Costs arising directly from requirements imposed by the project contract are considered eligible if the requirement is clearly specified in the project contract and if the costs were purchased in accordance with the applicable rules on procurement (see Guide for Applicants page 37). Examples of costs arising directly from requirements imposed by the project contract: Information, publicity, translations, specific evaluations, audits, charges for financial transactions, etc.

An organisation will be considered eligible as lead or sole applicant for an application under Tier 1 if it can provide audited books with an annual turnover of over €40,000 in 2020, provided that it satisfies all other eligibility criteria. Please see the document 'Modifications to the ACF Cyprus Open Call' and versions 2 of all the call documents.

Eligible applicants are Civil Society Organisations that are established in the Republic of Cyprus and fall within the definition provided in the Guide for Applicants (page 12). Civil Society Organisations not established in the Republic of Cyprus can be eligible as project partners. Please see Guide for Applicants (pages 14-16) for the eligibility criteria for project partners.

Νο. The maximum total grant amount per project under Tier 2 is €25,000. This means that if eligible entities decide to submit an application in partnership with other entities under Tier 2, the maximum grant they can receive is €25,000. In addition, eligible entities can submit an application for only one project under Tier 2 and not two separate projects. Please see Guide for Applicants (pages 16-18) for the terms of the eligibility of application.

Yes, please see the document 'Modifications to the ACF Cyprus Open Call' and versions 2 of all the call documents uploaded in the 'Open Calls' section of the programme website.

The current Open Call (2021) and the Bilateral Funds Open Call (expected to be published in 2022) are two separate opportunities to apply for funding under the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus. Applicants are encouraged to include partnerships with Donor project partners as part of their project application for the Open Call (2021), irrespective of whether they plan to apply for a bilateral funds project at a later stage. A Donor project partner included in project applications for the Open Call 2021 should be considered as one of the maximum of three partners recommended.

In the context of the results-based approach of the Active Citizens Fund programme, Outputs are the results delivered by a project that contribute to an Outcome. Outputs must be achieved with the resources provided and within the time frame specified of each project. Since Outputs are the most immediate results of project activities, they are usually within the greatest control of the implementing entities. Outcomes are the effects of a project's Outputs on the intermediaries or end beneficiaries of that project and contribute to the achievement of the overall objective of the programme.

Outcome 1 has three predefined Outputs. Applicants that propose a project under Outcome 1 (Increased citizen participation in civic activities), must choose the corresponding Output(s) that better contribute to the aims of their project and must fullfil at least one indicator per each chosen Output. Thus, there are no "required Outputs" but there are predefined Outputs. It is up to the applicant to choose Outputs that correspond to the achievement of their project's objectives. Please note that applicants can offer additional indicators, but these additional indicators should also be directly related to the specific Output(s) chosen. If Outcome 1 is selected for a project proposal , this does not exclude the possibility for the proposed project to include activities that enhance the public's awareness about the role of CSOs in society more generally and about the role of a sector /topic of civil society that a CSO is engagaged with more specifically.

Proposed projects must comply with the relevant thematic Outcome, correspond to a chosen project Output, and contribute to the achievement of the predefined indicators. Consequently, the project must fulfil at least one indicator per each chosen project Output, from those provided in the Open Call. For example, if a proposed project focuses on Outcome 1 and includes Output 1.1 and Output 1.2, then it must be able to contribute to the achievement of the predefined indicator for Output 1.2 (“Number of CSO initiatives jointly implemented by Turkish Cypriot (Τ/C) and Greek Cypriot (G/C) entities promoting civic participation and volunteerism”) and at least one of the predefined indicators for Output 1.1. If the project proposal offers additional indicators to the predifined ones, then those additional indicators shouldbe directly related to the chosen Output(s).

Outcome 1 Indicator ("Number of people engaged in participatory processes initiated by a public decision-making body") refers to the participation of individuals in processes (e.g. public consultation, roundtable discussion etc.) that are initiated by a public decision-making body (e.g. municipal council, ministerial department etc.) and involve CSOs and members of the public.

Outcome 3 Indicator "Share of CSOs with transparent and accountable governance" refers to the percentage of CSOs in Cyprus with transparent and accountable procedures as required by relevant national legal frameworks. Outcome 3 Indicator "Share of joint initiatives conducted by CSOs in collaboration with other CSOs" refers to the percentage of initiatives developed and implemented by a Cypriot CSO in partnership with another CSO. As Outcome 3 is a mandatory Outcome, proposed projects must contribute to as least one fo these indicators.

