House-to-House 2022: Call for applications

HRHF is pleased to announce a call for applications to House-to-House Project Fund. This unique funding opportunity provides support for creative and strategic projects to advance human rights priorities in countries with Human Rights Houses. The House-to-House Project Fund supports dynamic civil society-led projects to address specific and local human rights challenges. In implementing these projects Human Rights Houses and their member organisations have opportunities to work with other Human Rights Houses and broader civil society organisations and actors in their communities and countries. 

Eligible project countries 

HRHF welcomes applications for projects which address relevant human rights issues in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia and Serbia. HRHF welcomes all Human Rights Houses, their member organisations as well as organisations and actors from outside of the network to apply for funding. 

Eligible applicant organisations: 

The House-to-House Project Fund 2022 is designed to support collaborative projects implemented by Human Rights House network partners (Houses and members of the Houses) in collaboration with other civil society organisations. 

 To qualify for support, project partners must be: 

• A Human Rights House or a member organisation of a Human Rights House 

and, one or more of the following: 

• Another Human Rights House 
• A member organisation of another Human Rights House 
• A civil society organisation, actor, individual from outside of the network 

Human Rights Houses and member organisations of Human Rights Houses can only be main applicants in 2 projects. They can, however, join projects where another organisation is the lead partner. 

Eligible projects In 2022, HRHF will prioritise applications for projects in eligible countries which specifically focus on one of the following topics: 

1. Advocacy related to the freedoms of association, assembly, or expression and the freedom to be a human rights defender. This may include efforts to strengthen domestic policies and legislation, increase accountability of local authorities and institutions, and/or strengthen international mechanisms and standards. 
2. Promotion and protection of the freedoms of association, assembly, or expression and the freedom to be a human rights defender in an eligible country.
3. Human rights education and awareness raising, including through involvement of youth or professional groups.
4. Protection of human rights defenders and human rights organizations.
5. Promotion of healthy organizational culture and burnout prevention among human rights organisations.
6. Support to vulnerable groups, such as women and children, minorities, people in remote areas.

HRHF will prioritise support to the projects which include one or more of the following components: 

• Propose new partnerships, including with individuals, movements and actors beyond the network and traditional human rights organisations, also actors working outside of the capital cities 
• Positively impact the human rights situation across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and/or Western Balkans; 
• Propose cost-sharing or in-kind contributions by applicant organizations (i.e. – meeting room space, accommodation in House-owned premises, co-funding, etc.; and, 
• Make use of existing resources within the network of Human Rights Houses, such as reports, exhibitions, booklets, education material of ILIA programme, etc. 

Eligible costs 

In addition to specific items necessary to implement the project (such as, but not limited to, workshops, conferences, travel, materials production, translation), applications may include the following costs: 

Salaries 

The application may include salary costs if the nature of the project is dependent on human resources. 

Overhead and other administrative costs 

Office rent and other overhead costs may be included if necessary for project implementation. Additional project administration costs, such as accounting or project management, may also be included. 

Please note: applications may not include funds for commercial activities, activities not related to the project, or contingency funds. 

How to apply? 

Applications, including a narrative, activity plan, budget, and mandate(s) forms for co-applicants, must be submitted through the HRHF grants management portal at https://hrhf.smapply.org by 2 June 2022 at 17:00 CET.

The application form and templates can be found on the portal or may be requested at grants@humanrightshouse.org. 

HRHF will consider applications three times in 2022. Application deadlines are: 

• 9 March 2022
• 14 April 2022
• 2 June 2022

Please allow a 4-week application handling time when planning the starting date of the project.