Programme & objectives:
THE:PLACE is a collaborative exchange programme designed to establish enduring networks between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Türkiye and the European Union. Managed by ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy and MAD – Mekanda Adalet Derneği and supported by the Mercator Foundation, the programme aims to empower CSOs and Local Authorities(LAs) as crucial actors in local development.
The programme aims to enhance CSOs’ capacity to make a significant impact in their respective work areas, by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and cooperation among those working on local issues. It also encourages collaboration with local authorities through quadrilateral partnerships. The programme provides targeted capacity building, peer learning, and subgrant support on joint partnership projects.
THE:PLACE will last from November 2021 to October 2025, supporting two rounds of beneficiaries (the first from February 2022 to October 2023 and the second from September 2023 to September 2025).
Who is THE:PLACE for?
We are seeking CSOs which:
- adopt human rights or development based approach (İnsan hakları veya kalkınma temelli yaklaşım)
- are non-for-profit NGOs and Foundations (Türkiye için dernek, vakıf ve kar-amacı-gütmeyen kooperatifler);
- are based in Türkiye or the European Union
- are interested in engaging in an international exchange process coupled with an enhanced engagement with a local authority at the city level (either municipalities or metropolitan municipalities/district municipalities and metropolitan municipalities in Türkiye)
- have an experience in project management and sufficient stability as an organisation (for example, a minimum of 3 permanent staff members for both EU and TR CSOs and preferably a maximum of 10 permanent staff members for TR, 20 for EU);
The call for participants will be open until July 7, 2023
What will we work on at THE:PLACE?
The program doesn’t have restrictions on topics in which participating CSOs would like to enhance their capacity or work on the joint project they would like to develop later as long as they align with the general framework of the Human Rights Based Approach and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And, of course, CSOs are expetected to be motivated to collaborate with local authorities and actively engage in international exchange with their counterparts through those topics.
In light of the recent earthquake disaster in Türkiye and the growing climate crisis worldwide, we believe it is crucial to incorporate a disaster resilience perspective into our works of any kind. Therefore, the program will look for participating CSOs to integrate this perspective into the projects they develop and implement later within the program.
How to apply?
Read the full call for proposals to have all the information about the call and how to apply!
The call will be open from until 7 July 2023.
All the questions related to the present call for participants and the participation modalities have to be addressed to the following email address: info@theplaceprogramme.org
An info-session of the Call for participants will take place on June 19, 2023 from 10:30 to 11:30 (CEST). Register here.