Call No. 7 for Bilateral Cooperation
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About this call
Notice: The financial allocation for this call has been exhausted and no further applications can be accepted. Information on supported projects is available on this link. Call No. 7 for Bilateral Initiatives supports the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between civil society organisations in Slovakia and entities from the Donor States – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The call is funded through the Fund for Bilateral Relations under the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia. The purpose of the call is to support the establishment and development of strategic and sustainable partnerships based on mutual learning, exchange of experience, transfer of know-how and joint capacity-building activities. The call responds to the need to strengthen the institutional and professional capacities of civil society actors, improve access to thematic expertise, innovative methodologies and tested practices, and foster structured cross-border cooperation focused on long-term results. Supported initiatives must contribute to the Bilateral Outcome of the Programme – Strengthened bilateral cooperation in the civil society sector – while remaining aligned with the broader objectives of the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia related to democracy, rule of law, human rights, civic participation and civil society development. The target groups of the call include civil society organisations in Slovakia and in the Donor States, experts and activists working in the non-governmental sector, public and educational institutions engaged in bilateral exchange, and community initiatives directly benefiting from knowledge transfer and international cooperation. The call supports activities such as matchmaking and partnership-building meetings, study visits, staff exchanges, joint seminars, workshops, conferences and expert events, capacity-building activities, and the exchange of methodologies, tools and good practices between partners from Slovakia and the Donor States. Particular emphasis is placed on the quality, strategic relevance and sustainability potential of bilateral partnerships.
Who can apply
All eligible applicants must abide by the common values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and comply with the fundamental rights and obligations enshrined in relevant instruments and standards. The applicant is the entity responsible for the overall initiation, preparation and implementation of the initiative. Eligible applicants are CSOs that are established in Slovakia or any of the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and fall within the following definition: A non-profit voluntary organisation with a non-commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations. Religious institutions and political parties, social partners or profit-distributing cooperatives are not eligible applicants. Eligible candidates must meet the following general conditions: Are non-profit, being organisations that have not been created nor operate to generate personal profit. Although it may have paid staff and may engage in revenue-generating activities, it does not distribute profits to its members nor to its board. Where revenue generating activities are undertaken, these do not represent the purpose of the non-profit organisation, but are a means to support its mission and values; Have members who do not have any direct commercial interest in the outcome of the work of the organisation or of its activities, and the organisation does not pursue the commercial or professional interests of its members. This definition therefore excludes trade- and professional chambers and associations, where the aims and purposes of the association is to further the specific interests of its members only; Are voluntary in nature, formed voluntarily by groups or individuals, and where the organisation is membership based, membership is not compulsory for any group or individual. Any applicant must agree to the principles and procedures of the Programme’s Policy for the Protection of Vulnerable Persons and Children under the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia and commit to complying with them by signing the Declaration of Honour when submitting the application. Legal Entity Checklists and National Registers: To be eligible, applicants must be registered under one of the following legislative acts in their respective countries: A. Slovakia Civic Association according to the Act No. 83/1990 Coll. on the Association of Citizens; Foundation according to the Act No. 34/2002 Coll. on Foundations; Non-profit Organisation Providing Public Beneficial Services according to the Act No. 83/1990 Coll. Non-investment Fund according to the Act No. 34/2002 Coll. on Non-investment Funds; Non-profit Organisation according to the Act No. 116/85 Coll. on terms for activities of organisations with international aspect; Association of Legal Entities under the Act no. 40/1964 Coll. - Civil Code; Slovak Red Cross under the Act no. 460/2007 Coll. on the Slovak Red Cross. B. Entities Registered in Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Applicants from Donor States must document their status as a legal entity in their respective country and demonstrate compliance with the eligibility criteria outlined above. These applicants are required to submit: 1. A current official extract from their local registry. 2. A high-quality unofficial English translation of the extract. 3. A declaration of honour confirming their non-profit, independent, and voluntary status. Religious institutions and political parties, social partners, profit-distributing cooperatives or informal groups are not eligible applicants. Faith-based organisations are eligible if they meet the principles identified above and if the funded activities do not directly or indirectly promote a religious doctrine, mission or proselytism6 related to the beliefs of a particular faith.