Apply now !! Swedish Creative Force 2019 : Funding programme for international projects

Are you an organisation that works internationally to strengthen democracy, freedom of expression and human rights? Do you use media or the arts as a means to bring about positive change? The first Call for Applications for 2019 Creative Force is now open.

Application deadline: 24 January 2019 (12.00 Swedish time)

What is Creative Force?

It is a funding programme for international projects. It is open to Swedish organisations and their partners in our target countries who work though media or the arts to strengthen democracy, human rights and freedom of expression. It offers two types of grant:

Seed Funding is available for carrying out a small project or for preparing a larger project for which you plan to seek funding. You and your international partner can apply for up to SEK 100,000 for an initiative which must be completed within 12 months of funding being granted. We recommend that you apply for seed funding before you apply for a grant for a larger collaborative project.

Collaborative Projects are larger projects which should involve knowledge exchange, capacity building or method development. We recommend that you apply for this type of grant to scale-up a project which has previously received seed funding. You and your international partner can apply for up to SEK 500,000 per 12-month period. A project may last 24 months at most from funding being granted (in other words, you can apply for max. SEK 1 million).

Eligibility criteria

Any type of organisation which is registered in Sweden.
Your organisation must have been registered for at least one year (for seed funding) or two years (for collaborative projects).
You must write your application jointly with a partner organisation in one (or more) of the Creative Force target countries (see below).

Eligible countries

In Africa and Middle East & North Africa (MENA): Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia,Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen
In Eastern Europe & Turkey:Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldavia, Ukraine and Turkey
Russia: Northwestern Russia

Projects should normally take place entirely in the target country or in both Sweden and the target country.

Check whether your project is suitable for Creative Force.

Your project uses media or the arts as a means to strengthen democracy, freedom of expression and human rights in the target countries.
Your project fulfills the specific Creative Force programme objectives for the country(s) you want to work with.
Your project should be based on an exchange of knowledge or best practice between partners. This can be achieved, for example, by means of training courses or similar opportunities where participants work together to develop new methods or technologies.
Your project targets agents of change in the partner country(s) who want to learn new skills or use new technologies to help them in their efforts to bring about change.
Your project’s achievements will continue to spread and have an impact after the project has finished.

How to apply

Click on this link to take you to the online application form.
Start by creating an account or logging in if you already have one.
Submit all the documents from Step 2 above (which you have completed and saved on your computer) via the online application form. Instructions on the form will guide you step-by-step through the procedure.
You can create and save an application in advance. This allows you to review it before you submit it. You cannot make any changes one you have submitted your application.

After you have submitted your application, you will receive an email giving you a reference number. Please give this this reference number whenever you need to contact the Swedish Institute.