We would like to invite your organisation to cooperate with us on an international project that we are currently preparing under the CERV programme.

The project will focus on the functioning of civil society, its relationship with local institutions, and the conditions that allow civil society organisations to participate meaningfully in public life. We want to approach this topic from the perspective of several European countries and jointly develop practical solutions that can be used at the local level.

We are looking for two active NGO partners from EU countries that have relevant experience in the field of civil society and are willing to genuinely co-create the project with us.

What do we offer?

On our side, we will be responsible for:

• developing the main project concept and its overall thematic framework;

• coordinating the application writing process;

• preparing the project structure and Work Packages;

• collecting and integrating contributions from all partners;

• coordinating work on subsequent versions of the application;

• coordinating the preparation and submission of the application;

• jointly defining the responsibilities of each partner;

• jointly agreeing on the budget according to each partner's level of involvement.

The project is planned for 24 months and is expected to include approximately 6–7 Work Packages. The detailed division of tasks and responsibilities will be agreed together with the selected partners.

What do we expect from the partner?

1. Organisational information

For the preparation of the application, we will need:

• the full name of the organisation;

• PIC number;

• contact details;

• a short description of the organisation;

• information about its main activities and projects.

The organisation should have at least 5 years of experience in the field of civil society.

2. Organisational experience

We will need information allowing us to present the organisation's relevant experience in the application, particularly in areas related to civil society, civic participation, local cooperation or other topics connected with the project.

3. Project team

We will select two partner organisations. Once the organisations have been selected, we will send them an Excel file to complete, together with the necessary attachments and instructions.

The file will include information concerning the people proposed to be involved in the project. Partners will be asked to provide:

• CVs of the proposed team members;

• descriptions of the team members according to the template provided in the Excel file;

• any additional information requested in the accompanying materials.

The completed Excel file and attachments will need to be returned within the deadline specified by the project coordinator.

4. Involvement of local authorities

We are also looking for genuine involvement of local authorities or relevant public institutions in each partner country.

We do not want their participation to be limited to a formal letter of support attached to the application.

Therefore, we expect the partner to seek written confirmation of the local authorities' interest and willingness to participate already at the application stage, including an indication of the possible scope of their involvement in the project.

Our aim is to ensure that the involvement of local authorities reflects genuine interest in the topic and a willingness to cooperate, rather than being merely a formal element intended to strengthen the application.

5. Cooperation in preparing the application

Partners will be expected to:

• review subsequent versions of the application;

• provide comments and suggestions;

• provide and verify information concerning their organisation and national/local context;

• review the final version of the application before submission;

• provide or incorporate comments within the agreed deadlines.

We are not looking only for organisations that can provide administrative information. We want partners who will actively participate in developing the project and have a genuine influence on its final shape.

Budget and responsibilities

The project is planned for 24 months, with approximately 6–7 Work Packages.

The budget for each partner will be agreed individually, depending on:

• the scope of responsibility;

• the number and type of activities undertaken;

• staff involvement;

• participation in individual Work Packages;

• the partner's actual contribution to the project.

Timeline

Due to the very short time remaining before the application deadline, we need efficient and timely communication from all partners.

Application deadline: 15 September.

We therefore ask interested organisations to confirm their interest in the cooperation as soon as possible and to confirm their ability to provide the required information and materials within the agreed timeframe.

Lack of response, missing information or inability to meet the agreed deadlines may result in the need to select another partner.

We are looking for a genuine international partnership, in which each organisation contributes its own experience, perspective and local context.

If this topic is relevant to your organisation and you would be interested in joining the partnership, please contact us. We will be happy to provide further information about the project concept and the next steps.