Carpathian Civil Society Platform is driven by the common vision to strengthen a vibrant, pluralistic, and rights-based civil society in the territory of the Carpathian Euroregion. The Platform supports collaboration among those civil society organizations who work for the most marginalized and vulnerable communities in the Carpathian Euroregion. It is aimed to strengthen the influence and weight of civil society by capacity development with creating networks for local and interregional networks, exchange of experience, knowledge and best practices of social innovation.

Civil societies are playing a pivotal role in reconfiguration of social practices (adaptation of models, changing current practices, introducing or scaling up methods) in response to socio-economical and ecological challenges aiming to improve the societal well-being of communities where they are active. To recognize the diverse efforts of CSOs in the Carpathians, the partners of the Carpathian Civil Society Platform, the Fundacja Peritum - Poland, ETP Slovakia, Carpathian Foundation-Hungary, Carpathian Foundation-Ukraine, and the Szigeti Young Hungarian Association - Romania  launches the Social Innovation Award 2023, giving an opportunity to civil actors to introduce their community-based initiatives implemented within the last two years.

The Carpathian Civil Society Platform invites formal and non-formal civil society organizations from the Carpathian Euroregion to submit the description of their accomplished initiatives along the following topics. Priority will be given to projects that respond to the war in Ukraine.

• mobilization of the social, cultural and economic potential of the community;
• social inclusion and integration;
• development of new social networks and social partnerships;

• promotion of voluntary work in society;

• collaboration and partnership among CSOs, local governments and businesses;
• development of community philanthropy and social responsibility;
• cross-border co-operation among CSOs, which contributed to local problem solving

The application should contain the following information:

• brief introduction of the applicant’s organization /when it was established, main goals, activities etc.)  (half page)
• description of the challenge/issue/problem addressed by the innovation (1 page)
• description of the process of the implementation of the innovation – how it was implemented (1 page)
• the main achievements of the innovation / what has been achieved/ (1 page)
• how the innovation will be sustained? What is the future of the innovation/what are the plans for the future (1 page)

In addition to the written application, we welcome photos, short video presentation related to the innovation.

Social Innovation Award prize

One winner will be awarded in each respected country, and the winners will be rewarded a prize. The Award ceremony will be held in the upcoming inter-regional event of the Platform in March 2024, where the winners will have an opportunity to introduce their innovation. 

Criteria for eligibility - who can apply?

The applicants must be community based (grassroot) organizations, legally registered civil society organizations or not registered informal groups based and operating in the Carpathian Euroregion, namely:

Hungary:  Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén,  Hajdú-Bihar, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and Nógrád counties

Poland:  Lesser Poland Voivodeship (Malopolska), Podkarpathia voivodship

Romania: Bihor, Botosani, Harghita, Maramures, Satu Mare, Salaj and Suceava counties

Slovakia: Kosice and Presov regions

Ukraine: Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Zakarpatska oblasts

The following organizations, groups are NOT eligible to apply:

• Applications outside of the above regions
• branches of large NGOs

Proposal evaluation

Priority will be given to organizations operating in the rural areas of Carpathian Euroregion demonstrating clear bottom-up approach in their innovations and has tangible results.

A jury composed by the funding members of the Carpathian Civil Society Platform will evaluate the applications according to the following criteria (20% each): 

• • relevant presentation and information on the background of the innovation why it was initiated
  • description of the main tangible results and impact of the innovation on the community; how it contributed to the long-term goals of the community
  • clear description of methods used during the realization of the project;
  • convincing explanation on the innovativeness of the project;
  • how the innovation can be sustained

How to apply?

Applicant should submit the application in national language to one of the organizations in their respected countries

Hungary - Kárpátok Alapítvány-Magyarország, cfhu@cfoundation.org

Slovakia - ETP Slovakia - Center for Sustainable Development, poklembova@ke.etp.sk

Ukraine - Carpathian Foundation-Ukraine, ruslan.zhilenko@cfoundation.org

Poland - Fundacja Peritum, kszpara@o2.pl

Romania - Szigeti Young Hungarian Association, ingemihalik@gmail.com

More information: Marta Rakusz, karpatokalapitvany.rakuszmarta@gmail.com

Submission deadline:  15 December 2023.

We reserve the right to further modifications.