Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway have announced the selection of Fund Operators for the new Civil Society Fund programmes under the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism in Bulgaria and Romania. In Bulgaria, the fund will be operated by a consortium led by the Open Society Institute – Sofia, in partnership with the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation, and the Norwegian organization Frivillighet Norge. The selection was made following an open and competitive tender procedure.
The fund for Bulgaria amounts to over €23 million, representing the largest commitment to date by the donor countries to civil society in the country. The areas of support under the new programming period include:
- Democratic values, civic engagement, information integrity and media literacy.
- Civil society participation in democratic processes.
- Human rights, anti-discrimination, and social justice.
- Gender equality, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, and LGBTIQ+ rights.
- Climate action, environmental protection, and a just green transition.
- Organisational development and an enabling environment for civil society.
In addition, the fund will support the empowerment of Roma communities, including their organizations and Roma women and girls, as well as refugees and migrants. Other Bulgaria-specific focus areas include challenges arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and efforts to combat gender-based violence.
“I thank the donor countries for their trust and for their continued support of civil society in Bulgaria,” said Georgi Stoychev, Executive Director of the Open Society Institute – Sofia. “The Civil Society Fund is a strategic ally of Bulgarian civil society, supporting those who defend democracy, human rights, and justice. It strengthens the resilience of civil society organizations at a time when wars, hybrid attacks, and global insecurity are testing core democratic values and human dignity.”
The implementation of the EEA Civil Society Fund is expected to continue until February 2032.
During the previous programming period, which ran from 2018 to the end of 2024 through the Active Citizens Fund, more than 250 civil society organizations in Bulgaria were supported, implementing 211 projects in 32 localities across the country. Over 300,000 citizens actively participated in initiatives whose outcomes reached nearly 1 million people.
You can read more about the selection of Fund Operators for two of the largest civil society programmes of the EEA and Norway Grants in Bulgaria and Romania here.
