New opportunities for civil society – Call no.2 for Project Grants.
The aim of this call is to select one project beneficiary to implement the predefined project (PDP1) “Legal and Crisis Support for Civil Society Organizations” within the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia programme.
The project is designed around three mutually complementary dimensions — legal protection, crisis preparedness and institutional resilience. However, the main and strategic priority of this intervention is legal protection. Crisis preparedness and institutional resilience are understood as complementary pillars that strengthen this main priority and enable its effective implementation.
The project responds to the documented and growing trend of legal, administrative and reputational pressures directed against civil society organizations in Slovakia, especially those engaged in advocacy, watchdog activities, protection of human rights, gender equality and minority rights. These pressures include, for example, abuse of legal proceedings, retaliation, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), administrative harassment and reputational attacks.
In this context, a particular emphasis is expected on the provision of specialized legal services, including expert legal advice and, where justified, legal representation. The project may also include the preparation and, where relevant, the conduct of strategic legal proceedings aimed at clarifying, protecting or strengthening fundamental rights and civil liberties. Support may also include legal defense in cases of abusive or retaliatory proceedings, including SLAPPs, depending on the needs identified during the project implementation.
As this is a pre-defined project, its thematic framework, main objectives and expected results are set by the Fund Manager and approved by the Donor States. However, applicants applying for the role of project beneficiary are expected to present in their proposal:
- a coherent methodology for project implementation,
- clear operational mechanisms for providing legal protection and support in crisis situations,
- criteria and procedures for selecting civil society organisations that will benefit from the support,
- a sustainable model for providing support,
- and appropriate partnerships contributing to the effective implementation of the project.
The project beneficiary has flexibility in designing the project implementation method and specific support instruments, as long as the proposal remains clearly focused on the main objective of the PDP1 project – strengthening legal protection as a key tool for protecting civic space.