Outcome 3 refers to the enhancement of the capacity and sustainability of civil society in Cyprus (organisations and the sector). The Indicative List of Activities for mandatory Outcome 3 (the list is non-exhaustive) on page 11 of the Guide for Applicants (Version 2) offers examples of what these activities might be. The activities foreseen in proposed projects of the Open Call must take place in Cyprus, but can involve international partners (see Section 4.2.2 of Guide for Applicants for Eligibility of Project Partners).

Output 3.1 (Capacity building provided to CSOs and informal groups) suggests that a project proposal includes activities that build the capacities of CSOs and informal groups. Such activities can be implemented by the project promoter and/or its projec partner(s), if applicable, and/or external experts, with whom the project promoter collaborates.

Each project proposal can contribute towards the achievement of only one of the two Thematic Outcomes (Outcome 1 or Outcome 2) and must contribute towards the achievement of the Mandatory Outcome 3 (Enhanced capacity and sustainability of civil society (organisations and the sector)). Therefore, a project proposal cannot contribute to indicators from all three Outcomes at once.

An applicant will be given the opportunity to supplement any missing supporting documents as specified in the Checklist for Applicants included in the Open Call and in the application form. This also includes financial information required for the year 2020, in the event where a CSO has not yet officially closed its financial accounts for 2020. If financial accounts for 2020 are not available on the deadline of the submission of a proposal, the applicant should provide the Fund Operator with an official declaration stating this information, proving that they are not required by any relevant national legal framework to have audited accounts of the previous year (2020) by the time of the proposal submission.

Larger/more experienced entities are defined by the following characteristics: have completed two (2) years of operation since their legal establishment, have implemented at least three (3) funded or sponsored projects as coordinating or partner entities, have an annual turnover of €40,000 minimum in one of the years 2018, 2019 or 2020 (Guide for Applicants, Version 2, Chapter 4.2.3). An entity that does not fulfill all three of these characteristics cannot be considered as a larger/more experienced entity. An entity can be considered as a smaller/less experienced entity, provided it meets both of the following characteristics: has completed twelve (12) months of operation since its legal establishment, has implemented at least one (1) funded or sponsored project as partner entity.

The Fund Operator will monitor selected projects by the beneficiaries’ ability to meet specifically set targets ("upon a hypothesis about how change is expected to take place through the project") and report on them. These target values would need to be pre-defined by the applicant, during the application process. Please see Section 4.2 of the application form (version 2).

Applicants must submit the completed application form (including Annex I) along with the relevant supporting documentation in the following way: in one electronic file named ACF CY_Application_[Lead Applicant Name], sent via e-mail at info@activecitizensfund.cy. Zipped files ending in .zip will also be accepted. Based on the above, the size limit of the electronic file will depend on the limit imposed by the service providers of either the applicant or the Fund Operator. In the event where the size of the electronic file exceeds the attachment size limit, applicants can submit the completed application form (including Annex I) along with the relevant supporting documentation via WeTransfer.

Please note that only the application form (including Annex I - Project Budget) and the supporting documentation will be evaluated. It is therefore of outmost importance that these documents contain all the relevant information. No additional documents should be sent.

Public decision-making bodies referred to in Outcome 1 Indicator ("Number of people engaged in participatory processes initiated by a public decision-making body") describes public sector entities that carry out tasks in and have the authority to make decisions for the public interest and are supported wholly or principally by public funds. Some examples of such entities are: municipal councils, ministries and ministerial departments.

In the tables at Section 4.2 in the Application Form, the applicant can add new row(s) for each new Indicator(s) they want to add for a specific Output. Please note that new rows can be added by right clicking under an Indicator and selecting Insert Row.

Eligible applicants are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that are established in the Republic of Cyprus and fall within the following definition: “A non-profit voluntary organisation established as a legal entity, having a non-commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations”. Universities can be eligible project partners (see Guide for Applicants section 4.2.2)

International NGOs may be eligible project partners if they are established either in the Donor States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or the Beneficiary States or a country outside the European Economic Area that has common border with the Republic of Cyprus (See Guide for Applicants Chapter 4.2.2)

No. Eligible partners can be entities whose primary locations are either in the Donor States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or the Beneficiary States or a country outside the European Economic Area that has common border with the Republic of Cyprus or any international organisation (See Guide for Applicants Chapter 4.2.2)

Persons in society that are not part of the traditional mainstream population that benefits from economic growth are part of the definition provided for vulnerable groups. The definition has been published in the FAQ section already.

