Over 46,000,000 EUR funding for NGOs in the next 6 years through the Programme Active Citizens Fund Romania

 The Active Citizens Fund Romania programme aims at supporting long-term civil society development, strengthening its role in promoting democratic involvement, active citizenship and human rights. 

“Developing strong and pluralist democracies is not possible unless the voices of a broad spectrum of the society are heard and their interests are taken into account in the frame of governmental processes”, Mr. Thor Kleppen Sættem, State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Immigration of Norway said during the launching event. 

In Romania, Active Citizens Fund is run by the consortium between the Civil Society Development Foundation, the Partnership Foundation, the Resource Centre for Roma Communities, the PACT Foundation and Frivillighet Norge. The programme is to be implemented in 6 years. There will be 11 calls for projects under the programme, starting this autumn, in the 6 areas of support:

• Democracy, active citizenship, good governance and transparency;
• Human rights and equal treatment through fighting any forms of discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or convictions, sex, disabilities, sexual orientation or gender identity;
• Social justice and inclusion of vulnerable groups;
• Gender equality and gender-based violence;
• Environment and climate change;
• Strengthening NGOs capacity.

Youth inclusion is a top priority in all these areas of support. Special care is given to strengthening the capacity of vulnerable groups, for which 33% of the grants budget is to be allocated. 

The programme launching event, which took place at the National Bank of Romania, was attended by representatives of the Government of Norway, of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Romania and of the EEA and Norway Grants Financial Mechanism Office, as well as by over 150 representatives of the civil society in Romania and the European Union. The discussion offered a broad image on the situation of the non-governmental in Romania and in Europe, as well as on the main directions for supporting civil society through the Active Citizens Fund Programme.

For additional details on the programme, see its official website, www.activecitizensfund.ro. 

About the Programme Active Citizens Fund Romania 

Active Citizens Fund Romania is financed through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021. The general objective of the grants is to reduce economic and social disparities and to strengthen the bilateral relations between the 15 beneficiary states and the donor states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway). The programme is run by the consortium between the Civil Society Development Foundation, the Partnership Foundation, the Resource Centre for Roma Communities, the PACT Foundation and Frivillighet Norge, acting as Fund Operator appointed by the FMO – Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norway Grants. Active Citizens Fund Romania aims at strengthening civil society and active citizenship, as well as at strengthening the capacity of vulnerable groups. With a total allocation of 46,000,000 EUR, the objective of the programme is the long-term development of the civil society sustainability and capacity, strengthening its role in promoting democratic participation, active citizenship and human rights, consolidating at the same time the bilateral relations with the donor states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. For more information, see www.activecitizensfund.ro.