Open call to civil society organizations for grant proposals
People who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence, women and girls facing multiple vulnerabilities, people experiencing gender-based cyber violence, as well as survivors of harmful practices related to gender-based violence, are the primary focus of the new €2.5 million VOICES programme.
This funding is significant for Greece, as it will support 29 projects dedicated to preventing and combating gender-based violence in all its forms. It marks a decisive step in addressing a phenomenon that remains alarmingly prevalent across Greece: during their lifetime, 4 in 10 women (41.8%) have experienced threats or physical, sexual, or psychological violence from a partner, while more than 3 in 10 (36.5%) have faced physical or sexual violence or threats at least once. At the same time, more than 4 in 10 women in the country (42.6%) have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace at some point in their lives (FRA, EIGE, Eurostat, 2024, EU Gender-Based Violence Survey – Key results. Experiences of Women in the EU-27). These figures clearly demonstrate the need for targeted prevention and support interventions, as well as for strengthening organizations that operate on the front line.
The new programme seeks to prevent and combat all forms of gender-based violence through supporting civil society organizations in Greece and Cyprus which are active in this field, but also by bolstering their organizational capacity, sustainability and participation in policy-making. The VOICES programme is co-funded by the European Union under the “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values” programme (CERV), the Bodossaki Foundation, the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights, and the NGO Support Centre.
The Bodossaki Foundation, in its capacity as co-funder and coordinator, and in partnership with the NGO Support Centre (Cyprus) and the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights, is pleased to announce an open call for grant proposals from civil society organizations (CSOs). The open call, entitled “Preventing and Combating All Forms of Gender-Based Violence,” will support approximately 37 projects—29 in Greece and 8 in Cyprus. The selected projects will be implemented over the next three years and aim to combat all forms of gender-based violence. Their focus includes preventing and addressing domestic and sexual violence, gender-based cyberviolence, and harmful practices related to gender-based violence.
VOICES will also deliver a comprehensive capacity-building programme which has been tailored to the needs of CSOs in Greece and Cyprus and will promote their organizational development and sustainability. The programme will be implemented by Social Dynamo, the Bodossaki Foundation’s NGO Hub, in collaboration with the NGO Support Centre and the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights, and will encompass training, workshops and mentoring; specialized support; networking, awareness-raising and advocacy initiatives; and organizational development tools.
The joint proposal by the Bodossaki Foundation, the NGO Support Centre and the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights was one of just four projects selected continent-wide following a rigorous and highly competitive evaluation process, and has secured €2.5 million in funding for the implementation of the projects in the two countries.
Interested organizations can submit their applications until Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
More information about the call and the proposal submission process is available here.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them