First project starts under the Latvian NGO fund

The selection process under two of the €5.85 million Latvian NGO Fund's three programmes has been concluded, with 38 projects approved. First off the mark in terms of getting a project agreement signed came Valmieras Novada Fonds, a local foundation that is now able to carry on its work in support of community-building projects in the Valmiera county thanks to support from the EEA Grants.
Latvian NGOs have actively participated in tailoring the €5.85 million grant scheme to their needs. "For the first time, Latvian NGOs and social partners have a substantial source of funding to support core activities," said Director Nils Sakss at the Society Integration Foundation, which is managing the fund, adding that the grant to Valmieras Novada Fonds illustrates the fund’s strong focus on sustainability.
Valmieras Novada Fonds is working to obtain funding from national and international sources for small-scale projects in Valmiera in north-eastern Latvia. The foundation facilitates projects in various spheres, such as social welfare, sports, environmental protection, school projects, art and culture. Most of these projects are too small to qualify for support under many grant schemes.
On 4 September the Society Integration Foundation approved 38 applications for support under the fund’s programmes for capacity-building and activity support. The selection of projects has considered the geographical distribution of the prioritised organisations in order to ensure a reasonable spread among the different Latvian regions.
A decision on which applications that will be supported under the fund's third measure - individual NGO projects within the EEA Grants' priority sectors - is expected in the beginning of October. The launch of the next open call for project proposals is planned in two weeks’ time.
More information (in Latvian) is available on the web page of Society Integration foundation.