The present call for applications lays down the specifications for small projects aiming to build NGO capacities and empower vulnerable groups.

Applicable Activities

A – Building NGO capacities for a more democratic society

• Implementation of action plans / strategic plans related to organisational/operational capacity building;

• Training, mentoring and consulting in the priority cross-cutting areas of advocacy, watchdog and digitalisation;

• Training, mentoring and consulting on governance, strategic planning, administrative and financial management, communication and marketing, monitoring and evaluation techniques, human resources management, leadership and team management, project management;

• Acquisition of know-how, tools and methodologies.

The typologies mentioned above may be complemented by initiatives resulting in the practical implementation of the acquired knowledge, skills, tools and methodologies, namely through the following activities:

• Advocacy and public policy watchdog activities, including the development and dissemination of policy papers/policy proposals, sharing of information in decision-making processes concerning public policies, the promotion of structured dialogue between NGOs and public and private entities and the implementation of recommendations or decisions taken at the international level;

• Awareness-raising campaigns that counter-extremism, hate speech and populism, fake news and disinformation and promote media literacy.

B – Empowering vulnerable groups and respecting diversity

• Creation or improvement of support services to empower vulnerable groups;

• Provision of training for the economic empowerment of vulnerable individuals to promote their integration in the labour market;

• Support for groups at risk of social exclusion;

• Support for victims of domestic and sexual violence, including their physical, psychological, and social rehabilitation;

• Support for the integration, in its various components, of refugees, migrants, Roma, LGBTQI+ and other minority groups;

• Support for the integration of former prisoners, homeless people, and other marginalised or at-risk groups, including through the use of the arts, sport, or culture;

• Adoption of participatory methods and/or innovative solutions in addressing the needs of vulnerable groups.

The typologies mentioned above may be complemented by initiatives aiming at promoting knowledge and respect for diversity, namely through the following activities:

• Human rights education and training for professionals working with vulnerable groups;

• Awareness-raising campaigns and actions that prevent or fight human rights violations such as discrimination on any ground, racism, hate speech, and all forms of violence;

• Collection and reporting of data to inform activities preventing and denouncing human rights violations against migrants and refugees and the Roma people.

Project Dimension and Duration

• Small projects under this Call must have a total supportable between 10.000 and 35.000 euros, with eligible costs being co-financed by the Programme at a maximum rate of 90%;

• The maximum duration of selected projects under this Call is 12 months, with an expected start date in January 2023.

Eligibility Conditions

• Each eligible entity can only submit a maximum of one application per year, either as a promoter or partner, as stated in paragraph 4 of Article 19 of the Programme Rules;

• It is recommended to read the Programme Rules and Call Notice in full, available in the “documents” area of ​​this page.

How to Apply

• Carefully read Call Notice #16 – Small Projects, the Programme Rules, and the Application Manual;

• To apply you must register for a MyGulbenkian account;

• Register using the “login” button;

• Fill in the application form;

• Applications are only accepted online and in Portuguese;

•  Application forms can only be submitted after completion of mandatory fields and uploading of required documentation, as described in the Programme Rules;

•  At the end of the process, click on the “submit application” button;

• To prevent technical difficulties, avoid submitting your application in the last days of the deadline.