EU launches project worth €255,000 to strengthen capacity of Indonesian CSOs in response to COVID-19 pandemic
EU launches project worth EUR 255,000 to strengthen capacity of Indonesian civil society organisations in response to COVID-19 pandemic
The European Union (EU) has launched a project worth EUR 255,000 or IDR 4.4 billion to strengthen Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Indonesia. The project "Strengthening Indonesian CSOs Adaptive Capacity and Resilience in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic (CO-EVOLVE)" will be implemented by Penabulu Foundation over the next two years (2020-2022) and will target 200 local CSOs in 34 provinces as the main beneficiaries of the programme.
“We are proud to announce this new grant agreement with Penabulu Foundation to strengthen Indonesian CSOs’ capacity and resilience to overcome the economic and social impact of COVID-19. In line with the EU priorities on digitalisation, the project will also support the digital transformation of Indonesian CSOs by promoting the use of technological tools for increased outreach, even beyond Indonesia. Digital technologies are powerful tools to complement direct relations with the community, which remain at the forefront of CSO actions. The project covers all 34 provinces of Indonesia and we expect that the outcomes will continue beyond the life of the project to benefit more CSOs and ultimately the Indonesian citizens,” said EU Ambassador Vincent Piket.
CSOs in Indonesia have a long tradition of supporting development, humanitarian assistance and public policy advocacy across the country, especially in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, CSOs have felt the impact of the COVID-19 crisis strongly, as programme implementation and organisational sustainability are at risk. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic can provide a momentum to accelerate the evolutionary process of CSOs to access alternative sources of domestic funding and maximise the use of information and digital technologies.
The CO-EVOLVE project aims to promote joint evolution of Indonesian CSOs to build organisational resilience in dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crisis, as well as to promote collective action as a key driving force to implement sustainable development. Specifically, the project is designed to strengthen the enabling environment and capacity of Indonesian CSOs to mobilise domestic resources to mitigate the social and economic impact of COVID-19 as well as to support the government in accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs in Indonesia.
The CO-EVOLVE project will facilitate strategic collaboration between CSOs, Government and the private sector through:
- Enhancing collaborative partnerships to mitigate the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Enhancing crisis adaptive capacities of CSOs through improved internal governance structures and strategic planning, networking, and accelerate digital transformation of CSOs to enhance outreach and increase the impact of activities;
- Development of domestic resource mobilisation strategy and diversification of funding sources to increase the operational efficiency of CSOs and organisational sustainability;
- Promoting innovative investment through establishment of a public fundraising platform and increasing the effectiveness of CSOs in the context of digital transformation;
- Enhancing CSO advocacy network and collective actions in responding to the needs of the communities most affected by the crisis.
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About the EU’s “Team Europe” coronavirus response in Indonesia
To support partner countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, the EU has launched the “Team Europe” approach. The objective of the “Team Europe” approach is to combine resources from the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions. “Team Europe” has mobilised around EUR 200 million in grants and loans to support Indonesia. EUR 6 million or IDR 108.5 billion in grants are dedicated to support CSOs to address the health and socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis in Indonesia. More info: https://bit.ly/TeamEuropeIndonesia
About European Union
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 Member States. Together, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. The EU is the largest trade block in the world, as well as the world's largest source and destination of foreign direct investment. Collectively, the EU and its Member States are the largest donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA), providing more than half of ODA globally.
About Penabulu Foundation
The Penabulu Foundation was founded in 2003 and since then has dedicated itself to strengthening the capacity of civil society in Indonesia through empowerment and sustainability of the position and role of civil society organisations in Indonesia with efforts to strengthen organisational capacities and capabilities; mobilisation, management and distribution of resources; developing equal partnerships between actors and development sector as well as mobilising the widest possible public participation and involvement.