Deadline: 27th May 2024

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) invites civil society organisations (CSOs) to submit their expression of interest in partnerships and funding opportunities from 2025 onwards.

The next CSO strategy will reflect Sweden's commitment to supporting an independent and diverse civil society in partner countries, which contributes to sustainable development.

Purpose and Objectives

• Through this call for expressions of interest, Sida is initiating a process that aims to ensure that the objectives of Sweden's Development Cooperation Strategy with the European Union are realised. Civil Society (the CSO Strategy) are fulfilled. The aim is to strengthen civil society organisations in developing countries, increasing their opportunities and capacity to create better living conditions for people living in poverty and oppression.
• To be eligible, organisations must contribute to the following objectives:
  • First objective: Strengthening the capacity of civil society in developing countries
    • Increased capacity of civil society and its target groups to organise themselves on issues related to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, gender equality, the free market and property rights, accountability, tolerance, the fight against corruption, and/or peace and security.
    • Greater efficiency, local anchoring and transparency for civil society actors.
  • Second objective: A favourable environment for civil society in developing countries
    • Strengthened space for an independent and pluralist civil society.
    • Better conditions for dialogue and collaboration within civil society and between civil society and other actors.
    • Better conditions for civil society actors to act independently and diversify their funding.
  • Sida will ensure that the objectives are achieved by choosing a diverse range of partners. However, each organisation does not have to contribute to all the objectives.

Election criteria

• The call is open to civil society organisations conducting long-term development cooperation relevant to the objectives of the current Swedish strategy for development cooperation with civil society.
• The following categories of CSO are eligible:
  • Organisations based and operating directly in countries eligible for official development assistance (ODA countries).
  • Organisations that send funds to civil society actors in ODA countries.
  • Organisations not based in an ODA country and which focus on the strategic objective of "an enabling environment for civil society in developing countries".

Requirements

• CSOs must submit their expression of interest using Sida's digital form.
• Organisations can be included in a maximum of two different expressions of interest.
• For organisations that are part of the same global or international federation, only one organisation can pass the first stage of the assessment process. See more information about the process below.
• Organisations outside of ODA countries must be able to contribute their own funding corresponding to 15 percent of Sida's contribution. For organisations that forward funds, this amount must be a minimum of 500,000 USD.

For more information, visit Aids .