VERTA! Phase II (CERV 2024)

For open calls please consult the Lithuanian version: Verta! II etapas – ALF

This program continues our commitment to strengthen NGOs’ organizational skills, resilience, capacity to understand and defend fundamental human rights and to involve their communities in decision-making that affects them. You can read more about the first phase of the program here: Verta! (EU VALUES LT)

The program is designed to strengthen these organizations:

• National NGOs working in the fields of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, reflecting the EU’s core values. Focus on organisations working on migration issues.
• Regional organisations operating in medium-sized and small towns and rural areas and responding to the needs of local communities, reflecting or seeking to reflect the EU’s core values. Focus on organisations working with young people.

Key information about the program:

• Developed and implemented by the Open Lithuania Foundation
• The value of the program is €2.86 million.
• Implementation period 2025-2027
• The program is part-funded (€2.575 million) by the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program. The remainder shall be financed by private donations. Please contribute at www.olf.lt/aukok

• NGO Leadership Academy: 40 regional organisations will be invited to join the NGO Leadership Academy and 20 will subsequently receive funding for projects

The NGO Leadership Academy is an intensive 6-month training program in organisation development, including modules on strategic and financial planning, communication, community building and more. This time, the NGO Leadership Academy will also include modules on the EU’s core values. The sessions focus on solving specific challenges in the organisation, creating a safe space for practical learning and consultation. Upon successful completion of the NGO Leadership Academy, organisations will be able to apply and seek funding for their projects.

• NGO Clinic: personalized counselling

This is on-demand advice services for NGOs. Often, organizations face specific challenges and do not have the resources or expertise to address them. These can be financial difficulties, communication crises, internal organizational issues and many others. During the program, there will be an NGO clinic where organizations can turn to experts for personalized mentoring support.

• Info Hours: short remote lectures for NGOs

On a regular basis, NGOs will be invited to attend remote lectures on a wide range of organisational issues, delivered by experts in various fields.

• International conference on advocacy

The second international conference will invite Lithuanian and other European NGOs to explore different advocacy practices and methods, and share experiences with NGOs from other countries on how to be resilient and successful in the complex geopolitical context.

• Calls for funding for national advocacy and human rights NGOs

National NGOs that routinely advocate for the rights of vulnerable groups will be invited to apply for project funding and will support 12 projects.

• Joint Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish NGO projects on migration

NGOs are invited to apply for funding for joint bilateral or trilateral projects on migration. We will support 3 such projects.

• Bilateral cooperation projects

Local organisations will be invited to develop partnerships in European countries, create joint projects and get funding for them. We aim to encourage bilateral exchanges with organisations from other European Union countries, to learn from best practices or to launch joint initiatives. We will support 20 exchange projects.

This program is open to non-governmental organizations (associations, public bodies, communities, etc. with an NGO label). The specific requirements for participants and the selection procedures are defined separately for each call.