No. Natural persons, including individuals exercising sole proprietorships, are not eligible applicants or partners.

Persons in society that are not part of the traditional mainstream population that benefits from economic growth are part of the definition provided for vulnerable groups. The definition has been published in the FAQ section already.

Larger/more experienced entities may be project partners in only one application under Tier 1. Smaller/less experienced entities may be project partners in one application under Tier 1 and one application under Tier 2 (maximum 2 applications in total). Please see the relevant Chart in Guide for Applicants (Chapter 4.2.3).

The programme defines underserved geographic areas as any area that is not urban (Guide for Applicants Chapter 2.2).

In the case of any changes to the legal status and legal representation of a project promoter, while implementing a funded project, the Fund Operator will proceed to the necessary and relevant Project Contract amendments. It is worth noting that any change to the legal status of a project promoter, while implementing a funded project, should maintain the eligibility criteria for lead/sole applicant.

No, international organisations are inter-governmental organisations (eg. UNDP) established by a treaty or other instrument governed by public international law. INGOs are legal persons established by an instrument of internal law with a non-profit-making aim of international utility, that is their activities should be carried out in at least two states. INGOs may be eligible project promoters if they are established as a legal person in the concerned Beneficiary State or project partners if they are established in Donor States, Beneficiary States or a country outside the European Economic Area that has common border with the Beneficiary State.

Project partners are actively involved in, and effectively contributing to, the implementation of the project. They must thus share a common economic or social goal through the implementation of the project, and plan to cooperate throughout the entirety of the project realisation. Sub-contractors implement only limited parts of the project for the project promoter/partner. Their involvement is aimed at one or several specific deliverables, e.g. services or equipment in order to realise a specific activity within the project. Sub-contractors have no contractual relation with the FO and thus no rights and obligations towards the Fund Operator. The project promoter/partner remain responsible for all their rights and obligations under the project contract/partnership agreement, including the tasks carried out by a subcontractor.

No. Natural persons, including individuals exercising sole proprietorships, are not eligible project partners. Only entities established as legal persons and international organisations are eligible.

Yes, the proposed project must report against the indicator "Number of people engaged in participatory processes initiated by a public decision-making body" if Outcome 1 is selected.

Eligible staff can be considered staff that has an employment contract with an organisation and all the mandatory contributions to the Social Insurances are paid by the organisation. Overheads are calculated based on eligible staff cost (including in kind contribution - voluntary work).

Yes, applicants must fill in the same excel sheet (Annex I - Project Budget Version 2) and include costs for the applicant entity and any partners (where applicable) in that same sheet.

If the director is considered regular staff that has an employment contract with an organisation and all the mandatory contributions to the Social Insurances are paid by the organisation, then yes it could be considered as eligible. Any cost is considered eligible if is directly related to the Project. (i.e the Director needs to work on the Project)

Travel and accommodation costs of external experts from any country should be budgeted for and reported under budget item 1.6 Costs entailed by other contracts awarded by a project promoter for the purposes of carrying out the project.

Yes, you can add as many rows as you need but you have to make sure that the total amounts in all tables are correct, as formulas will be affected. In case you add rows, the formulas in the last table will be affected as well. Therefore, you need to check that the totals for each budget line are correct.

There is no maximum limit of pages per application form and per work package. Applicants should follow the instructions on how to complete the application form (written at the top of the first page of the application form) and keep to the word limit for each of the questions/ sections.

Applicants and partners (if any) are required to submit the relevant and necessary supporting documents as outlined in the Guide for Applicants Version 2 (page 13 & page 16) and in the Checklist for Applicants in the Application Form Version 2 and in the Open Call Version 2.

Any voluntary work for the implementation of a project must be calculated as in-kind contribution under the co-financing principle (Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.3) and budgeted under and reported for through budget item 1.1. An honorarium is not an eligible cost.

An honorarium is not an eligible cost.

This document is only required from eligible entities established under the legal and regulatory framework governing the establishment of Foundations, Associations and Clubs (Law 104(Ι)/2017 and its relevant amendments).

The Project Communication Plan must include at least two information activities (launch/closing activities included). For projects whose grant size is less than €50,000, one information activity is sufficient and can be of a smaller scale.

Bicommunal partnerships are partnerships that involve partners that can be Informal, ad hoc and self-help organisations (including grassroots organisations) or Civil Society Organisations, all of which are operating in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Some organisations included in the Civic Space database correspond to the definition provided in the first paragraph of this answer and other organisations that are included in the database are established and operating in the Republic of Cyprus.

There is no requirement for previous experience in bicommunal projects. Previous experience requirements for all eligible entities can be found in the Guide for Applicants Version 2, page 17.

Organisations that have been established as legal entities under Law 104(Ι)/2017 and its relevant amendments, before June 2017, must submit an electronic copy of the letter received from the District Administration of the District in which they are registered. The letter should certify the approval of the amended statute of the organisation and its inclusion in the relevant Register. Important Note: Organisations that have submitted their statute to the relevant District Administration for approval but will not have received the letter of approval by the deadline of the application submission of the Open Call, will need to submit, together with the application form and other relevant supporting documents, a letter of assurance from the relevant District Adminsitration that their documents have been received and are being processesed. The letter can be submitted in Greek.Organisations that have been established under the relevant Law after June 2017 do not need to submit the relevant letter.

Yes, funding can cover the employment of an individual working for the implementation of the project (budgeted under and reported for in budget item 1.1) , for the entire implementation period of a project.

Applicants must submit the completed application form (including Annex I) along with the relevant supporting documentation in the following way: in one electronic file named ACF CY_Application_[Lead Applicant Name], sent via e-mail at info@activecitizensfund.cy. Zipped files ending in .zip will also be accepted.

Capacity building needs at the level of an individual organsation are skills, knowledge and practices that are identified as needed to help enhance the ability of an organisation to implement the project as well as support its organisational development (e.g. fundraising, strategy development, human resource management etc.). The proposed project will need to include activities that will address such identified needs (Mandatory Outcome 3).

Eligible applicants are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that are established in the Republic of Cyprus and fall within the following definition:“A non-profit voluntary organisation established as a legal entity, having a non-commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations”

Capacity building can include theoretical and /or practical tools and methods. Capacity Building needs at the level of an individual organsation are skills, knowledge and practices that are identified as needed to help enhance the ability of an organisation to implement the project as well as support its organisational development (e.g. fundraising, strategy development, human resource management etc.).

Smaller/less experienced entities that are eligible project partners must have implemented at least one (1) funded or sponsored project as partner entities. Please see Guide for Applicants Version 2 (Chapter 4.2.3)

In the question "Describe the specific objectives of your project and explain how they contribute to the overall objective and the selected outcomes and outputs of the Programme" in section 4.2 of the Application Form, applicants are required to describe the objectives that are developed by them, specifically for the work packages of the proposed project (see Section 5 of Application form Version 2), and explain how these objectives contribute to the overall objective of the Programme as well as the selected outcomes and outputs of the Programme.

partner will be technically a subcontractor?Section 3 of the application form should be repeated (i.e. Copied - Pasted) for each project partner as stated in the instruction on page 8 of the Application Form Version 2 'Please repeat sections 3.1-3.6 for each Project Partner'. Project partners should not be confused with external collaborators and experts that can be subcontracted for the implementation of activities for a project.

To satisfy the evaluation criteria for a bicommunal partnership, an application would have to include a project partner that is operating in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Travel and accommodation costs as well as fees for external experts from any country are eligible costs provided that they comply with the General Principles of Eligible Expenditures (Guide for Applicants Chapter 5.4.1). These costs should be budgeted for and reported under budget item 1.6 Costs entailed by other contracts awarded by a project promoter for the purposes of carrying out the project.

Costs related to reconstruction, renovation, or refurbishment of a real estate are eligible costs, provided they do not exceed 50% of the eligible direct cost of the project and they are costs arising directly from requirements imposed by the Project Contract for the project. Such costs should also meet the General Principles of Eligible Expenditures, as described in the Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.4.1.

A project proposal budget can be submitted without staff (in a contractual relationship with the applicant and /or project partner(s)) costs included under 1.Cost of personnel assigned to the project including in-kind contribution. Voluntary work can be budgeted for and reported for as in-kind contribution in the form of voluntary work and should be included in the project budget (1.Cost of personnel assigned to the project including in-kind contribution). The in-kind contribution may be provided only by the project promoter and/or partner. The in-kind contribution must comply with the general principles on the eligibility of expenditures as defined in the Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.4.1.

Trade Unions are not considered public decision-making bodies. Trade Unions are considered social partners and thus are not eligible as applicants or project partners. They can be included as collaborators in section 4.6 of the Application form Version 2.

Public decision-making bodies as referred to in the Outcome 1 indicator do not need to be project partners. Such entities can be included as collaborators in section 4.6 of the Application form Version 2.

