Civil Society Grant Facility

The CSOsAct4Dev Project aims to strengthen Bhutanese CSOs as independent actors of good governance and development in order to contribute to an inclusive, participatory, empowered, and independent civil society.

The Project contributes to three interlinked expected results:

  • Strengthened engagement of CSOs with the Bhutanese Parliament
  • Strengthened capacity and collective voice of CSOs
  • Improved engagement of CSOs with the media

The Project is funded by the European Union and is co-funded and implemented by Helvetas Bhutan and Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) over a period of 30 months (January 2024 – June 2026).

The Project is guided by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from the Secretariats of the National Assembly of Bhutan and the National Council of Bhutan, the CSO Authority Secretariat, the two CSO Eminent Members to the CSO Authority, BMF, and Helvetas.

For the Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) under the Project, a Sub Grants Committee has the responsibility of reviewing and scoring proposals from CSOs, including community-based groups and organizations. The review and scoring process is guided by a clear Grant Fund Guideline.

PROJECT ‘NYAMDREL: SUPPORT TO PARLIAMENT OF BHUTAN AND CSOS

‘Project ‘Nyamdrel: Support to Parliament of Bhutan and CSOs’ aims to enhance democratization and sustainable development in Bhutan. The specific objectives are to ensure that:

  1. Targeted CSOs engage effectively with Parliament and participate in legislative and oversight processes.
  2. Parliament provides an enabling environment for public participation in parliamentary business.

Project ‘Nyamdrel was initiated in January 2021 and will be implemented International IDEA and Helvetas Bhutan over a period of 36 months (including a three-month inception phase). The Project contributes to the EU Multi-Annual Indicative Programme 2014-2020 which focuses on the ‘Local Authorities and Civil Society’ sector including capacity development for Civil Society.

Over the course of three years, it is expected that Project ‘Nyamdrel will achieve the following three results:

  1. Capacity of targeted CSOs, the CCC and the CSOA, particularly on policy advocacy is strengthened.
  2. Visibility of targeted CSOs increased.
  3. Capacity of Parliament to conduct public hearings and collaborate with Civil Society strengthened.
  4. Capacity of Parliament to communicate effectively, both internally and with the general public strengthened.

ABOUT US

International IDEA in collaboration with Helvetas Bhutan will serve as the Secretariat for implementation of the Civil Society Grant Facility and the EU funded Project ‘Nyamdrel as a whole.

The Civil Society Grant Facility is intended to enable CSOs to strengthen their policy advocacy work and increase civil society led policy reforms in sustainable development and good governance, including for groups affected by COVID-19.

The grant fund is expected to lead to an increased engagement of Civil Society in democratic consultations and decision-making processes at local and national levels; and increased capacity to effectively pursue advocacy in the long term.

EU CSO PROJECT

CSO support project aims to enhance the contribution of Civil Society to Bhutan’s 11th & 12th Five Year Plan. The project aims to improve its engagement in sustainable development and good governance. The specific objective of the project is to improve the enabling environment and operational capacity for civil society engagement in sustainable development and good governance by promoting an inclusive approach to strengthen civil society actors.

The CSO support project in Bhutan was launched in August 2017 and will be implemented by HELVETAS Bhutan over a period of 40 months, i.e. until December 2020. The project contributes to the EU multi-annual indicative programmer 2014-2020, which focuses on the good governance sector, including capacity development for civil society.

Over the course of 40 months, it is expected that the CSO support project will achieve the following three results:

  1. Civil society engagement in sustainable development and good governance is improved through a Grant Facility
  2. Civil society operational capacity is strengthened
  3. The enabling environment for civil society is improved

ABOUT US

HELVETAS Bhutan will serve as Secretariat for the implementation of the Civil Society Grant Facility, and the EU funded CSO project at large. Setting up and operating the Grant Facility serves the purpose to enable civil society organisations to contribute to Gross National Happiness by receiving funds that will be used to promote sustainable development and strengthen good governance at local and national level. The grant fund will, through the implemented activities of civil society, lead to an active and inclusive participation of CSOs and citizenry in democratic consultations and decision-making processes at local and national level.