Programme support for civil society organisations 2018–2021
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs opened a call for proposals for Finnish civil society organisations (CSOs) receiving support for their development cooperation programmes in 2018–2021. This call for discretionary government transfers is open for those 22 CSOs that are currently receiving programme support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The call will be open until 30 June 2017.
Programme support is financially the biggest discretionary government transfer scheme of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for funding Finnish civil society organisations’ development cooperation work. A programme refers to a package of projects and functions with clearly defined long-term developmental impacts and programme-level performance targets. Programme support is not a generic subsidy to run the organisation’s core activities but a special discretionary government transfer granted to implement a development cooperation programme.
The form of support has been revamped so that all organisations participating in the current programme period may apply for support for a four-year programming period at the same time. With the reform, the conditions of support have been updated. Likewise, a new application form has been developed placing greater emphasis on the programmes’ results based management. The reform as a whole aims at assuring an impartial and high-quality evaluation of the applications submitted by CSOs.
The following organisations will participate in this call for proposals: Crisis Management Initiative, Fida International, Frikyrklig Samverkan, Finn Church Aid, Save the Children Finland, Plan International Finland, Fairtrade Finland, The International Solidarity Foundation, The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK, Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), Finnish Refugee Council, Finnish Red Cross, World Vision Finland, Taksvärkki Association - Operation a Day's Work Finland, Disability Partnership Finland, WWF Finland, Abilis Foundation, Finnish NGO Foundation for Human Rights KIOS, Siemenpuu Foundation, Service Centre for Development Cooperation (KEPA), Finnish NGDO Platform to the European Union (Kehys) and Political Parties of Finland for Democracy (Demo Finland).
Available funding for this call will be confirmed after the Parliament has approved the ministry’s 2018 budget. According to a preliminary plan, a total of EUR 200 million will be allocated for the four-year programming period. In 2021, the Ministry plans to make the call for programme support an open application process, in which also organisations that do not currently receive programme support may participate.
Additional information in Finnish: Ohjelmatuki kansalaisjärjestöille or Swedish: Programstöd.