In response to the challenges imposed on the Ukrainian society during the coronavirus outbreak, the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation – BST has launched a new call for proposals which aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian civil society organizations and independent media in countering the negative impact of the outbreak on society.
COVID-19: Civil Society resilience and sustainability call is part of a regional project run by IREX Europe and funded by the European Union. The project aims to support Civil Society, independent activists, and independent media to continue their work throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thematic areas:
I. Fast Response Grants
1.1. Civil Society-led Mobilization of Social Support
- Enhancing social support, including through cross-sectoral cooperation with local authorities, businesses and IT companies, educators and scientists, and independent media;
- Shared expertise/capacity building on how to develop appropriate strategies to effectively cope with a very different future operating environment;
- Development of plans, self-help mechanisms, groups, and networks that work to compensate for insufficient or inadequate responses by state authorities.
1. 2. Digitalization
- Acquisition of necessary IT equipment, software, and maintenance (phones, computers, software, subscriptions to online conferencing services, etc.) necessary to work from home or run online activities, and enable CSOs to improve their work and/or reach to a larger audience;
- Training for activists, volunteers, and beneficiaries.
2. Democracy Grants
2. 1. Advancing Independent Media
- Continued supply of accurate information about the further evolution of the crisis and its impact on different spheres of society;
- Debunking fake news through factchecking and exposing cases of disinformation—a special focus will be placed on information about Eastern Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic.
2. 2. Government Oversight
- Oversight of public procurement procedures, investments in the health sector, subsidies, and economic aid;
- Alternative public policies drafted to contain the crisis and mitigate its economic and social effects;
- Monitor restrictions to human rights, media freedom, personal privacy. This could be directly related to increased use of digital surveillance tools.
Project proposals should be initiated by civil society organizations legally registered in Ukraine and should limit their geographic scope to Ukraine.
Proposals will be received on an ongoing basis, the first deadline being September 15.
Priority will be given to organizations most severely affected due to economic and social disparities between the center and remote areas, and those working to support the most vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
More information can be found here: https://www.gmfus.org/covid-19-civil-society-resilience-and-sustainability-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR1Osz4gh8tiXG2tdQ1Dq_XTa3vD293v_NnUSN227Bo4GWfpdUNZMbHivCw .
