Mini-grant competition - Procedures 

SANA 2019: Civil Society Network For Preserving and Revitalising Indigenous Languages

Procedures of the mini-grant competition  

Project «SANA 2019: Civil Society Network for Preserving and Revitalising Indigenous Languages» is announcing a competition for awarding mini-grants. The competition is held in association with the International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019.

Objective of the mini-grant competition: The competition is held with the objective to support new and non-standard local initiatives for development and practicing indigenous Finno-Ugric languages in the Baltic Sea region.  

Requirements to Applicants 

Eligible applicants include non-governmental organisations NGOs), informal associations (initiative groups) and private persons from the following countries and regions: Russian Federation (Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Murmansk Oblast), Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Latvia.  

Which initiatives can be supported?

-       Oriented at the development of indigenous Finno-Ugric languages in their traditional territories

-       New, standalone initiatives

-      Intersectoral initiatives, i.e., linking languages with other themes and sectors (e.g., handicrafts, traditional livelihoods, design,        traditional knowledge, nature, arts, etc.)

-       Implemented using the languages of Finno-Ugric peoples

-       Oriented at the support of activities of local language activists

-       Promoting the dissemination of indigenous Finno-Ugric languages on the Internet

-       Supporting objectives of the International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019

-       Promoting international and inter-regional cooperation in the development of indigenous Finno-Ugric languages

-       Developing novel ideas that may be disseminated among other peoples as best practices of civil society led language activism  

Which initiatives can not be supported?

-       Oriented at the support of ongoing and/or regular activities of the applicant

-       Existing projects or events that have already secured funding from other sources  

Timeline of the competition and reporting deadlines  

Open call for receiving applications:     September 10 – November 10, 2018

Evaluation of applications:                       November 11 -   December 15, 2018

Announcement of results (grantees):                 December 16, 2018

Agreements signed with grantees                       December 16- 30, 2018                                                            

Implementation of initiatives                                 December 16, 2018 – March 15, 2019

Submission of interim report:                                 February 15, 2019

Submission of final substantive report:             March 15, 2019

Submission of financial report:                               April 1, 2019

Amounts of mini-grants

Total amount of the mini-grant fund: 10 000 euros

Minimum amount of a grant: 200 euros

Maximum amoung of a grant: 2000 euros

NB! Joint (network-based) applications may be funded by up to 5000 euros  

Submission of the application

Applications are received in English or Russian. Applications can be submitted  via 1) online application form here  or 2) by completing an application form in MS Word (downloadable here) and e-mailing it to network.sana2019@gmail.com. 

In case of technical issues please e-mail us at network.sana2019@gmail.com    

Selection Procedure

For the selection of grantees, a jury will be formed from among the partners of the project «SANA 2019: Civil Society Network for Preserving and Revitalising Indigenous Languages»:

1.     Association of Ethno-Cultural Centres and Organisations of Heritage Preservation «ECHO» (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

2.     Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples and Public Diplomacy «Young Karelia» (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

3.     House of Karelian Language (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

4.     Association of Izhorian People «Shoikula» (Leningrad Oblast, Russia)

5.     URALIC Centre for Indigenous Peoples (Estonia)

6.     Seto Cultural Fund (Estonia)

7.     Giellabalggis ry (Finland)  

Information for recipients of mini-grants

Prior to entering into an agreement, winners of the competition must submit the following documents to Association «ECHO»:

- Registered organisations: statutes, documents confirming registratsion), bank account.

- Private individuals: copy of passport (1st page and the page with registration), bank account.

- Informal associations (initiative groups): document confirming the establishment of an initiative group (free form), contact information of the coordinator of the initiative group (similarly to private individual applicants)  

Winners of the competition will present a substantive and financial report with supporting documents within agreed upon deadlines (see «Timeline of the competition and reporting deadlines»). The report will be submitted in electronic format with obligatory attachments for photo and video content.  

Winners will take part in the final event of the project «SANA 2019: Civil Society Network for Preserving and Revitalising Indigenous Languages» on April 18-19 in Petrozavodsk (Republic of Karelia, Russia).  

Project partners will assign a consultant to each grantee, in order to support implementation of the funded initiative and who will have the right to participate in its activities.  

Results and materials of supported initiatives must be available for further dissemination. Results of funded initiatives will be included in the interactive publication of best practices of Finno-Ugric language activism.  

Winners of the competition will allow Association «ECHO» and other partners of the SANA 2019 project, as well as to the Nordic Council of Ministers, the right to use these materials and other results from funded projects.  

Grantees may be invited to a training seminar to be held in Inari (Finland) on January 21-23, 2019. Participants will need to have an eligible passport for travel to Finland with a date of expiry after July 20, 2019.