On the occasion of 25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Bulgarian Fund for Women is pleased to announce the winners of the Competition for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
24 civil organizations from 12 locations in Bulgaria participated in the open call. After going through two phases of evaluation – administrative and conceptual – our team selected nine of them to implement their activities in the next 18 months (from November 2022 to April 2024). The total budget of the current program is 160 000 BGN and it will fund projects up to 20 000 BGN.
Below is the list of the organizations approved for funding in the current open call, according to the number of points obtained in the second round. The maximum number of points that a project could receive in total from the jury’s evaluation was 120 points. The minimum eligibility threshold for the second phase proposals was 90 points. The activities of the approved projects included awareness-raising campaigns, mutual help groups, marches on the occasion of 8 March in several cities in the country, education of young people with a prevention focus, forum theatre, work with minority groups and people from small settlements, support for organizations providing social services, etc.
Association “Vazovtsi” – Varshets
- Project: “#WomenFromTheSmallTown”, 103 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: 3000 BGN
The project focuses on the prevention of early marriage among girls in the town of Varshets. For this purpose, interactive seminars and exercises, the formation of self-help groups, and the conduct of surveys among girls on their needs and interests in the protection of women’s and girls’ rights are planned. Special attention will also be given to the topic of domestic violence and prevention. An information campaign and online networking among all participants are also planned.
Association “SAFFO – BULGARIA” in partnership with the informal collective “Feminist Mobilizations” – Sofia
- Project name: “Not a Single One More: Awareness Raising Campaign on Prevention of Gender-based Violence”, 100 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 20 000
The project includes the organization of a protest for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November) and a Women’s Rights March (8 March 2023); an accompanying information campaign on the different types of misogynist violence; self-defense courses; meetings with feminist organizations around the country in order to grow and strengthen their ties and future partnerships. Last but not least, the partners plan to collaborate with the Sofia Municipality and Sofia Graffiti Tour to ensure a long-lasting presence on the issue of combating gender-based violence in the urban environment of the capital.
Foundation “Positive Skills of Personality in Society” – P.U.L.S. – Pernik
- Project name: “CLUB “TRUST” – Protection and Support of women and Girls Victims or at Risk of Violence”, 99 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 20 000
This project is a further extension of the efforts of the P.U.L.S. Foundation at the local level to increase knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity about women’s rights in the Kardzhali region. This project brings into focus a local group of women activists who raise revolutionary issues for the region – such as a woman’s right to continue her education, protection from violence, and the right to refuse marriage. The project activities are aimed at training and empowering local women leaders to raise the issue of gender equality and protection of women from violence among the general public and local institutions, as well as providing direct support to women and girls who have suffered or are at risk of violence.
Indi-Roma 97 Social Foundation – Kuklen
- Project name: “Sun Wheel”, 98 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 19 956
The project will be implemented on the territory of Kuklen Municipality and partly in Karlovo Municipality, the village of Rozen. Within 18 months the organization will provide individual assistance, crisis interventions, and social and legal assistance. Kuklen will go through a mentoring program to support other Roma women from the village of Kuklen. Rozovo who are victims or at risk of violence. The self-help group will also organize bonding activities, such as theatre performances, film screenings, and discussions. It is characteristic of the project that the activities will be implemented by the target group itself, with the support and mentoring of the team and experts.
The Wake-Up Foundation – Sofia
- Project name: Support and Information for People Experiencing Domestic and Gender-based Violence, 96 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 17 160
- Own financial contribution: BGN 2100
The project includes five awareness-raising and advocacy activities, including monthly webinars for survivors led by a psychologist and a lawyer; a podcast with experts and survivors; the publication of a book with stories of survivors of violence, as well as an information campaign; an accompanying presentation, a PR and awareness-raising campaign with a fundraising element, and advocacy for the adoption of changes to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence.
Association “Naya Association” – Targovishte
- Project name: “Young People Against Violence on Girls and Women”, 94 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 19 930
- Own financial contribution: BGN 10 205
The project will work to prevent gender-based violence by challenging gender stereotypes and norms that promote and justify violence against girls and women. The target group of the project is young people aged 12-19. Training and educational activities will be conducted with them to raise their awareness on the topic and encourage them to be critical and challenge gender stereotypes that generate inequalities between women and men. Young people will be involved as active participants in training their peers and in campaigning and public events. The project will also work to encourage young people to communicate with each other in a spirit of mutual respect and consideration. The activities will take place over 18 months in the Targovishte region.
