Call for Proposals: Supporting Local Advocacy Initiatives to Improve Access to Comprehensive, People-centered Harm Reduction Services

The Correlation-European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN), the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), the Drug Policy Network South East Europe (DPNSEE), and the European Network of People Who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD) are pleased to announce a call for proposals.

This initiative aims to support local advocacy efforts of community-led and civil society organizations in Europe, enhancing access to comprehensive, people-centered health and harm reduction services for people who use drugs in European countries. Applicants must be based in eligible countries, and proposed activities should align with the advocacy priorities stated in this call.

Awarded grantees will receive:

• ongoing mentorship support;
• the opportunity to participate in advocacy training, and;
• grant of €3,000 for organizing advocacy-related activities, including policy dialogue meetings and events at the local level.

Background Information

The HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis epidemics pose a significant public health burden in Europe, disproportionately affecting people who use drugs and other vulnerable populations lacking access to health services. The BOOST is an EU-funded project responding to this challenge, aiming to strengthen community-based and community-led organizations in their efforts to implement effective and comprehensive health and harm reduction interventions for people who use drugs. This project involves four major European networks: EHRA, C-EHRN, DPNSEE, and EuroNPUD, along with other partners. For more information on the BOOST project, please visit: https://community-boost.eu/.

In 2023, these four community networks conducted a series of virtual and face to face meetings, engaging over 100 members and experts in the field. These sessions aimed to identify key barriers and challenges faced by people who use drugs in accessing health and harm reduction services, and to explore solutions to overcome these challenges. The consultations facilitated discussions on relevant areas for advocacy to improve harm reduction services and HIV/HCV/HBV prevention, treatment, and care for people who use drugs at local and national levels.

The findings from these consultations supported the development of a Joint European Advocacy Strategy for the next five years (2024-2028), outlining the following four advocacy priorities:

Priority 1: Increase Political Will and Financial Sustainability for Community-Based Harm Reduction

Priority 2: Promote Community-Driven Harm Reduction Tailored to Diverse Needs

Priority 3: Ensure that people who use drugs have access to specific health services, including disease prevention and management, sexual health services, and testing and treatment for HIV, STIs, and Hepatitis B and C.

Priority 4: Ensure universal access to comprehensive health and social care for people who use drugs

Aims and objectives of the Programme

The Programme will support six local advocacy initiatives from community and civil society organizations to develop and implement local advocacy activities. These activities should enhance access to comprehensive, people-centered health and harm reduction services, covering one or more of the priority areas of the Joint European Advocacy Strategy.

Applicants will be provided with a grant of €3,000 and will commit to:

• Develop and implement a local Advocacy Plan aligned with one or more of the priority areas.
• Participate in one face-to-face Advocacy Workshop and a series of online mentorship meetings to support the development and implementation of the local Advocacy Plan.
• Prepare a policy briefing paper with relevant policy recommendations to be disseminated among local and national policymakers.
• Organize at least one policy dialogue meeting with relevant local and national policymakers and civil society representatives.
• Document and report on the progress and results of the Advocacy Activities, based on a predefined Reporting Template.

Timeline to implement Advocacy Projects and Terms of Reference, Budget, and Payment Conditions

Local Advocacy initiatives should be tailored to local needs but must be completed before October 2025. Selected applicants will sign an Agreement outlining the Terms of Reference, a detailed overview of proposed activities, the budget, and the timeline. Each selected Advocacy Project will receive a grant of €3,000 to implement the Advocacy Plan, which includes the development and dissemination of a Policy Briefing Paper, the organization of at least one local Policy Dialogue Event (including national/local policymakers and civil society representatives), and the preparation of an Advocacy Report.

Please note that no advance payment will be made. Full payment will only be released once all activities have been completed. Exceptions can be discussed during the grant-making process.

Eligibility criteria for Applicants

Eligible applicants include NGOs, non-for-profit organizations, or initiative groups without official registration, with a preference for community-based and community-led services, located in one of the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo Territory*, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine. Initiative groups may apply, but their financial agent should be an NGO or a non-for-profit organization.

Evaluation Process and Criteria

Submitted applications will be evaluated by an evaluation panel consisting of representatives from EHRA, C-EHRN, DPNSEE, and EuroNPUD. The networks will ensure that the different Advocacy projects are balanced in terms of geographical coverage and the different priority areas and include both community-based and community-led initiatives.

The applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria: