Civic Innovation Fund in Europe

• Eligibility Criteria:
   – Projects should be startups in the sphere of civic education that focus on strengthening democratic competencies that promote participation, cohesion, and resilience. Project ideas can range from workshops, cultural interventions, eyewitness talks, exhibitions, scientific studies, and scenario methods, to apps, or augmented reality storyboards.
  – Projects should relate to one of the NECE topics.
  – Projects should be carried out by at least 2 partners from different European countries in a transnational partnership. The partnership can be set up across sectors, but one of the partnering organizations should come from either the formal or non-formal/informal civic education sector.
  – Projects should incorporate the principles of diversity, interdisciplinarity, inclusivity, intersectionality, and intergenerationally.
• Type of funding: Programmatic
• Target countries: Europe
• Application language: English

Do you have a project idea in the field of civic education that lacks funding? Are you a member of a young NGO in civic education and searching for financial support? Then apply for the call for projects of Civic Innovation Fund and get a chance to make your project come true! Within CIF funding, each project receives between 10,000 – 12,000 € for piloting, incubation, and scaling up for the period of 12 months.

The projects chosen for the 2023-2024 funding will be invited to present their ideas at the NECE Festival 2023 FUTURES! (Madrid, 30 Nov – 2 Dec 2023). Moreover, participants will have the opportunity to showcase the outcomes of their projects at NECE Festival 2024 BORDERS! (end of 2024).

The Civic Innovation Fund (CIF) is a unique European pooled fund launched by THE CIVICS Innovation Hub. It aims to pioneer new ideas in civil society, enhance their visibility and integrate them into NECE, a growing pan-European network of civic educators. The fund supports start-up ideas in civic education that apply interdisciplinary, intersectional, intergenerational, and inclusive approaches which lead to greater resilience, diversity, and collaboration in democracy.

The CIF aims at supporting primary young civic educators (under 35) and young NGOs (under 3 years of existence). The awarded startups also qualify as informal NECE Impact Spots, amplifying their ideas and promoting non-formal civic education in their countries. Additionally, chosen projects are involved in all NECE activities.

Funding Information

• Each project receives between 10,000 € and 12,000 € for piloting, incubation and scaling up for the period of 12 months.

Topics 2023

• Memory & history discourses
  Exploring the narratives that shape the values and reality
• Foresight & forecasting
  Scenarios that define the future of the society
• Financial & economic literacy
  Building competence to manage resources efficiently
• Education for sustainable development & climate change
  Initiatives to foster green transitions and understanding of the SDGs
• Health & well-being
  Tools and best practices to promote sustainable health, wellness, and work-life balance
• Democratic participation
  Promoting participatory democracy and political activism, with an extra focus on young people
• Cultural practices
  Fostering multiculturalism, interculturality, and respect for different beliefs
• Media & digital literacy
  Developing critical thinking skills to analyze and understand media messages and identify fake news
• Artificial intelligence
  Identifying the role of AI and its Influence in the sphere of civic education
• Demographic change
  Understanding developments in population structure caused by changes in birth and death rates, life expectancy, family structures, and migration
• War & peace
  Supporting initiatives in local peacebuilding, non-violent communication, and reconciliation
• Migration & integration
  Providing qualified counseling services and raising awareness among local communities for the social inclusion of migrants and refugees
• Diversity & inclusion
  Promoting activities that create a society where differences are accepted, respected, and celebrated
• Culture & arts
  Exploring arts and its impact.

See here to learn more and apply.

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