As of February 16, 2026, the competition under the Success Code Fund is open. The competition is aimed at smaller organizations outside the big cities.

The total budget of the fund is €450,000, and around 30 civil society organisations are expected to be supported with up to €15,000 without co-financing and lasting 12–18 months.

The application process is in two stages: concepts are submitted by April 20, 2026 (5:00 p.m.), and approved applicants submit full proposals by August 3, 2026 (5:00 p.m.). The submission is entirely online through the ECSS system, accessible from the project website. Learn more here.

To help the applicants are provided:

three face-to-face information meetings – in Sofia (23 February), Stara Zagora (9 March) and Burgas (11 March) – registration here
Two webinars on February 24 and 27, 2026 – register here.

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The project “Partnership between Civil Society Organisations for Impact on Rights and Values” (PACT) aims to raise public awareness of the values of the European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, with a focus on their impact on everyday life, individual choices and behaviour. The project also aims to strengthen the influence of Bulgarian civil society organizations that promote a culture of values based on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights.

The project is implemented in partnership with the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation, the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation and The European Citizen Action Service (ECAS). The project is funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme with a budget of EUR 4,264,112.97, representing 90% of its total value. The funding authority is the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), under its delegated powers by the European Commission. The remaining 10% (EUR 258,588) is provided as co-financing by the members of the consortium. The implementation of the project starts on January 1, 2025 and will continue until December 31, 2028.

To achieve its objectives, the project envisages two main areas of activity:

1. Financial support through two funds for citizens’ initiatives

Two competitions will be held – under the Partnership Fund and the Success Fund, aimed at raising awareness of EU rights and values, strengthening the rule of law, as well as promoting dialogue, transparency and good governance.

The Partnership Fund, managed by the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation, has a budget of EUR 2,400,000 and will support about 40 partnership initiatives with funding of up to EUR 60,000 each. The projects are expected to foster cooperation between organisations of different sizes – from established national structures to small local organisations – and contribute to the promotion of European values in different communities.
The Code Success Fund, managed by the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, has a budget of €450,000 and will support approximately 30 initiatives with funding of up to €15,000 each. Priority will be given to small organisations from remote and rural areas that have more limited capacity and resources. In addition to financial support, approved organizations will receive mentorship and additional expert assistance.

2. Building the capacity of civil society organisations

The ECAS partner will implement capacity building activities in three successive stages:

Phase 1: Prepare candidates by explaining the requirements and deepening knowledge of EU values.
Phase 2: Targeted support to selected organisations through trainings, workshops and networking events under the European Academy 2026-2028.
Phase 3: Promoting sustainability through continued support, developing expertise and connecting with European networks.

Within the framework of the project, an online repository on thematic areas will also be created for the exchange of good practices, case studies, tools and expertise between organizations from Bulgaria and other EU Member States.

To find out more about the PACT project and what are the opportunities to get involved, you can visit the project page: https://pact.osis.bg