Bilateral Cooperation
One of the goals of the Active Citizens Fund in Croatia is the strengthening of bilateral relations between NGOs in Croatia and entities in the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) with a view to promoting project partnerships and joint activities, the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Through the Active Citizens Fund in Croatia, a total of € 85,000 will be allocated to support bilateral cooperation initiatives.
Bilateral cooperation refers to networking, exchange, strengthening cooperation, sharing and transfer of knowledge, technology, experience and best practice between NGOs in Croatia and entities in the donor states. Search for partners prior to or during the preparation of a project proposal, the development of such partnerships and the preparation of an application for a donor partnership project to be submitted under the ACF open calls, also enhances bilateral cooperation.
The Fund Operator will organize matchmaking events during the first open calls for proposals, between Croatian CSOs and entities from the Donor States. Such events aim to establish direct contacts among CSOs and participants from the donor states to exchange ideas on specific topics of common interest, relevant to the priorities of the Active Citizens Fund. The first matchmaking workshop will be organized on April 2020 in Zagreb, with the participation of three organizations from Norway (Dikkedokken Filmlaug, Culture and Society and Made in Tøyen ) and three organizations from Iceland (Mental Health Alliance, the Women’s Counselling and WOMEN in Iceland). The Active Citizens Fund in Croatia, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Icelandic Human Rights Centre shall facilitate contacts and cooperation initiatives between Croatian NGOs and entities from the Donor States. A partnership database has also been established by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in order to facilitate the search for potential partners.
Developing bilateral projects
All grant schemes under ACF Croatia enable creation of bilateral partnerships within the scope of project, as indicated in project application documents specific to each Call. For further information, please consult https://acfcroatia.hr/en/calls-for-proposals/.
Project applicants are responsible to search for partners and take initiatives in creating bilateral partnerships themselves. ACF programme provides the following forms of technical assistance in this process:
· A partnership database has also been established by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in order to facilitate the search for potential partners.
· In addition, if a need or additional matchmaking support is expressed by email to designated email addresses indicated at the following websites, Active Citizens Fund in Croatia, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Icelandic Human Rights Centre shall facilitate contacts and cooperation initiatives between Croatian NGOs and entities from the Donor States.
· ACF Croatia has also created a mailing list of all CSOs that have expressed interest in bilateral cooperation and have received an excel table with contacts of all NGOs that have expressed their interest so far (attached). We will periodically send out information on new grant schemes and online matchmaking events in line with our Fund’s workplan. You are free to us the table and the mailing list in order to contact Croatian NGOs.
In addition, those CSOs that have been granted project support through ACF Croatia (i.e. „project promoters“) will be invited to take part in restricted calls for bilateral cooperation, which will be open ONLY to project promoters i.e. grantees of ACF Croatia of each grant scheme. These restricted calls will provide small grants for follow-up collaborative activities that stem out, build upon or deepen bilateral cooperation that has already been initiated in the scope of projects funded by ACF Croatia. The timing of these restricted will be aligned with implementation periods of each grants scheme. All CSOs that sign contracts with ACF Croatia for projects that entail bilateral cooperation will be informed about this option for additional support for follow-up bilateral initiatives early on in the project implementation process.
ACF program provides technical assistance but is not responsible for establishing bilateral partnerships.
For any additional information please send an e-mail to partnerships@acfcroatia.hr
