2026 Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship – Fully Funded Opportunity for Civil Society Activists and Civic Tech Innovators

The 2026 Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship is a prestigious, absolutely funded fellowship program designed to assist civil society activists and civic-minded people from Eastern Partnership (EaP) international locations—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Implemented by the GDSI-led Consortium and funded by the European Union, this fellowship empowers people to steer optimistic social change, contribute to coverage reform, and develop digital or community-based options of their communities.

Applications are actually open through the online portal. Interested candidates ought to submit their Concept Notes earlier than thirtieth December 2025, noting that submissions are assessed on a rolling foundation.

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Background of the Fellowship

Established in 2011, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility strengthens the capability of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists within the EaP area to have interaction in coverage dialogue, promote reforms, foster native democracy, and assist citizen participation. Since 2017, the Civil Society Fellowship has chosen a whole lot of younger leaders, creating a robust alumni community of over 225 Fellows.

The 2026 fellowship focuses on Civil Society Resilience, encouraging initiatives that improve the capability of civil society to face up to challenges, preserve democratic values, and maintain group engagement even underneath stress. More about earlier Fellows and their initiatives might be discovered here

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Objectives and Priorities

The fellowship goals to:

• Build management and capability amongst civil society actors and civic tech innovators.
• Promote reforms, public accountability, and participatory governance.
• Support revolutionary digital or group options for urgent social points.

Two kinds of fellowships are supplied:

1. Community Engagement Fellowships: Focus on evidence-based analysis, advocacy campaigns, monitoring public administration, capability growth, and cooperation amongst CSOs.

2. Civic Digital Fellowships: Focus on utilizing IT options to enhance transparency, digital governance, public service supply, and civic engagement.

Projects aligned with the 2026 focal theme of Civil Society Resilience will obtain further analysis factors. Eligible domains embody:

• Institutional Resilience: Governance, monetary sustainability, digital capability, employees well-being.
• Legal and Political Resilience: Freedom to function, advocacy for rule of legislation, secure civic area.
• Social and Network Resilience: Building solidarity, inclusion, peer-to-peer studying, and combating misinformation.

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Technical and Financial Support

Selected Fellows obtain as much as 5,000 euros to implement their initiatives. Funding can cowl:

• Project actions and outputs
• Travel and lodging inside EaP or EU international locations
• Mentorship or consulting prices
• Communication and visibility campaigns
• Operational overheads (as much as 10% of the funds)

Fellows additionally achieve entry to e-learning, networking occasions, and capability growth coaching.

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Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should:

• Be a person (not an organisation) and over 18 years previous
• Be a nationwide of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, or Ukraine
• Not have beforehand obtained this fellowship
• Demonstrate management and expertise in civil society or civic tech
• Have B1 stage English proficiency or equal

Recommendation letters:

• Community Engagement Fellows: from a CSO, Trade Union, Cooperative, or Professional Association
• Civic Digital Fellows: from an IT skilled, employer, or tutorial reference

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Eligible Projects

Projects ought to:

• Address social or group challenges in EaP international locations
• Promote reforms, accountability, or public service enhancements
• Be accomplished inside 6 months
• Avoid proselytism, political campaigns, navy assist, or ordinary job duties
• Take place in EaP international locations or EU Member States

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Application Process

The fellowship application has two phases:

Stage 1 – Concept Note: Submit on-line here with:

1. Personal and skilled data
2. Motivation and CV
3. Fellowship idea description

Stage 2 – Full Application: Invited candidates develop an in depth mission plan, funds, and Gantt chart in the course of the incubation interval.

Applicants can attend a dwell webinar on twenty sixth November 2025 or view the recording here.

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Evaluation and Selection

Applications are assessed by an unbiased Selection Committee.

Community Engagement Evaluation Grid

Criteria	Score (0–3)
Professional competencies and mission administration	0–3
Understanding of stakeholders and collaboration plan	0–3
Contribution of actions to anticipated outcomes	0–3
Achievable and sustainable outputs	0–3
Feasibility inside timeframe and funds	0–1
Promotional points of mission	0–1
Risk consideration and mitigation	0–3
Impact on Fellow’s management	0–1
Budget accuracy	0–2
Budget construction and steadiness	0–2
Total	/22

Civic Digital Evaluation Grid

Criteria	Score (0–3)
Professional competencies and mission administration	0–3
Understanding of stakeholders and collaboration plan	0–3
Activities contribute to problem-actors-solution-impact chain	0–3
Achievable and sustainable outputs	0–3
Feasibility inside timeframe and funds	0–1
Promotional points of mission	0–1
Risk consideration and mitigation	0–3
Impact on Fellow’s management	0–1
Budget accuracy	0–2
Budget construction and steadiness	0–2
Total	/22

Stage 1 scoring: minimal 12 factors required to proceed.
Stage 2 scoring: minimal 16 factors required to be beneficial for a fellowship.

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Fellowship Awards

• Total of 25 fellowships for the 2026 1st cohort
• No quota cut up between Community Engagement and Civic Digital Fellowships
• Fellowship implementation begins inside 30 days of signing the contract

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Important Dates

• Call opens: seventeenth November 2025
• Webinar: twenty sixth November 2025
• Concept Note deadline: thirtieth December 2025
• Full Application deadline: fifteenth February 2026
• Fellowship awards introduced: April 2026
• Implementation: May to October 2026

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How to Apply

Submit your Concept Note on-line right here: here

Guidelines and further assets: here

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The 2026 Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship gives a rare alternative for civil society leaders and civic tech innovators to strengthen communities, promote transparency, and advance participatory governance. Applicants from EaP international locations are inspired to apply early to profit from rolling assessments.

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