“Pelago” Association – Sofia
- Project name: “My Personal Life Project does not Involve Violence”, 93 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 19 610
- Own financial contribution: BGN 300
The project will create a three-component program (awareness raising, debate, and storytelling), through the implementation of which children will learn how to build a life without violence. Pupils from grades 5-9 from both schools (97 “Brothers Miladinov” School, Sofia, and “Neofit Rilski” Municipal School, Dermanci village) will be involved in a game (classical debates) and art (storytelling, filmmaking) activities under the guidance of trained teachers and older activist pupils in building spaces and personal life projects that purposefully and meaningfully do not involve forms of violence.
Discussing and analyzing important topics related to gender-based violence and other types of violence in these spaces through different forms of expression is a way for students to overcome prejudice and stereotypical thinking and behavior.
Association “Mission. Innovation. Citizenship” in partnership with the association “Knowledge” – Lovech
- Project name: “You are strong!”, 93 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 17 894
The project is a partnership initiative of two organizations from the city of Lviv, which are joining forces to bring the issue of gender-based violence, inequalities, and oppression against women to a wider audience.
The project involves a three-day training for young people aged 18-29 (80% of them women) on gender-based violence, human rights, and theatre of the oppressed. Those who have completed the training will prepare two performances using the Theatre of the Oppressed method for the residents of the town. The participants will prepare two training sessions for residents of Lovech, representatives of institutions, media, and young people. In parallel, an information campaign, an exhibition of photographs from the preparation and performances, as well as photographs taken by the young women participating in the project will be realized.
X and D Gender Perspectives Foundation – Dimitrovgrad
- Project name: “Silence brings tears!”, 91 pts.
- Approved funding from BFW: BGN 20 000
The project aims to protect and support women and girls who have experienced domestic or other gender-based violence by providing a range of recovery and protection programs. The activity will be implemented in the three consultation centers of the organization in the cities of Haskovo, Dimitrovgrad, and Svilengrad. It is also planned to conduct an information campaign with various initiatives, as well as a round table with representatives of municipalities, employers, pedagogical advisors, and other institutions, and the publication of information materials.
About the Open Call
The first phase included an assessment of the organizations and their status, the applicants’ field of activity, geographical scope and implementation capacity, the degree of alignment of the projects with the thematic priorities of the competition and realism, as well as the balance of the implementation budget. Proposals that relied on an intersectional approach with a focus on vulnerable groups of women and/or marginalized themes were prioritized, and applications from newly registered organizations were encouraged.
In the second round, the evaluation focused on the relevance of the problems addressed by the projects, the adequacy of the stated activities and outcomes to the stated problem and project objectives, a clear description of the intended indicators of success, and the means to measure them, an analysis of the potential risks to the implementation of the activities and strategies to counter them, the degree of involvement of the target groups, the potential for sustainability of the projects and for social change.
Additional evaluation points were given to project proposals that will be implemented in partnership with an organization or unregistered group/collective; rely on an intersectional approach; address the needs of groups of women and/or girls subject to multiple discrimination and marginalization; mobilize communities and contribute to strengthening and growing the women’s movement in Bulgaria.
In the second round of evaluation, an external evaluator and a member of the BFW Board of Trustees were invited, and the jury was composed of:
Attorney Denitsa Lyuncheva – a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bulgarian Fund for Women
Mrs. Rada Elenkova – Programme Director of the Bulgarian Fund for Women
Nevena Dyakova – Editor-in-Chief of “GRAZIA”
We would like to thank everyone who participated in their projects in this initiative. BFW will contact all those whose project ideas have been approved for funding with information on the next steps. We wish success to the organizations that were not shortlisted for funding, and look forward to receiving your project proposals in one of our next competitions! Keep an eye on our website regularly for more information.
Due to resource constraints, BFW is unable to send individual feedback to individual organizations, whether they have qualified for funding or not unless it is imperative and part of the next steps to work together. Telephone consultations will also not be done.
Further information
The BFW is a data controller and processes personal data in accordance with data protection legislation and Regulation (EU) 2016/679. You can read our personal data processing policy HERE.
The General Terms and Conditions of the competition can be found HERE.
The competition is made possible thanks to the support of the OAK Foundation, Sigrid Rausing Trust, Urgent Action Fund, Dokova & Dokov Foundation for the Future, Avon Bulgaria.
For further information and questions, email us at grants@bgfundforwomen.org.
