Open Call for Civic Education Projects (Croatia)

The Call for Civic Education Projects in Croatia provides €2.03 million in EEA Grants Civil Society Fund support for nonprofit civil society organisations developing civic education, democratic participation, human rights, and community engagement initiatives. The funding is divided into Lot 1, supporting the scaling of proven civic education programmes, and Lot 2, supporting innovative formal and non-formal civic education and participation projects. What Is the Call for Civic Education Projects? The Call for Civic Education Projects is designed to strengthen democratic values, the rule of law, civic participation, and active citizenship in Croatia. The call recognises civic education as a lifelong process. It therefore supports projects that go beyond simply providing information about democracy. The programme is part of the EEA Grants Civil Society Fund in Croatia. Why Does Civic Education Matter? Strong civic education can help individuals understand how democratic institutions work and how they can participate in public life. The call seeks projects that connect learning with meaningful participation. This means successful projects should ideally provide opportunities for participants to apply what they learn through activities such as community engagement, dialogue, advocacy, volunteering, youth participation, or other forms of civic action. What Topics Can Projects Address? Projects can address a broad range of civic education and democratic participation themes. Partnerships can be particularly valuable where they help transform civic education into practical participation. What Makes a Strong Civic Education Project? A strong proposal should demonstrate more than awareness-raising.

The project should clearly explain:

What civic participation problem it addresses. Who is affected by the problem. Why the issue is important in the target community. What participants will learn. How they will apply that learning. How the project will increase civic engagement. What measurable changes are expected. How the results can continue after project funding ends. The strongest projects establish a clear connection between civic learning, participation, inclusion, and measurable community outcomes. How to Develop a Competitive Project

Step 1: Identify the Civic Education Need

Start with a clearly documented community or target-group need.

For example, the project may address:

Low civic participation. Limited media literacy. Barriers to youth participation. Social exclusion. Weak intercultural dialogue. Limited understanding of democratic rights. Barriers affecting marginalised communities.

Step 2: Define the Target Participants

Clearly identify who will participate.

The project may focus on:

Children. Young people. Teachers. Community members. Marginalised groups. Roma communities. Migrants. Refugees. Other underserved populations.

Step 3: Choose the Appropriate Funding Lot

Choose Lot 1 if the organisation has an existing civic education programme with evidence of results and wants to scale it. Choose Lot 2 if the project focuses on strengthening democratic participation through formal or non-formal education, community learning, youth engagement, or innovative approaches.

Step 4: Connect Education With Action

Avoid designing a project that only provides lectures or information. Integrating successful activities into existing programmes. Establishing youth-led initiatives. How Can Organisations Address Inclusion? Inclusion is an important element of the call. Applicants should consider whether their project can reach groups that experience barriers to participation.

This may include:

Roma communities. Migrants. Refugees. Young people. People from underserved communities. Other underrepresented groups. Projects should identify the specific barriers faced by their target participants and explain how activities will make participation more accessible. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Treating civic education as simple awareness-raising. Failing to demonstrate a clear community need. Choosing the wrong funding lot. Providing vague project outcomes. Failing to explain how participants will apply what they learn. Ignoring underserved or underrepresented groups where relevant. Designing activities without measurable indicators. Failing to explain sustainability. Submitting a project that does not clearly align with democratic participation and civic engagement objectives. For Lot 1, failing to provide evidence that the existing programme has produced meaningful results. Tips for a Strong Application Applicants can strengthen their proposals by: Clearly defining the civic education challenge. Using evidence to demonstrate community needs. Connecting educational activities with real civic participation. Prioritising practical and participatory learning. Engaging young people meaningfully. Building partnerships with educational institutions and community stakeholders. Addressing barriers faced by underserved communities. Using measurable outcomes and indicators. Providing a realistic implementation timeline. Including a credible sustainability strategy. Matching the project clearly to Lot 1 or Lot 2. Key Information at a Glance

Programme: Call for Civic Education Projects

Country: Croatia

Funding mechanism: EEA Grants Civil Society Fund

Total funding: €2,030,000

Lot 1 allocation: €1,000,000

Lot 2 allocation: €1,030,000

Lot 1 grant size: €150,000–€200,000

Lot 2 grant size: €80,000–€100,000

Lot 1 duration: Up to 36 months

Lot 2 duration: 18–24 months

Lot 1 focus: Scaling proven civic education programmes

Lot 2 focus: Democratic participation and civic engagement

Primary applicants: Croatian nonprofit civil society organisations

Key themes: Democracy, human rights, rule of law, civic participation, media literacy, critical thinking, inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and European values Frequently Asked Questions What is the Call for Civic Education Projects in Croatia? It is a funding opp