The EU-funded project Catalyst of Change was launched in 2023 by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) in cooperation with ECNL. The project supports CSOs and grassroot initiatives in 5 EU Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.
Through trainings, peer-to-peer exchange and subgrants for projects that respond to emerging democratic and civic space challenges in the countries, we aim to contribute to an increased resilience among CSOs, help them promote EU values at the national level, and prepare them to respond to various trends affecting civic space. The project is supported by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency under the CERV programme and will run until the end of 2025.
In 2023, CSOs from the 5 eligible countries had the opportunity to apply for grants. In Bulgaria and Romania, we are currently supporting organisations focusing on reproductive rights, menstrual health, small-community empowerment and fighting the anti-gender narrative.
Coming up in 2024:
The grantees and other interested CSOs will be able to benefit from various trainings organised under the project. ECNL will host 2 webinars:
May 14, 2024: Yes, EU can: Protecting civic space and fundamental rights in the EU
May 28, 2024: Tell me wh(AI): The impact of AI-driven technologies on civic space
Additionally, we will convene further thematic webinars on the use of EU law and reporting mechanisms to protect civic space, advocacy, communications and media freedom together with Free Press Unlimited.