Larger/more experienced entities may be project partners in only one application under Tier 1. Smaller/less experienced entities may be project partners in one application under Tier 1 and one application under Tier 2 (maximum 2 applications in total). If the two separate entities described in the question are applying as project partners in two separate applications submitted under Tier 1, then the legal representative can be the same individual.

The size of the organisation refers to the number of people currently employed in or volunteering for the entity.

The relevant documentation required for applicants and partners (where applicable) is proof (Registration Document) that the applicant is legally registered with the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus.

Applicants are not required to allocate a specific budget percentage to their project partners (minimum or maximum). However, applicants must have in mind that the budget should be reflective of the contribution of the project partners to the project implementation, as outlined in Section 4.4 and in the Work Plan in Section 5 of the Application form Version 2. Public entities can be eligible as project partners (Please see Guide for Applicants Chapter 4.2.2 for Eligibility of project partners). The contribution of their staff can be described in the relevant section for project partners in the Application form, however their staff cost should be 0. Staff cost for employees working in public entities is not an eligible cost.

Please note that only the application form (including Annex I - Project Budget Version 2) and the supporting documentation will be evaluated. It is therefore of outmost importance that these documents contain all the relevant information. No additional documents should be sent.

The project being proposed for funding under the Open Call shall not be funded from other sources, either national or international. Double funding of activities is not permissible. Should there be an indication of double funding of project activities, the project promoter will be obliged to refund the funds in question to the Fund Operator and the Project Contract between the project promoter and the Fund Operator will be automatically terminated (Guide for Applicants Version 2 Chapter 5.1).

Project implementation for successful projects of the Open Call 2021 must begin within three (3) months after the date of notification of the decision (Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 9.1). Applicants for the Open Call 2021 should plan the implementation of their projects based on the above guideline. Before signing the Project Contract, the Fund Operator and the Applicant will discuss and finalise the project start and end dates. In specific occasions, the starting date of the project could be extended beyond the three (3) months after the date of notification, provided that the applicant can justify in writing the need for the change due to unforeseen circumstances and provided that the Fund Operator accepts the relevant justification. Note that the final date of eligibility of expenditures for all funded projects shall be no later than 30 April 2024.

It is considered good practice for applicants to collect Letters of Support from collaborators they include in their application, to facilitate collaboration but these Letters are not required as supporting documents for applications submitted for the Open Call 2021. Applicants and project partners (if any) are required to submit the relevant and necessary supporting documents as outlined in the Guide for Applicants Version 2 (page 13 & page 16) and in the Checklist for Applicants in the Application Form Version 2 and in the Open Call Version 2. Please note that only the application form (including Annex I - Project Budget Version 2) and the supporting documentation will be evaluated.

Eligible applicants are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that are established in the Republic of Cyprus and fall within the following definition: “A non-profit voluntary organisation established as a legal entity, having a non-commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations”. Entities operating in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus can be eligible partners. Bicommunal partnerships are defined as partnerships that include an eligible partner operating in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

During the stage of the submission of their application, applicants are not required to provide any documentation as evidence or proof that VAT costs are eligible costs. When a project is selected for funding, the applicant will then ask from the Ministry of Finance to provide them with a letter certifying that the applicant entity is exempt of the obligation of being VAT registered, as a result of its activities. In this case, VAT can be considered an eligible cost during the project implementation phase. Note that recoverable VAT is an excluded cost (Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.4.4).

Any funded/sponsored projects included in the Application Form Version 2 as previous experience of applicant (section 2.5) or previous experience of partner (section 3.5) must be projects that have been completed at the date of submission of the application.

Larger/more experienced entities are the only entities that need to provide audited accounts/financial statements of the last three (3) years as supporting documentation, where relevant, based on the eligibility of application criteria (Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 4.2.3). If an entity is not able to provide the supporting documentation that justifies that they meet the three (3) characteristics of a larger/more experienced entity, then they are going to be considered a smaller/less experienced entity. If you are applying for a Tier 2 project, then both applicant and project partner(s) should be smaller/less experienced entities. If you are applying for a Tier 1 project, it is not mandatory for a project partner to be a larger/more experienced entity.

In order to contribute to the Outcome 1 Indicator ("Number of people engaged in participatory processes initiated by a public decision-making body"), applicants must plan for and propose activities which a public decision-making body initiates, inviting the public or CSOs to participate in and / or activities initiated by the applicant (and / or its project partners if any) in collaboration with a public decision-making body.

