Open Call for Applications:
The Headley SEE Cultural Heritage Fund
The Headley SEE Cultural Heritage Fund is pleased to announce an open call for applications from organizations dedicated to the conservation and celebration of cultural heritage in South-eastern Europe. We are seeking innovative and impactful projects that align with our areas of support and contribute towards our cross-sectoral themes. This is an exciting opportunity for organizations aiming to make a significant difference in the field of cultural heritage, promoting sustainability, inclusivity, and regional cooperation.
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Areas of Support
We invite projects that address one or more of the following areas:
- Conservation and documentation of heritage, including ecclesiastical and vernacular architecture, archaeology, and cultural artefacts.
- Raising awareness about cultural heritage issues, including importance of its protection, conservation, improving legal frameworks, increasing funding, improving public engagement and policy improvements.
- Supporting the capacity of new heritage NGOs through network infrastructure, training, networking, and innovation.
- Training the next generation of conservation and heritage professionals via on-site courses, workshops, regional visits, and similar activities.
- Engaging young people in their heritage through interpretation, accessibility, and inclusion.
- Engaging with the community on heritage-related initiatives.
Considering cross-sectorial themes like gender equality, climate action, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), increasing accessibility and improvements for the marginalized communities will be looked on favourably.
What Projects Are We Looking For?
Projects that improve the lives of citizens and demonstrate community empowerment.
Initiatives that contribute to long-term improvements in the heritage sector.
Projects promoting regional cooperation and understanding.
Initiatives that will have sector-wide impact and demonstrate effective partnership to improve advocacy.
Eligibility: Who Can Apply
- Civil society organizations (associations and foundations).
- Public institutions (museums, libraries, archives, cooperatives, and other cultural heritage institutions).
Institutions/organisations from the following countries are eligible to apply: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
Priority will be given to locally-led organizations employing local experts.
Newly registered organizations are also eligible to apply.
Criteria of Support
- Organizations must operate and be registered within one or more eligible countries.
- Organizations core activities must align with Funds’ areas of support, as proven by the organization’s Statutes.
- Projects must have well-explained and justified challenges, needs, methods, risk assessment, risks mitigation strategy and an evaluation plan.
- All activities must be budgeted.
- Implementation must start in 2024.
- Be designed and implemented in partnership, involving another eligible heritage institution or organisation from eligible countries;
- Show clear evidence of community engagement and participation;
- The applicant must be able to receive the funds in EUR into its bank account;
- Be an original idea (applicant will need to sign a Declaration of Honour)
- Be subject to quality financial reporting – providing copies of the receipts;
- Submit a narrative and financial report at the end of the project
Added Value
Membership of the Balkan Museum Network (BMN).
Size of Grants
Projects should last up to 12 months for small projects and up to 18 months for large projects.
- The budget for small projects is up to 5.000 EUR.
- The budget for large projects is up to 10.000 EUR.
- Total fund for this call is 34.000 EUR.
The Fund will cover 100% of the project costs, including core costs such as staff, office costs, infrastructure, expertise and similar. However, the ability to contribute towards your own core costs will be looked on favourably. Please note that personal costs of employees of public institutions are not eligible.
Application Deadline: 1 June 2024
Any proposals received after that date will not be accepted.
We do not fund:
- Projects that have already started;
- Reproduction of projects already implemented by the same organisation
- Scolarships for individual education or research activities;
- Salaries for full time paid employees of public institutions (the museum must allow staff to work on the projects as part of their existing tasks).
Evaluation of proposals
- The museum/organisation that submits the application is a lead partner and will sign the contract with the Association BMN (Registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina);
- Funding allocation will be based on the quality of the proposals, as evaluated by the Evaluation Committee;
- BMN retains the right not to award any grant if the quality of proposal is not satisfactory.
- The organisation/institution can apply with more than one project as a lead applicant, but only one project can be supported. The same organisation can appear as a partner organisation in multiple applications.
Evaluation criteria for the assessment of the project are:
- Partnerships with other organization(s) and community engagement
- Involvement of beneficiaries
- Evidence of capacity building
- Well-planned budget as the basis for quality financial reporting
- Planned evaluation and risk assessment of the project
- Realistic timing and use of resources for the implementation
- Usage of appropriate methodology of implementation
- Contribution to the instituion’s/organisation’s overall service provision and/or strategic direction
- Evidence of sustainability, thinking beyond the project
- Dissemination of the results and outcomes of the project
Each criteria will be evalauted from 1 to 10. Maximum number of points for a project is 100.
Funding for the “The Headley SEE Cultural Heritage Fund” scheme is made available by generous support of the Headley Trust UK.
We invite all eligible organizations to seize this opportunity to contribute to the preservation and appreciation of cultural heritage in Southeast Europe. Let’s work together to make a lasting impact.
Application documents
- Application Form: Complete this as an online form…
- Budget: Download the document…, fill in the requested data, sign, stamp, and scan it. Then, upload it to the application form under the appropriate questions.
- Declaration of Honor: Download the document…, fill in the requested data, sign, stamp, and scan it. Then, upload it to the application form under the appropriate questions.
- For explanations of the Application Form and the Budget please refer to the Guidelines document (…)
Additional Documents Required
- Articles of Association (decision to register)
- Statutes
- Financial and narrative annual reports for 2023
- For new organizations, submit management accounts or an annual income and expenditure plan
- Safeguarding policy
All documents must be translated into English (unofficial translations accepted).