News and updates from BCSDN and the region
With global USAID’s withdrawal in 2025, donors such as the EU, Switzerland, and Norway have become increasingly important in North Macedonia, though concerns remain about gaps in funding. Over 25 years, USAID funded projects that combined financial support with local contributions, rebuilding schools and supporting vocational training, creating lasting community engagement and capacity-building impacts across
Read more →The European Union’s forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034 will shape the bloc’s ability to address global challenges, including poverty reduction, gender equality, climate resilience, and peacebuilding. Central to the MFF’s external dimension is the Global Europe Fund, the EU’s primary instrument for development cooperation and external action. A new analysis by CONCORD highlights
Read more →Target Group: CSOs in the Western Balkans (WB6) engaged in youth-led initiatives that foster dialogue, trust, reconciliation, intercultural learning, and regional cooperation. Both emerging and experienced actors are encouraged to apply. Aim: To support high-quality, impact-oriented youth initiatives that promote regional youth exchange, dialogue, peacebuilding, and sustainable cooperation, while strengthening partnerships among CSOs, educational and
Read more →Target Group: Startups in civic education, youth-led organisations, and other European-based organisations developing projects that link financial and economic literacy with civic education, democratic participation, and social resilience. Aim: To support innovative educational initiatives that strengthen financial and economic literacy, foster democratic competencies, promote inclusion and cohesion, and pilot or scale new approaches across Europe.
Read more →Target Group: Registered CSOs and media outlets in Montenegro and Kosovo. Aim: To strengthen anti-corruption efforts by empowering local CSOs and media to identify, report, and counter corruption, particularly in sectors such as environment, education, and healthcare, while fostering transparency, public engagement, and institutional accountability. Countries: Montenegro, Kosovo Amount: Up to 12,430 USD per grant
Read more →Target Group: CSOs, activists, and informal groups working on digital democracy, digital rights, civic participation, media integrity, and human rights. Institutional Stability Grants are open only to legally registered CSOs, while Strategic Growth Small Grants are open to CSOs, informal groups, and individual activists. Aim: To strengthen inclusive and resilient civic space by supporting digital
Read more →Target Group: Local and international NGOs, UN agencies, and CSOs working to support highly vulnerable women and girls, including those affected by extreme poverty, gender-based and sexual violence, armed conflict, displacement, and lack of access to education. Aim: To provide emergency assistance, psychosocial support, legal aid, access to education and employment opportunities, and other resilience-building
Read more →Short Description: The SALTO Resource Centre, in cooperation with the Polish National Agency of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, invites youth workers and leaders to a four-day forum dedicated to promoting youth participation, active citizenship, and European values. Target Group: Youth workers, youth leaders, youth project managers, youth policy makers Countries: Eastern Partnership countries,
Read more →Short Description: The European Parliament invites applications for the 2026 Sakharov Fellowship Programme, offering up to 14 human rights defenders from non-EU countries the opportunity to participate in a two-week intensive training programme focused on advocacy, security, resilience, and engagement with EU human rights mechanisms. Target Group: Human rights defenders from non-EU countries with a
Read more →Short Description: UNESCO invites CSOs, cultural institutions, and local stakeholders to participate in peer-to-peer exchanges focused on safeguarding cultural heritage and revitalising local cultural spaces in the Western Balkans. Target Group: Public institutions (e.g. museums, heritage institutes, universities, local governments) and CSOs legally established in the Western Balkans IPA Beneficiaries before 1 January 2024. Countries:
Read more →Short Description: The Macedonian Institute for Media (MIM) announces the 25th edition of the Nikola Mladenov Awards, recognising the best investigative journalism stories of the year published in 2025. The awards celebrate professional and ethical journalism that uncovers issues of public interest, including organised crime, corruption, abuse of power, and human rights violations, and encourages
Read more →Short Description: The Anna Lindh Foundation invites academics, think tanks, and specialised centres to produce evidence-based, policy-oriented research addressing intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The ALF Knowledge for Action call covers Euro‑Mediterranean topics in areas such as education, green and digital transitions, culture and tourism, innovation, civil society engagement, migration, disaster resilience, and peacebuilding.
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