An ad hoc group that is included in the application as a project partner shall be represented by one single person. The partner will be required to submit a signed letter from at least two members of the group clearly indicating the individual who will be representing them for the purposes of this partnership (See Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 4.2.2 - Footnote). The indicated representative will sign the required supporting documentation which includes the Partnership Commitment Declaration and the Declaration of Project Partner’s Status, as stated in the Guide for Applicants Version 2 Section 4.2.2. Please use the relevant templates available on the programme website for both these documents (tab 'Open Calls').

Payments from Project Promoters to their partner(s) must be made either by Bank Transfer or by Cheque and all the relevant supporting documents have to be kept. Cash payments are not an acceptable payment method.

Payments for tasks carried out by a project partner that is an ad hoc / informal group can be budgeted for and reported under 1.1 Cost of Personnel Assigned to the Project. Members of Ad-Hoc/Informal Group have to be registered as Self-Employed following all the procedures according to the national law. (Registered at Social Insurances and VAT -if necessary- as self-employed). Additionally, if a self employed works from home it might be more difficult to conclude on a flat rate for which represents a fair apportionment of overall overheads. The payment from the Project Promoter to the ad hoc/ informal team member should be made via bank transfer or bank cheque, and a receipt should be issued. All the transactions need to be justified with bank statements. During the report all the supporting documents related to VAT and Social Insurances will be requested.

The activities foreseen in the selected projects of the Call must take place in Cyprus. This includes areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Please note that as stated in the Guide for Applicants Version 2 under Country Specific Conditions (Section 9.4), "Any supporting evidence for expenditures provided for payments shall not be considered eligible if these are derived from a so-called “public authority” or any other so-called “official institution” in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus where the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control."

Internal staff costs are to be calculated based on the actual hours worked by the persons directly carrying out tasks under the project. Please see the example of an hourly rate calculation for personnel costs in the Guide for Applicants Version 2 section 5.4.2 (page 21).

Indirect Costs are calculated based on the total of cost category 1.1 'Cost of personnel assigned to the project including in-kind contribution'. Indirect costs may not include any eligible direct costs. Indirect costs of the project shall represent a fair apportionment of the overall overheads of the project promoter or the project partner. Project promoters and project partners may apply a flat rate of up to 15% of direct eligible personnel costs to cover these costs. See Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.4.3.

All applications, under either Tier 1 or Tier 2, will be evaluated under a common ranking system, not separately.

A limited liability company by guarantee without share capital may be an eligible applicant for the Active Citizens Fund Cyprus Open Call (2021) provided that it satisfies all eligibility criteria described in the Guide for Applicants under Eligibility of Applicant (section 4.2.1). A letter from the Registrar is only required from eligible entities established under the legal and regulatory framework governing the establishment of Foundations, Associations and Clubs (Law 104(Ι)/2017 and its relevant amendments).

Proposed projects will be assessed and scored according to the evaluation criteria included in the Open Call Version 2 and Guide for Applicants Version 2.

In-kind contribution is budgeted under cost category 1.1 'Cost of personnel assigned to the project including in-kind contribution'. Any flat rate used to calculate Indirect Costs (up to 15%) will be applied on the total amount of cost category 1.1 which can include in-kind contribution in the form of voluntary work.

Yes, 20% is the minimum percentage and 25% is the maximum percentage of the required grant support that can be invested in capacity building activities under Mandatory Outcome 3.

Yes, when referencing "CSOs" in the indicators for Outcome 3, this includes CSOs that form the consortium of the project (project Promoter and project partners) but also CSOs that are collaborators of the consortium and CSOs that are beneficiaries of the proposed project's activities.

For Civil Society Organisations decision making bodies are considered: Board of Directors or otherwise depending on the type of organisation (Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 4.2.2 - Footnote). In this case, all the members of the decision making body of the organisation must sign the letter that indicates the legal representative. For informal groups, ad hoc and self-help, and Civil Society Organisations that are operating in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, decision making bodies are considered: at least two representatives of the organisation (one being the representative eventually signing the project partnership agreement). There is no template available for this letter.

Bicommunal partnerships are defined as partnerships that include an eligible partner operating (implements activities) in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

The minimum previous experience requirement for smaller/less experienced entities that are project partners is to have implemented at least one (1) funded or sponsored project as partner entities.

All templates for supporting documents are available, to be downloaded, on the programme website under Open Calls -> Open Call 2021 -> Supporting Documentation.

