News and updates from BCSDN and the region
No one needs to remind international CSOs that they face pressure from both ends. Donor countries that once spawned or nourished them are now looking for more direct connections to locally-based groups serving local needs. And aid-receiving countries are adopting highly restrictive policies they justify by questioning the legitimacy of foreign funding to civil society
Read more →Over the past year, EFC has joined forces with the new Funders Initiative to Strengthen Civil Society to jointly examine how the trend of shrinking space for civil society effects development funders and actors, and how they are responding. Questions explored in this joint paper include: how are development actors and funders experiencing the space
Read more →Online content manipulation contributed to a seventh consecutive year of overall decline in internet freedom, along with a rise in disruptions to mobile internet service and increases in physical and technical attacks on human rights defenders and independent media. Nearly half of the 65 countries assessed in Freedom on the Net 2017 experienced declines during
Read more →This toolkit, developed by ILGA-Europe & the Public Interest Research Centre, is a short guide to strategic communications, based on extensive research and building on the experience of activists and communicators from around the globe. It aims to provide a framework rather than a blueprint; helping CSOs to ask the right questions rather than giving
Read more →CAS SEE is announcing a new annual call for Fellowships for Spring and Autumn 2018. This call is organized along selected thematic foci but also offers the possibility of open applications. The CAS SEE Fellowship Program for Spring (15 February – 15 July 2018) and Autumn (September – 15 February 2019) will host 14 junior
Read more →The biannual conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research in 2018 will gather researchers from all over the world in Amsterdam. The conference provides a forum for scholarly exchange and discussion on cutting edge research on nonprofit organizations, NGOs, voluntarism, philanthropy and CSOs. Democracy and Legitimacy: The Role of the Third Sector in a Globalizing World is the 2018 theme
Read more →The McCain Institute is seeking applications for its Next Generation Leaders (NGL) program, designed to identify, train, network and empower a diverse group of emerging, character-driven leaders from around the world. Geared to mid-career professionals, this yearlong, fully funded professional development program offers a unique blend of professional development, exposure to top-level policymakers and formal
Read more →The Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR), Columbia University, is currently accepting applications for its Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP). HRAP’s comprehensive program of advocacy, networking, skills-building, and academic coursework provides advocates the opportunity to hone practical skills, develop a deeper understanding of human rights, and foster mutually beneficial relationships with organizations and
Read more →Western Balkans Fund (WBF) is pleased to announce the First Call for regional Project Proposals. Following the WBF objectives and scope of work, the call aims to promote cooperation and strengthening the relations between Contracting Parties by sharing common values between citizens, civil society and non-profit organizations in the region, and improving the people-to-people contacts.
Read more →The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) is inviting CSOs for the twelfth round of its funding projects to advance and support democracy in order to strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. In this round, UNDEF particularly welcomes proposals in the areas of gender;
Read more →The Embassy and Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is currently inviting Turkish civil society, non-profit educational institutions, lower governments and semi-governmental organizations to submit new proposals to get support for their work. Through this programme, the Netherlands assists Turkey to manage its transformation in order to meet EU accession criteria. Priority areas
Read more →The United States Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program. This program supports NGO efforts to enable greater citizen participation in fighting corruption, transparency in government, preventing brain drain, enhancing human rights (including gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities), building
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