Showing posts with label social funds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social funds. Show all posts

08 November 2013

Second European Social Innovation Competition

Do you have an idea to fight high unemployment? Do you think you could improve the working conditions of people stuck in low-paid jobs – whether because of their gender, age, social status or handicap? Do you know how to enhance opportunities for the 27 million Europeans currently out of work? Then the second European Social Innovation Competition is for you! 

The Competition, launched in memory of Diogo Vasconcelos, invites Europeans to come up with new solutions to reduce unemployment and minimize its corrosive effects on the economy and our society both now and in the future.

The three winning projects will be awarded financial support of EUR 30,000. 

But there's more. Winners of the first edition emphasize that the Competition has given them the chance to develop a great idea, to bring legitimacy to their work, and last but not least, to make their solution accessible to more people. Don’t keep your great ideas to yourself. 

As one of the winners says: "Should you have an idea, work on it and take your chance. The same could happen to you. You could end up winning."

16 October 2013

Preparatory action - Supporting the demand and supply side of the market for social enterprise finance

Deadline for submitting of proposals: 15 November 2013.


The objective of the preparatory action is to identify, develop, promote and disseminate the good practice of national, regional or local governments and of financial intermediaries in assisting young social entrepreneurs at times of high youth unemployment. 

Strand A: Establishment of social finance partnerships
This strand is particularly relevant for actions in countries in which the social finance market is not developed yet. It aims at addressing situations in which no suitable social finance instrument is in place, with a lack of investors prepared to launch or participate in a financial instrument.

Strand B: Establishment of social finance instruments and mechanisms 
This strand is particularly relevant for actions in countries with a relatively low level of development of the social finance market. It aims at addressing situations in which there is no suitable social finance instrument in place and potential investors and intermediaries lack expertise that can guide the drafting of contractual agreements needed for setting up a financial instrument. 

 Strand C: Establishment of collaborative funding models for social enterprises 
This strand is particularly relevant for actions in countries in which different types of actors are already operating in the social finance market, but in isolation. As a result, these different types of social finance providers (foundations, social investors, public authorities, notably ESF managing authorities) apply a broad range of incoherent and unrelated eligibility criteria return expectations, conditions for repayment, requirements for accounting and reporting etc. 

Strand D: Development of investment readiness support for social enterprises 
This strand addresses the insufficient investment-readiness of social enterprises. Even in countries where there is a large pool of capital willing to invest in social enterprises, investments often remain complicated as social enterprises are not "investment ready". This can be explained sometimes by their low interest in repayable financial instruments due to an orientation towards the so-called grant economy, but also by a lack of necessary documents such as impact reports or business plans and insufficient experience in making proposals for external financing, or for combining different sources and types of finance (e.g. grants/loans 

For all strands, the focus should be on social ventures that aim at social impact, are financially sustainable, want to scale up (including through franchise) and, for that purpose, want to raise between EUR 100 000 and EUR 500 000. 

The total budget: EUR 1 million. The EU grant is limited to a maximum co-funding rate of 80% of the total eligible costs.

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25 September 2013

Funding for victims of torture

DEADLINE: 22 October 2013


The main objective of this Pilot Project is to create a new line of funding for the final benefit of victims of torture (EU or non-EU citizens) present in the Union.
 
The funding should cover the following actions designed, developed and implemented in EU Member States:

  • to create rehabilitation centres for victims of torture or to support the existing ones by providing funds for their rehabilitation costs and their other activities;
  • to provide access to multidisciplinary support and counseling, including physical and psychotherapeutic treatment, psycho-social counseling, legal services, and socioeconomic support to the victims;
  • to support international networking between rehabilitation centres in order to build capacities, support the exchange of good practices among specialists, allow peer supervision as a means of prevention of vicarious trauma, etc.;
  • to support activities which aim to empower torture victims themselves and, in general, to support the ability of torture victims to integrate into society in European countries.
 
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is EUR 2.000.000.
The minimum grant will be EUR 175.000 and the maximum grant will be EUR 350.000. Financial contribution from the European Union cannot exceed 90 % of the total eligible costs of the action.
 
Eligible organisations are: national, regional and local authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public or private bodies, university departments, research centres that are constituted with a legal personality and are duly registered in one of the eligible countries.
 
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09 August 2013

Awareness raising on violence against women

DEADLINE: 30 October 2013

Proposals should develop new and innovative awareness raising activities and materials aimed at preventing violence against women which will be targeted at and/or accessible for most vulnerable groups of women, such as women with disabilities, migrants, Roma, women belonging to ethnic minorities, lesbians, transexuals and elderly women.

Some examples of activities:
  • social networking websites
  • films
  • songs
  • theatre plays
  • photo competitions

Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro

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08 August 2013

Using media in a safe way: to prevent violence in social networks and video games

DEADLINE: 30 october 2013



Proposals should empower children (boys and girls), young people and women to use media in a safe way to bring about attitudinal and behavioural changes with regard to the potentially harmful impact of gender stereotyping and sexualisation in the media, consumer industries, online or video games, social networking, etc.

Projects on children must take due account of the standards set out in the UN Convention on the rights of the child.

Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro




07 August 2013

Actions for children as victims of violence and of bullying at school

DEADLINE: 30 october 2013


There are two specific actions under this call for proposals:
  1. Proposals should benefit child victims and/or witnesses of violence in close or intimate relationships, where projects roll out previously tried and tested models or pilots (to be described in detail in the application) taking a child-centred approach and documenting the numbers of children to be reached by the project.
  2. Proposals should develop and roll out, or roll out previously developed and piloted comprehensive anti-bullying policy and programmes (to be described in detail in the application) in schools. Projects funded under this priority must involve children, teachers and staff in a participatory and empowering manner and clearly document the numbers of children/teachers/staff that will be reached.
Bullying at school projects may also cover social networking sites as an extension of bullying in schools.
Projects under these priorities may allow for adaptations or customisation in line with the situation in individual Member States, but the overall objectives and methods must be the same for all participating Member States.

Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro


06 August 2013

Violence linked to harmful practices

DEADLINE: 30 October 2013


Proposals should be related to combating and preventing violence linked to so-called harmful practices (e.g. female genital mutilation, forced or early marriage or forced sexual relationships, honour crimes) committed against women, young people and children.

They must incorporate:
  • direct participation of the communities, including targeted awareness-raising, education, specialised training of key professionals;
  • promotion of dialogue within practising communities.
Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro

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05 August 2013

Support for victims of violence

DEADLINE: 30 OCTOBER 2013



Proposals should focus on specialised support services for women, young people and children victims of violence (e.g. shelters, counselling services, rape crisis and sexual assault referral centres, helplines, specialised child support, targeted support services for most vulnerable groups of victims, such as persons with disabilities, migrants, Roma, persons belonging to ethnic minorities, LGBTI and elderly women).
 
Projects should focus on any of the following actions:
  • mapping of existing specialist support services building on existing work in this area (either public or run by non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) in the Member States;
  • development and exchange of best practices in establishing and running such specialised services)
  • identification of gaps and recommendations for establishing specialist services at national level
  • promotion of the cooperation and networking across the EU of national/local authorities or NGOs responsible for providing specialist support.

Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro

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02 August 2013

Support to activities implemented by NGOs in the field of non-discrimination

DEADLINE: 1 OCTOBER 2013


This call aims to support activities which contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of European and national policies and legislation exclusively in one of the following areas:
  • non-discrimination and Roma integration,
  • equal rights for persons with disabilities,
  • equality between women and men.
The proposal may include activities belonging to the following categories:
  • Analytical activities: e.g. studies, surveys, research, policy recommendations, evaluation, data collection, statistics, development of indicators, benchmarks, etc;
  • Training activities;
  • Mutual learning, exchange of good practices, cooperation;
  • Awareness-raising, information and dissemination;
  • Organisation of awareness raising campaigns and conferences and meetings aiming at dissemination.
 
The indicative available budget for this call for proposals is:
  • for projects in the area of non-discrimination and of Roma integration: EUR 4 300 000;
  • for projects in the area of equal rights for persons with disabilities: EUR 2 100 000;
  • in the area of equality between women and men: EUR 950 000.
 
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29 July 2013

Framework partnership agreements with EU-level NGOs networks

DEADLINE: 6 SEPTEMBER 2013


The purpose of this call is to establish long-term cooperation between the European Commission and European-level networks active in promoting social inclusion and poverty reduction in society as well as European-level networks active in the promotion of access to finance (microfinance or social enterprise finance).
 
The EU level networks organisations play an important role in promoting changes in employment and social policies and legislation. In the current macroeconomic climate in particular, there is the need to re-build the citizens' trust in the European project and to re-gain the support of the grassroots organisations thereby creating the necessary legitimacy for a social Europe.
 
Who can apply: EU Member States, EFTA/EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), and EU candidate countries (Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey).
 
Applicants must choose one of these areas:
  • European level networks active in the promotion of social inclusion and poverty reduction .
  • European level networks active in the promotion of access to finance (microfinance and social enterprise finance).
 
For 2014 the indicative amount for the specific annual grant agreements will be:
  • A total of EUR 10 000 000 altogether for the EU level NGO networks active in the promotion of social inclusion and poverty reduction.
  • A total of EUR 1 000 000 altogether for European level networks of organisations active in the promotion of access to finance (microfinance or social enterprise finance).
 
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24 July 2013

Support the development of comprehensive active ageing strategies

DEADLINE: 30 September 2013


Due to rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates, the proportion of older people in Europe is increasing rapidly. It is projected that by 2050, the ratio of people over 65 compared to the working age population (15-64 years of age) will reach 50% - double of the current levels. The present situation poses a challenge to the labour supply and to social protection systems.
 
The aim of the "active ageing" policy approach is to allow older people to remain longer in the labour market, to participate actively in society and to live independently as long as possible. The aim of this call for proposals is to provide financial support for Member State national public authorities willing to engage in the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies for active ageing. Support will be provided to national authorities wishing to involve different policy areas as well as different levels of governance and relevant stakeholders to enhance their capacity to take concrete actions for tackling the challenges posed by ageing populations.

The project proposals should start with an analysis of the specific challenges and the potentials for promoting active ageing. Based on this analysis of the present situation the proposals should demonstrate how a comprehensive strategy can contribute to improving the conditions for active ageing. Projects could either aim for:
  • designing and implementing a new comprehensive strategy
  • improving an existing one.
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at € 2.000.000.

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