A sponsored project is an activity with a specific duration (implementation period with a start and end date) and specific objectives, that is funded, partially or wholly, by an external organization that can be private or public (e.g. a private company provides financial support for the project as one of its many sponsors or its sole sponsor). There is no minimum amount set to consider such sponsorship as eligible under the Open Call. Membership fees, participation fees and individually funded activities cannot be considered as sponsorships for a project.

Proposed projects which are in compliance with administrative and eligibility criteria will proceed to being assessed by the evaluation experts. An application is automatically excluded from further evaluation (i.e. being evaluated by the evaluation experts) if one or more eligibility criteria, of the applicant and its partners, are not met. However, prior to an application being rejected based on any of the eligibility criteria, the applicant will be given the opportunity to supplement any missing supporting documents as specified in the Checklist for Applicants included in the Open Call and in the application form. If the applicant fails to provide the missing documentation within the period stipulated by the FO, the application will not proceed to the next step of the evaluation.

Eligible applicants are invited to apply either as Sole Applicants (i.e. without any Project Partners) or as Lead Applicants (i.e. in a partnership with other public or private entities and/or informal groups (Project Partners)).

All projects must report against at least one of the main indicators for Outcome 3. So you can choose one of the two outcome indicators. Projects must also fulfill at least one indicator per chosen Output from Outcome 3.

In Section 1 of the Application Form, the project summary in both English and Greek should fit into the 400 word limit.

Activities foreseen in the project application need to be located in Cyprus. You can budget, under Budget item 1.2 (1.2 Travel and subsistence allowances for personnel and volunteers) travel expenses for staff and/or volunteers from any project partners located abroad who will travel to Cyprus for project activities. Staff and/or volunteers of the Project promoter and project partners that are located in Cyprus cannot have costs allocated to them for travelling abroad, as activities need to take place in Cyprus.

Payments for tasks carried out by a project partner that is an ad hoc / informal group can be budgeted for and reported under 1.1 Cost of Personnel Assigned to the Project. Members of Ad-Hoc/Informal Group have to be registered as Self-Employed following all the procedures according to the national law. (Registered at Social Insurances and VAT -if necessary- as self-employed). Additionally, if a self employed works from home it might be more difficult to conclude on a flat rate for which represents a fair apportionment of overall overheads. The payment from the Project Promoter to the ad hoc/ informal team member should be made via bank transfer or bank cheque, and a receipt should be issued. All the transactions need to be justified with bank statements. During the report all the supporting documents related to VAT and Social Insurances will be requested.

Yes, one activity proposed in a project application can contribute to more than one Indicator under the Outcome that the activity is allocated in.

The eligibility of the project partner is a separate matter from the eligibility of expenditures and location of activities for a proposed project. For eligibility of the project partner, please consult Chapter 4.2.2 of the Guide for Applicants Version 2. All activities of a proposed project must take place in Cyprus and this includes areas of the Republic of Cyprus where the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control. However, the country specific conditions mentioned in Chapter 9.4 of the Guide for Applicants Version 2 must be fully respected. Hosting an event in a municipality in the areas of the Republic of Cyprus where the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control, implies recognition of a public authority in Cyprus other than the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and any relevant expenses incurred for this event will be considered as ineligible. Please see Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 9.4, for more details.

Individuals offering their services for the implementation of specific tasks/activities for a project, as external collaborators, need to be budgeted and reported for under budget item 1.6 (Costs entailed by other contracts awarded by the Project Promoter for the purpose of carrying out the project). Please see Guide for Applicants Version 2, Chapter 5.4.2.

An INGO (International Non-Govermental Organisation) may be eligible as project partner if it is established in either one of the Donor States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or the Beneficiary States (Republic of Cyprus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) or a country outside the European Economic Area that has common border with Cyprus.

In the context of the Programme's Open Call and its expected Outcomes, a CSO is defined as a non-profit voluntary entity that has a non- commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations. CSOs are entities formed by people in the social sphere in order to pursue shared interests in the public domain and can range from informal groups to legally established organisations, representing a wide range of interests.

As a newly formed informal group, you can be eligible as project partners for a project application, under either Tier 1 or Tier 2, if you meet the following characteristic: the entity has implemented at least one (1) funded or sponsored project as partner entity. (Please see footnote 6, Guide for Applicants section 4.2.3) To clarify what a sponsored project is, please review the FAQ section, as this has been answered through a previous question.

An entity can be considered as a smaller/less experienced entity, provided it meets both of the following characteristics: has completed twelve (12) months of operation since its legal establishment, has implemented at least one (1) funded or sponsored project as partner entity. However, the first characteristic does not apply to informal / ad-hoc groups (See Footnote 6, Guide for Applicants section 4.2.3).

