On 3 August 2026, the first information session on the First Call for Organisational Grants was held online via Zoom, bringing together more than 180 participants from the civil society sector.
Elitsa Markova, Programme Manager of the EEA Civil Society Fund in Bulgaria, presented the objectives of the programme and the call, as well as the eligibility conditions and application procedure. Her presentation is available here. Following the presentation, participants had the opportunity to ask her and other members of the team from the partner responsible for managing the call, the Open Society Institute – Sofia, questions. The team reminded participants that full information about the call is available in the First Call for Organisational Grants and its accompanying documents published on the call’s webpage.
The video of the presentation of the call requirement during the session is available for potential applicants here. Answers to the questions raised during the meeting will be published in the Questions and Answers about the first call for organisational grants section on the programme’s page.
Support for Long-Term Strategic Objectives
The First Call for Organisational Grants under the EEA Civil Society Fund in Bulgaria differs from the conventional project-based approach. It seeks to support the overall strategic objectives of Bulgarian civil society organisations that promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights throughout the entire grant period. Support will be provided in the form of a lump sum grant for the implementation of multiannual organisational strategies and/or work plans (covering a period of at least two years) with clear objectives, measurable results and reliable approaches to achieving long-term impact.
Eligible applicants are organisations registered under the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act or the Chitalishta Act at least 60 months before the application deadline. Applicants must be able to present a multiannual strategy and/or work plan covering a period of at least two years and must have an average annual turnover over the past four financial years not less than the annualised value of the grant amount applied for.
Applications may be submitted until 30 September 2026 at 23:59, exclusively through the EGRANT electronic system.
Information Sessions
A second, in-person information session on the First Call for Organisational Grants will take place on 9 September 2026. Further details about the event will be published on the programme website as the date approaches.
Details of all programme-related events, together with the relevant resources, are available under the Events section of the programme website.
The First Call for Organisational grants is part of the EEA Civil Society Fund in Bulgaria, which supports the development of a vibrant and resilient civil society that protects and promotes democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
The EEA Civil Society Fund in Bulgaria has a total budget of EUR 23.46 million and is operated by a consortium led by the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation, in partnership with the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation and Civil Society Norway.
The programme is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
The First Call for Organisational Grants is managed by the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation.
