Voter Education and Community Engagement Grants (Moldova)

The call will enhance the capacity of civic actors in the Republic of Moldova to promote free and fair elections.

Focus Areas

• Educate citizens about the importance of electoral observation and how it contributes to strengthening democracy;
• Educate citizens, particularly young people and marginalised groups, about the importance of voting and how their voice can make a difference,
• Provide information on registration process and deadlines, voting methods, election dates, polling stations, rights and responsibilities;
• Provide nonpartisan information about candidates, their platforms, and their positions on key issues;
• Monitor campaign financing and the abuse of state resources in elections;
• Raise awareness of and counter clientelist traps.

Funding Information

• Project grants for voter education and community engagement may go up to EUR 10,000. Additional budget (up to EUR 7,000) will be available for capacity development.
• The minimum duration of a project is 4 months and the maximum duration is 8 months. Projects are expected to start in May 2025.

Eligible Activities

• Such activities may include:
  • Training courses in areas such as governance, public relations, strategic planning, financial management and sustainability solutions, volunteer systems, advocacy and communication, Artificial Intelligence, IT and digital security, etc.;
  • Consultancy and mentorship in developing or improving policies, strategies, structures, or processes;
  • Subscription to specialised software or development of digital tools, both for internal processes and for activities related to election monitoring.
• Activities that particularly target young people, women, LGBTQIA+ communities, and other marginalised communities are strongly encouraged.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be registered in accordance with Moldovan law; citizens, youth or other forms of informal groups looking to grow as an independent organisation are eligible to apply through an established organisation with whom they have a relevant history of cooperation.
• Applicants must have been active for a minimum of the last 2 years.
• The applicant’s statute and mission must be in line with democratic and human rights principles.
• The applicant must have experience in implementing similar projects.

Selection Criteria

• Relevance: The applicant intends to implement actions dedicated to voter education, community engagement, or public awareness campaign related to elections.
• Capacity: The organisation has the capacity to implement the project.
• Impact: The expected impact of the project is clearly defined, quantified and in accordance with the needs of selected target groups.
• Activities and Outputs: Project activities contribute to free and fair elections. Innovative approaches and partnerships are encouraged (such as the collaboration with influencers).
• Target groups: The organisation demonstrates proven track record of working with local grassroots organisations, community leaders, vulnerable groups, public authorities and other local stakeholders.
• Sustainability: The project incorporates efforts to build sustainability and clearly demonstrates the nature of the project’s legacy after the grant has drawn to a close.
• Budget: The proposed budget is cost-efficient and coherent with the planned activities.

For more information, visit European Union.