding ranges from a minimum of 500 euros (977.91 BGN) to a maximum of 2,500 euros (4,889.57 BGN).

Eligibility criteria for submitted proposals:

• The proposal must be from a non-governmental organization registered in Bulgaria;
• The project proposal must comply with the fundamental rights and values of the EU and meet the goals of this call, described in section 2.2 of the Application Guidelines;
• All required documents must be submitted on time and properly completed according to the Application Guidelines;
• The proposed activities must be conducted in peripheral areas of the country or benefit peripheral areas and meet the eligible activities listed in section 2 of the Application Guidelines;
• The activities must be completed by April 30, 2025.

Evaluation criteria for submitted proposals:

• The project proposal must comply with the fundamental rights and values of the EU and the goals of this call, described in section 2.2 of the Application Guidelines;
• The project proposal must address a problem of the target group/local community;
• The identified problem must be well described; the chosen approach well-presented and justified, with specified resources, activities, methods, expected results, and final beneficiaries;
• The project proposal must include eligible activities (see section 2.3 of the Application Guidelines) aimed at addressing the identified problem(s);
• The budget must be understandable, with a clear logic for the distribution of funds.

How to apply?

1. Review the Application Guidelines;
2. Download and complete the Microgrant Application Form;
3. Download and complete the Project Proposal Budget Form;

For any questions during the preparation of the project proposal, contact Denitsa Vidolova from the Sofia Platform Foundation team at email proteus@sofiaplatform.org or phone +359 878 877 739.

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The PROTEUS project is funded by the CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) program of the European Union. Responsibility for this content lies with the Transatlantic Foundation and the project partners. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.