Step Up Fund: Call for Proposals

The Step-Up Call 2024 -2025 is now open for proposals. We invite local and national NGOs working with refugees and asylum seekers in Spain, Italy, Greece and Romania to apply for a grant of up to 12.000 Euro to develop the capacity of their organization.

Through the fund, up to 6 organisations will be selected to be supported in the period between December 2024 and November 2025. The selected organizations will - if they like - be offered capacity-building support by Dutch Council for Refugees in the form of trainings or twinning. The group of selected NGOs will regularly meet in online meetings to share experiences and will be invited to a work visit to the Netherlands.

DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 10 OCTOBER 2024

Eligibility

The Step Up Fund was launched by the Dutch Council for Refugees to improve refugee protection and inclusion at the borders of Europe. We do this by supporting local and national NGOs in strengthening their organization. 

You are eligible to apply to the Step Up Fund, if: 

  1. you are a registered non-profit organization based only in Spain, Italy, Greece or Romania. 
  2. your organization is a locally or nationally rooted organization in one of these four countries; 
  3. you are already working on the assistance of refugees and asylum seekers; 
  4. your project proposal focuses on capacity-development of your organization; 
  5. the grant you are applying for is max.12.000 Euro; 
  6. your application is submitted in English. 

Find out more about current and previous Step Up projects here.

Application process

  1. The deadline for proposals for Step Up is now extended until 10 October 2024.  
  2. Before you start working on your application, please read the Step Up application guidelines here
  3. You can write you your project proposal using this template
  4. Then upload your project proposal through the online application form

After submitting your proposal online, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.  Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online meeting in November 2024. All applicants will be informed about whether they have been selected or not between late October and early November.

Frequently Asked Questions for Step Up Fund

International solidarity

In these times of crisis, and as wars, violence and persecution persist across the globe, international and European solidarity for refugee protection is needed more than ever.  

Where Europe should be leading by example in sharing responsibility for welcoming and hosting refugees, the past years have seen a further externalization and deterioration of refugee protection. 

As part of our international solidarity, the Dutch Council for Refugees, a nationally operating NGO in the Netherlands assisting asylum seekers and refugees, has been investing in the capacity of NGO's at the borders of Europe over the past decade. 

If you would like to know more about our activities on international solidarity, visit this page. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, via ip@dcfr.nl 

 

Apply to Step Up

Submit your project proposal for NGO capacity building.