The aim of the Evaluation of the Active Citizens Fund programme was to determine whether the programme’s objectives have been achieved. Supporting civil society was one of the key priorities for the 2014-2021 funding period of the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants. Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway funded the programme in fifteen EU countries, including the Baltic States.
The Active Citizens Fund (ACF) operates under the priority sector ‘Culture, civil society, good governance and fundamental rights and freedoms’. This sector is one of five areas for which funding was agreed between the donor countries and the European Union. The ACF primarily supports democracy, active citizenship, good governance, and transparency. It also focuses on human rights, equal treatment, combating discrimination, social justice, inclusion of vulnerable groups, gender equality, and gender-based violence. Additionally, it supports environmental and climate change initiatives. The program aims to improve the long-term sustainability and capacity of civil society. Consequently, it strengthens its role in promoting participatory democracy, active citizenship, and human rights.
In Estonia, the Open Estonian Foundation operates the ACF in cooperation with the Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations. Between 2019 and 2024, Estonian civil society organisations had the opportunity to apply for grants totalling more than €6 million through seven open calls for proposals and other measures for NGOs. By the end of 2023, 111 projects had been contracted for a total amount of €5,088,124.
In the framework of this research project, IBS will examine the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of ACF grants. This assessment will include the structure of the calls for proposals, the contribution of the projects, and their results. Additionally, IBS will map out problem areas. As this is a final evaluation, the impact of the programme and projects will also be examined.
