OSCE Office in Baku launches new call for proposals on environment and security projects

BAKU, 7 February 2012 – The OSCE Office in Baku today invited civil society organizations working on environment and security challenges to submit concept papers for the Civic Action for Security and Environment (CASE) small grants programme.

This is the fourth such call for proposals under the CASE small grants scheme for civil society organizations, to strengthen their co-operation and partnership with government and other stakeholders. In 2012, approximately AZN 90,000 (some 88,000 euros) in total will be allocated under the programme.

“The OSCE Office in Baku encourages civil society organizations to submit concept papers describing ideas for new projects that would increase awareness of and intensify dialogue on environment and security challenges facing Azerbaijan,” said Jan Olsson, the Head of the Economic and Environmental Unit at the OSCE Office in Baku.

The CASE National Screening Board comprised of representatives from the OSCE Office, UN Development Programme, the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry of Azerbaijan and one civil society organization working in the environment and security field will review the concept papers and invite selected applicants to submit full project proposals as the next stage of the application process. During the proposal preparation phase, the groups or organizations invited to submit proposals will receive the Screening Board’s feedback. After the submission of full proposals, the Screening Board will make the final selection of grant recipients.

The CASE programme is part of the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative Work Programme for the South Caucasus region. ENVSEC is a partnership between the OSCE, the UN Development Programme, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe and NATO as an associate partner.

Funding for the fourth call for concept papers is provided by the governments of the United States and Norway, as well as through the Environment and Security Initiative by the government of Finland.

Additional information on the fourth call for proposals, as well as relevant documentation, is available on the website of OSCE Office in Baku at //www.osce.org/baku/84066.