Nearly 180 partnership-building meetings were held between June and August 2025 as part of the Partnership Fund activities of the PACT project. More than 60 civil society organizations took part in these meetings, which gave them the opportunity to seek like-minded partners for joint initiatives aimed at explaining and promoting the European Union’s values in Bulgaria.
The meetings were held both in person and online to ensure wider access for organizations from different parts of the country. Various formats were used, from individual conversations to group presentations, which allowed participants to take part in more than one meeting and thus increase their chances of finding suitable partners.
During the conversations, participants presented their visions, experiences, and interests, exchanged ideas, and sought common ground for future cooperation and joint applications. The meetings provided an opportunity for organizations to get to know each other better and laid the foundations for potential lasting partnerships.
They demonstrated strong commitment from the civil society sector and a desire to work together on important issues related to the development of democratic processes, the consolidation of citizens’ rights, and the promotion of equality and inclusion in all spheres of public life.
If you missed the meetings and are looking for a partner to apply to the Partnership Fund with, you have two options:
- Join the partnership database: Register your organization in the Partnership Fund database and become visible to other potential partners with whom you can apply for joint initiatives. Details and link to join the database here (BG).
- Request an individual on-site meeting at the WCIF or OSIS office: WCIF and OSIS are opening their offices to provide space for meetings between organizations wishing to participate in the Partnership Fund call for proposals under the PACT project. Book a meeting and meet with a partner to discuss a joint initiative in person! Details and how to request an on-site meeting here.
Аbout the Partnership Fund
The Partnership Fund will support partnership initiatives between civil society organizations working primarily at a national level and local organizations with the necessary infrastructure to reach local communities to raise awareness of EU rights and values, as well as to strengthen and promote their adoption.
Only partnership applications from at least two organizations can participate in the Partnership Fund call and thus receive funding for an initiative worth up to €60,000 without the need for their own contribution. The fund is managed by the Open Society Institute – Sofia (OSIS) Foundation. It is expected to support approximately 40 partnership initiatives by civil society organizations.
About the PACT project
The Partnership Fund is part of project PACT, which is implemented with the financial support of the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) for a total amount of €4,264,112.97, equivalent to 90% of its budget. The funding institution is the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), in accordance with the powers delegated to it by the European Commission.
The project is implemented by a consortium comprising: 1) Open Society Institute – Sofia (OSIS) Foundation, 2) Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation (WCIF), 3) The European Civic Action Service (ECAS). The members of the consortium co-finance the implementation of the project with their own funds amounting to €473,790, equivalent to 10% of its total value. You can learn more about the project here.
