The European Commission (EC) is pleased to announce a call for proposals that contributes to enhancing the democratic governance of Liberia by empowering and building the capacities of the Liberian Civil Society and the Media.
The specific objective is:
Enhance freedom of expression and information by strengthening media professionalism and quality of information delivery while promoting human rights and democracy
For this objective, the priorities are:
Reinforce the role and capacities of the media in the promotion of human rights and democracy
Reinforce the role and capacities of the media to cover, report and give voice to citizens on the accountability of public authorities and the implementation of their policy programmes
Support media networks and umbrella organisations
Strengthen journalists’ capacities in the use of digital media while countering mis/disinformation, fake news and hate speech
Support awareness and training activities to implement national and international codes of ethics and conduct to ensure that journalists and media members adhere to the highest ethical standards and professional integrity
Support an enabling environment for the promotion of freedom of opinion, expression, and access to information in particular in their priority sectors
Support investigative journalism, particularly in issues related their cooperation priorities;
Enhancing and preserving natural resources for sustainable growth,
Promoting decent jobs and inclusive growth and
Improving financial and democratic governance
Establish and support a self-sustainable business model for media organisations
Develop innovative approaches to journalism education
Focus Areas
The current “Civil Society Organisations” thematic programme for the period of 2021-2027 focuses on:
contributing to an enabling environment for civil society
increased efforts for a more inclusive CSO participation in the dialogue on development policy and domestic policies in partner countries and
a comprehensive approach to capacity building to strengthen CSO partner capacities.
Funding Information
The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1.000.000
Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
minimum amount: EUR 950.000
maximum amount: EUR 1.000.000
Duration: The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 36 months nor exceed 48 months.
Added-Value Elements
The following will be considered as added-value elements (and reflected in evaluation criterion 1.4 of the concept note):
The targeting of hard to reach, vulnerable and marginalised groups of society, in particular the youth, women and people with disabilities (PWD);
The formation of partnerships amongst CSOs and media, building on existing networks, supporting emerging networks, and encouraging the building of coalitions and the creation of platforms;
Definition of a baseline with a monitoring and evaluation mechanism (see evaluation grid);
Dissemination of knowledge, and use of evidence for advocacy and action.
Projects proposals should be based on local initiatives and genuine involvement of CSOs from Liberia should be ensured at all stages.
Non-Liberian CSOs acting as lead applicants should demonstrate their experience in the country and added value as well as show that their action responds to a local demand and to locally identified needs and includes support to local partners (e.g. through mentoring, peer support, joint advocacy and direct financial support).
Location: Actions must take place in Liberia.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
be a legal person and
be non-profit-making and
be a Civil Society Organisation and/or their associations
be established in Liberia or in a Member State of the European Union or in a member country of the OECD.
have its main area of work, objectives and proven experience in the field of the action proposed and be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
Lead Applicants not established in Liberia must demonstrate an established and effective track record of partnerships with Civil Society Organizations in Liberia (e.g. previous projects with local CSOs, etc.) and that the proposed action is based on the initiative of local co-applicants ensuring their involvement during all the stages of the implementation of the action.
Co-applicant(s)
Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator)
Affiliated Entities
The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association,…) as the proposed affiliated entities.
