Bucharest, October 28, 2025 – Over 130 representatives from civil society organizations, diplomatic community, and public institutions gathered in Bucharest for the official launch of the Civic Engagement Programme, part of the Swiss–Romanian Cooperation Programme, and the second Swiss Contribution.

The Programme aims to strengthen the civic space in Romania, by supporting the active participation of citizens in public life, promoting transparency and democracy, as well as supporting civil society organizations in their efforts to generate systemic changes in the country.

The launch event brought together key actors who share common values and  commitment to responsibility and civic participation.

Giacomo Solari, Head of the Swiss Contribution Office (SCO) and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Romania, highlighted the essential role of an active civil society:

National Coordination Unit within the Ministry of Finance represented by Raluca Diaconeasa Gîrniță, Head of Service in the General Directorate for European Affairs and International Cooperation, highlighted the synergy between the Civic Engagement Programme and the other initiatives funded under the Second Swiss Contribution, emphasizing their role in reducing socio-economic disparities and promoting sustainable development:

“The Civic Engagement Programme serves as a pillar designed to foster lasting change and to transform the diversity of activities into a coherent effort centered on the citizen and the needs of the community,” added Mrs. Gîrniță.

The event also reunited the representatives of the organizations proposed for funding under 1^st window, who spoke about their action directions and the systemic changes they aim to achieve through their initiatives.

The Civic Engagement Programme is not only about funding, “but also about people who believe they can make a difference in their communities. This program seeks to turn civic energy into concrete actions capable of generating lasting change in society,” added Ionuț Sibian, Executive Director of the  Civil Society Development Foundation.

With a total budget of 14 million Swiss francs (CHF), the Civic Engagement Programme supports—through two windows grants—key areas for building an equitable and democratic society. The funding will provide resources for the projects addressing issues such as combating discrimination, protecting biodiversity and environmental rights, promoting media transparency, civic engagement, advocacy, and supporting vulnerable groups.

The Swiss consortium partner, Dieter Zürcher from KEK-CDC, emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange and cross-border cooperation. 

Through the joint effort of partners from Romania and Switzerland, the Civic Engagement Programme becomes a platform for collaboration and a long-term investment in participatory democracy in Romania.

The Programme is implemented by a consortium selected by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), consisting of the Civil Society Development Foundation (CSDF), Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation (REPF), and KEK-CDC.

The Civic Engagement Programme announces the launch of the 2^nd window, on Friday, October 17, 2025, dedicated to  civil society organisations in Romania, which now have the opportunity to access funding between CHF 50,000 and CHF 200,000 (Swiss francs) for projects that promote civic engagement and social inclusion. With a total allocation of CHF 7 million, the 2^nd window supports projects that encourage civic engagement, dialogue, and citizens participation across relevant areas of the Programme.

The 2^nd window of the Civic Engagement Programme focuses on two areas of intervention:

The 2^nd window is primarily addressed to Romanian NGOs with relevant experience in the two areas of intervention.

Eligible projects are those that address problems “at their roots” and target a broad range of groups, including citizens (particularly from rural areas and small towns) and vulnerable groups, such as girls and women, minorities, persons with disabilities, people struggling with addictions, survivors of domestic violence, and victims of human trafficking, among others.

Public decision-makers, schools, mass media and community leaders are also key stakeholders targeted for collaboration under the 2^nd window.

Proposed projects must contribute to the improvement or a more effective implementation of public policies and should have a duration of between 12 and 24 months.

The application process for the 2^nd window will take place exclusively online on the platform: www.finantaripublice.fdsc.ro. Interested organizations are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Applicants for information on eligibility criteria and further details.

The Civic Engagement Programme is one of the 11 thematic programmes launched under the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme, part of the second Swiss Contribution aiming to reduce economic and social disparities within the EU and Romania.

The objective of the Civic Engagement Programme is to strengthen civil society participation and support non-governmental and non-profit organizations in Romania in promoting democracy, transparency, and active citizen involvement in public life.

The Programme is implemented by a consortium selected by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), consisting of the Civil Society Development Foundation (CSDF), Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation (REPF), and KEK-CDC.

The Civic Engagement Programme invites non-governmental and non-profit organizations to participate in the info session dedicated to the 1^st window.

Date: May 28th 2025

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Online, via Zoom

The session is designed for organizations that address systemic issues with national and/or regional impact and have relevant experience in one of the four predefined Thematic Areas for which they plan to submit a proposal:

The session targets both organizations eligible to apply as Applicants under the 1st window as well as those who may participate as Partners.

Switzerland and Romania are continuing their partnership to reduce economic and social disparities within the EU as part of the second Swiss Contribution under the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme.

Based on the bilateral framework agreement signed in December 2022 between both countries, Switzerland has allocated over CHF 221,5 million  (Swiss francs) to Romania – equivalent to more than 1 billion RON  – to support 11 programmes (support measures) to be implemented by 2029.

The Civic Engagement Programme is one of these 11 funded thematic programmes. Its aim is to strengthen the civic space in Romania and to encourage citizens to actively participate in public life and democratic processes.

The Civic Engagement Programme is fully funded by the Swiss Government and implemented by a consortium appointed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), consisting of the Civil Society Development Foundation (CSDF), in partnership with the Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation (REPF), and KEK-CDC.

The Civic Engagement Programme provides funding through two windows for non-governmental and non-profit organizations from Romania, aimed at supporting initiatives in key areas essential to building a fair and democratic society. The total funding allocation for the two windows is CHF 14 million.

1^st window provides large grants, through pre-defined projects delivering impact at the national and/or regional level in the following areas: fight against discrimination and social exclusion, protection of biodiversity and environmental rights, promoting media transparency and investigative journalism, and supporting victims of violence (including trafficking in human beings, gender based violence,  violence against children, etc.).

2^nd window provides small grants for local-level initiatives focused on advocacy efforts, increasing citizen participation, and empowering  vulnerable groups.

The Civic Engagement Programme announces the launch of its first funding window, with a total budget allocation of CHF 7 million for pre-defined projects.

1^st window grants target experienced non-governmental and non-profit organizations with the capacity to implement large-scale initiatives at the national and/or regional level. The goal of this call is to support projects that address systemic issues and contribute to enhancing civic participation.

The predefined Thematic Areas supported under 1^st window include:

Grants awarded under the 1^st window will range between CHF 500,000 and CHF 1,500,000, with an implementation period of 24 to 32 months.

The application will follow a two-stage procedure:

Interested organizations are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Applicants and visit www.elvetiaromania.ro for more details.