EJA Kosovo recognizes that in addition to addressing specific issues of importance to particular groups of citizens, civil society can contribute to more systemic changes. Such contribution requires consistent advocacy, in-depth knowledge on the subject matter and developed internal systems and practices. These prerequisites are hampered if organizations operate on short-term funding or are required to implement strict project activities, regardless of changing context and needs. In order to maintain their professional staff, organizations with highly qualified staff and solid experience are forced to continuously search for funding opportunities and many times implement scattered small-scale projects instead of focusing on their long-term strategies. This affects their potential for change and risks any sustainability of civil society interventions. Building on previous successful experience of KCSF, EJA Kosovo believes that by providing long-term and flexible financial support, organizations that have demonstrated consistency as change agents in their area of expertise will sustain their interventions and further advance their missions. Institutional grants aim to support the implementation of the strategies of the organizations and in addition to strengthening internal organizational capacities, become the voice of citizens in the thematic areas that they cover. Institutional grants are meant for organizations that are consolidated, have a well-defined strategy of work and with proven organizational capacities. Institutional grantees are expected to be ready and act immediately in policies of public interest which lie in their domain of expertise.  They will have the necessary flexibility to adapt to emerging external contextual and programmatic developments and mobilize to act quickly when necessary. Moreover, institutional grants enable organizations to address in a consistent and systematic manner, the inclusion of citizens in their work and improve internal governance practices. Institutional grants are based on organizational multi-year strategies and work-plans rather than specific projects and/or activities.

EJA Kosovo recognizes that there is a potential of NGOs for contribution in many areas. This potential is commonly recognized within NGOs who are well-established, have a clear vision and systematically work to implement their strategy. There are other NGOs who are not yet at that level, but have clear direction of their development, including programmatic goals and groups of citizens that they represent or target with their work. However, this potential is not fully utilized as their funding structure does not provide for organizational development. Organizational development is hampered if organizations implement short and strict project activities without any possibility for investment in growth, capacity building and upgrade of internal systems. In order to compensate for organizational development, these NGOs are often obliged to use limited internal sources or project funding which is not directly intended for that. By providing long-term and tailored organizational development support the targeted organizations will make use of specific funds dedicated to advance their organization rather than specific projects. Specifically, these grants aim to support the capacity building of the staff, development and implementation of internal tools and systems, development of internal policies and documents, use of software and equipment or specific methodologies and approaches.  Similar to other instruments in EJA Kosovo, these grants enable organizations to also address in a consistent and systematic manner the inclusion of citizens in their work and improve internal governance practices.

Project grants are intended to deliver concrete results within a set time frame. Beneficiaries of these grants may be individuals, unregistered initiatives and non-governmental organizations with the most compelling and innovative ideas that have real potential for advancing the goals and objectives of the program. Project grants will support specific actions of civil society initiatives and individuals that address concrete issues, both of more systematic nature or limited in scope and duration; In addition they are intended to support the initiatives of individuals, unregistered initiatives and non-governmental organizations for more focused and short-term projects. Civil society initiatives are required to operate in their respective localities.

Medium project grants aim to support projects implemented by NGOs that provide concrete results in addressing identified issues/problems within a certain period, at local or national level. Unlike small project grants where supported interventions are usually on very specific issues at the local, neighborhood or village level, medium project grants aim for more systematic interventions at the local or national level. The grantees must demonstrate sufficient capacities to implement the interventions of the respective project.

Urgent Grants offer the opportunity for quick and timely interventions by civil society to respond to identified issues that contribute towards the objectives of EJA Kosovo. Beneficiaries of these grants may be individuals, unregistered initiatives or non-governmental organizations. It enables various actors to identify opportunities for contribution and quick reaction for which there is no sufficient time to apply and react through other instruments and regular calls such as project grants. The interventions that qualify for support have to justify the need for quick reaction and in what ways would the intervention be jeopardized in the absence of an immediate reaction. The call for Urgent Grants will be ongoing and submitted applications will be evaluated within 5 working days. Note: Urgency of the intervention is a qualifying criteria and before submitting an application for urgent grants make sure to check the call for small project grants and decide which instrument is a better fit for your proposed intervention.

The Award aims to honour all those who have contributed to the development of democracy in Kosovo, in all fields, through civic engagement at different levels of government and/or improvement of civil, social, economic or cultural rights of different groups of citizens of Kosovo, with special emphasis on marginalized groups. All nominations will be reviewed separately and evaluated by an independent board, based on the following criteria: o             Design and implementation of a successful initiative (approach, activity, project, etc.) in the promotion and development of democracy in Kosovo, during 2019; o             Innovative nature of the initiative; o             Actual or expected impact of this initiative, including the potential for expansion/replication; o             Courage of the organization or individual expressed through the given initiative o             Initiatives that directly involve citizens in their initiative or significant contribution of citizens participation in public life and/or policy making;