An applicant will be given the opportunity to supplement any missing supporting documents as specified in the Checklist for Applicants included in the Open Call Version 2 and in the application form (Please read page 18 of Guide for Applicants Version 2). This also includes financial information required for the year 2020, in the event where the applicant has not yet officially closed its financial accounts for 2020. If financial accounts for 2020 are not available on the deadline of the submission of a proposal, the applicant should provide the Fund Operator with an official written declaration stating this information and that they are not required by any relevant national legal framework to have audited their accounts of the previous year (2020) by the time of the proposal submission.

Your organisation cannot be eligible as an applicant for this Open Call, because it is not "independent of local, regional and central government" as stated in the definition provided in Chapter 4.2.1 of the Guide for Applicants version 2 (“A non-profit voluntary organisation established as a legal entity, having a non- commercial purpose, independent of local, regional and central government, public entities, political parties and commercial organisations”). Your organisation can be an eligible project partner (provided it also satisfies all other relevant criteria outlined in Chapter 4.2.2 of the Guide for Applicants version 2).

Registration Document: When submitting your organisation's Registration Document, you can submit the most updated one. What this document needs to prove is that your organisation is a legally registred entity in the Republic of Cyprus, with a corresponding registration number. Letter from the Registrar: The letter from the Registrar should certify the approval of the amended statute of the organisation (to adjust to the relevant amendments of Law 104(Ι)/2017) and its inclusion in the relevant Register. The letter can be submitted in Greek. Signed Decision for Legal representative: All the members of the decision making body of the organisation must sign the letter that indicates the legal representative (submitted, signed and stamped, in electronic format).

Activities should be planned separately for each Thematic Outcome (1 or 2) and the Mandatory Outcome 3 and should be included in each relevant Work Package in the application form Version 2. Activities need to contribute to indicators under the Outcome they are planned for. Activities may contribute to more than one indicator as long as they are under the Outcome they are planned for. When budgeting, the applicant should separate costs for an activity according to the Work Package they have allocated that activity to, and, in the case of staff costs, according to the time allocated for working on a specific Work Package.

Activities under each Work Package should be described using the predefined tables included in the Application form Version 2. You can split activities within Work Packages into smaller tasks.

In the table of the question about previous experience, in the Application form Version 2, (Section 2.5 and 3.5) the column titled "Budget" refers to the overall approved budget of the relevant project.

Previous experience requirements for larger/more experienced entities and for smaller/less experienced entities are under the Eligibility of Application, Guide for Applicants Version 2, section 4.2.3.

The table provided in the application form Version 2 where applicants need to provide information on the communication plan of a project proposal is designed to provide the information required for a proposal to be assessed based on the evaluation criteria (Section 8.2 of Guide for Applicants Version 2). In the event where a project proposal is successful, the applicant will be asked by the FO to clarify any additional information needed to support implementation of the communication activities (which would include an indication on how information disseminated will be assessed in terms of visibility and awareness - based on the communication channels already outlined in the application form).

Natural persons, including individuals exercising sole proprietorships, are not eligible applicants or partners. Please see the Guide for Applicants Version 2 (section 4.2) for the Open Call eligibility criteria.

All project partners included in an application need to satisfy the eligibility criteria for project partners (Guide for Applicants Version 2, section 4.2.2) and the eligibility criteria for the application (Guide for Applicants Version 2, section 4.2.3).

Footnotes 5 and 6 in the Guide for Applicants version 2 refer to the requirement for the legal establishment of an entity not applying to informal, ad hoc, and self-help organisations (including grassroots organisations) both in the Republic of Cyprus and in areas of the Republic of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. As informal groups are not legally established entities, then the requirement for years of operation since their legal establishment (Section 4.2.3 Guide for Applicants version 2) is not applicable to them. A legally established entity in the Republic of Cyprus can be an eligible project partner if a) they meet the criteria outlined in Section 4.2.2 of the Guide for Applicants version 2 and b) they satisfy all of the characteristcs of either smaller/less experienced entities or larger/more experienced entities, based on the Tier under which the application will be submitted.

Eligible applicants are legal entities established in the Republic of Cyprus, that fall under the definition provided and satisfy the criteria outlined in the Guide for Applicants Version 2, section 4.2.1.

A project partnership included in the application will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria as stated in the Guide for Applicants version 2, section 8.2.