Social Integration Focus Area Most Popular in NGO Fund Second Call

May 27, 2008

For the NGO Fund second open call, 145 applications for grants were submitted in the sum of more than 30 million kroons in total, of which 70 small-scale and 75 large-scale projects. One third of the proposals were resubmitted, having been rewritten after the first round. 125 applications passed the technical evaluation, of which 58 small-scale and 67 large-scale applications. In the second round, grants will be given in the sum of 6,2 MEEK. The evaluation of these proposals will be completed by July.

The largest number of applications were submitted for the social integration focus area, for which just 25% of the NGO Fund’s total grants are allocated. According to NGO Fund coordinator Maris Jõgeva, the social sphere continues to face huge challenges, which NGOs are trying to tackle. She pointed out caregiving to family members, larger integration fo people with special needs to the society, protection of childrens’ rights as some of the examples. „NGO Fund supports the organizational capacity and influence of NGOs, so evem though it can kick-start developing necessary services in the social sphere, we see the need for state to cooperate with NGOs in the longer run to solve social problems and make sure the services will be provided on an ongoing basis,” she added.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are supporting the Estonian NGO fund with €2.1 million, with the Estonian government providing the remaining ten percent of the fund. Over the coming three years small-scale grants will be provided to Estonian NGOs and social partners within the focus areas democracy and civil society, environment and sustainable development, and social integration and local development.

The third open call will have a deadline in September. The support of EEA and Norwegian financial mechanisms to Estonian NGOs is intermediated by Open Estonia Foundation.

Additional information:

Maris Jõgeva
Program coordinator
Phone: +372 631 3791, +372 53 421 726
E-mail: maris@oef.org.ee